Apply cultural awareness to all
workplace relationships
This topic highlights the concept of culture and the importance of culture in all our lives. We
will look at cultural and individual needs and preferences and outline the need for cultural
competence in cross-cultural care.
We will look at the areas of similarity and difference between cultural groups and learn to
understand the risks and effects of stereotyping and prejudice.
When you complete this topic you will know how to:
•
•
•
contribute to the development of relationships based on cultural diversity
demonstrate respect for cultural diversity in all communication and interactions
with clients, colleagues and customers
use specific strategies to eliminate bias and discrimination in dealing with clients
and co-workers.
Show respect for cultural diversity in
all communications and interactions
with co-workers and clients
The concept of culture
Culture strongly influences our thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. It impacts on the
way we relate to others, the way we care for ourselves and our loved ones, the way we dress,
eat, speak, write and live our lives. For this reason, a little cultural understanding can go a long
way when dealing with people from a background different to ours.
Culture: Most simply, culture refers to the way of life and world view of a particular group of
people at a particular point in time.
Cultures are constantly changing and developing over time. They are strongly influenced by:
•
local environment, for example:

weather: hot or cold, dry or wet

geography: mountainous, near the sea, in the desert

location: urban or rural
1
© NSW DET 2009
•
•
•
local history and politics
major events, both natural and made by humans
interactions with other cultures.
Culture provides people with a blueprint for living, that is, it determines ideas about
appropriate values and behaviours.
Our culture may determine when we sleep, how we bathe, what we wear and what we eat. It
may tell us what is right and what is wrong, how to bring up our children, how to greet friends
and address a stranger, what is polite and what is impolite. It may prescribe ways of grieving,
ways to show affection and ways to cure illness.
Some aspects of culture are readily visible to the observer, such as clothing and language.
These aspects help to make up the way of life section of our definition. Other aspects of
culture are not visible from the outside, such as beliefs and values. These aspects help to make
up the world view section of our definition.
The idea of culture being like an iceberg is useful to further exploring and understanding the
concepts above.
The cultural iceberg
cli
Drawing of an iceberg with language, food, clothing above the water line and communication
style, beliefs, attitudes, values, perceptions, cultural and social norms below the water line
The culture iceberg
The culture iceberg above shows a small number of things visible above the surface—
language, food and clothing.
2
© NSW DET 2007
These aspects of culture represent our way of life and are clearly visible. In terms of
community services, these aspects represent a client’s:
•
•
activities of daily living
recurrent care needs. These are needs we have many times a day, every day—eg
the need to communicate, the need for sustenance, and the need for personal
care.
Whilst it is these visible aspects of culture that we notice first, it is important to remember that
the visible aspects:
•
•
•
make up only a small part of culture (as depicted in the picture above)
do not necessarily represent the most important information to help us
understand a person’s needs or actions
can be misleading, eg a person’s physical appearance, what they eat or what
language they speak may not reflect that person’s cultural identity.
In order to make sure that we do not place too much importance on the visible aspects of
culture, it is necessary to distinguish between cultural needs, universal human needs, and
individual, personal needs and preferences.
While universal human needs are shared by all people, cultural aspects are shared by a group
of people, and personal needs and preferences are unique to the individual.
The universal needs we all have, such as basic survival needs, must be met. In these needs we
are more similar than different. We all need a safe place to live and we need food and clean
water. We have the need for knowledge, work to support ourselves and our family and we
have spiritual aspirations. The way these needs are met is determined to some extent by the
culture in which we live.
Cultural aspects shared by one group of people, such as the way of performing activities of
daily living, systems of belief and social code of conduct, may differ greatly from the cultural
aspects of another group. No one way of getting ready in the morning, eating dinner at night
or bathing oneself is better or worse than any other way of doing the same task.
It is vital that we remember that cultural groups are made up of individuals, with each person
being unique in his or her own way.
We all have (or belong to) one or more cultures. For example, a person could identify as being
Australian, Australian and Italian, Australian and Christian, Australian and young, Australian
and hearing impaired, Australian and gay. Depending on circumstances such as where we are
and who we are with, we may present ourselves as belonging more to one culture than
another. However, wherever we are and whatever culture or cultures we identify with, we
never stop being individuals.
Activity 1
3
© NSW DET 2009
Activity 2
Activity 3
Visible aspects of culture
We have defined culture, identified the many components of culture not readily visible from
the outside, raised awareness of the impact of culture on all people, and identified the
differences between cultural, individual and universal needs. Now we look more closely at the
visible aspects of culture – the way of life shared by a group of people and the impact of
culture on daily routines, such as eating.
As mentioned in the last section, the culture iceberg shows a small number of things visible
above the surface:
•
•
•
language
food
clothing.
These aspects of culture represent a way of life and are clearly visible.
We will now explore these concepts further by addressing the things that are visible above the
surface.
Language
Different ways of writing (scripts) and different verbal sounds (speech) are obvious signs of
different cultures. When we hear people speaking a language different to our own, we are
immediately aware that those people may not be from the same background as us.
We may not be able to read writing when it appears in different scripts. Once again, this is an
immediate indication that the writing comes from a background or culture different to our
own.
Examples of Arabic, Chinese and Russian script
4
© NSW DET 2007
Examples of Arabic, Chinese and Russian script
Language is an important part of communication. We speak to each other all the time to
convey even simple messages. A person who is literate in their mother tongue may not be able
to read information presented in different languages or scripts.
Food
Familiar, culturally appropriate food is very important to clients’ quality of life because it is a
recurrent need.
Food and drink are not only vital to survival, they hold strong meaning in many cultures and
are capable of providing both great comfort and great distress. Beyond the essential
sustenance function, food and drink contribute to our sense of well-being and are a source of
sensory pleasure and comfort.
The way people eat and drink, and what they eat and drink, varies a lot between cultures. The
many different cuisines found around the world were originally developed in response to the
environment of the place of origin, for example, using ingredients found locally, that grow well
in that particular soil and climate.
The strong influence of the environment explains why there are often strong regional
differences in ingredients and food preparation within the same country.
In most cultures, food and drink are important parts of religious and social rituals and
celebrations. Certain religions forbid certain types of food and may have strict rules about how
food is to be prepared. If you are organising a function, be aware of the cultural catering needs
of the people you work with.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cultural differences surrounding food may include how various cultures’ practices
or preferences in the following areas:
ingredients
preparation and handling
cooking methods
utensils and cutlery
presentation
customs and taboos.
Clothing
5
© NSW DET 2009
People and their clothes
Clothing is another very visible cultural difference that can distinguish people belonging to
different cultures or performing specific jobs, for example, traditional religious dress and
uniforms.
The parts of the body that should be covered, and the manner in which they are covered varies
from culture to culture and even within cultures. What should be worn may depend on
gender, age, role, situation and other circumstances.
Many cultures have traditional ceremonial costumes that are worn during cultural
celebrations. Others have traditional clothes that may be worn all the time to indicate the
wearer’s status in the community, their belief system, or as a display of respect.
Traditional costumes
Once again the environment of the country/place of origin can help explain certain clothing
traditions. For example, clothing traditions in very cold regions differ greatly from those of
tropical regions.
I wear my ceremonial kilt on special
occasions. The tartan pattern on my kilt
shows I come from the MacDuff family
Scottish man wearing kilt and carrying
bagpipes
6
© NSW DET 2007
I am a professional entertainer. I
perform traditional Japanese arts such as
dance and music at banquets.
Geisha wearing full kimono and makeup.
I wear these vestments during mass.
They indicate that I am a Roman
Catholic Priest participating in liturgy.
Roman Catholic Priest.
It says in the Qur’an that Muslim
women should cover themselves when
they go out. I wear a scarf and a dress
that covers me. I would not be
comfortable in public dressed any other
way.
Woman in traditional Muslim dress.
I wear these clothes because I think they
make me look good. I’d be so
embarrassed to have to go out wearing
something daggy – what if someone
saw me!?
Young girl in trendy fashionable clothes.
7
© NSW DET 2009
Less visible aspects of culture
Now that we have looked at the visible aspects of culture: the way of life section shown above
the water in the iceberg, it is time to look at those aspects of culture found below the surface,
the much less visible world view component of our definition.
The majority of the culture iceberg is found below the surface of the water. Only a very small
amount of the iceberg is actually visible.
Below the surface lies a vast mass of very important aspects of culture. These aspects of
culture, relating to the world view of a particular group of people, will provide us with the
most important information to help us understand a person’s cultural needs or actions, their
attitudes and behaviours.
These aspects of culture:
•
•
•
give meaning to life
greatly affect personal well-being
are the driving force behind behaviour and reactions.
It is the less or invisible aspects of culture that are most likely to give us insight into our client’s
wants and needs. A greater understanding of these influences will provide us with a greater
understanding of the individual, making our time at work easier, more enjoyable and more
rewarding.
The key aspects of culture found below the surface are:
•
•
•
•
•
social interaction
beliefs
attitudes
values
perceptions.
These aspects are very closely intertwined and overlap.
We will now explore each aspect in more detail by addressing them in turn.
Social interaction
Within each culture there is a whole code of conduct that determines how people are
expected to relate to each other. We all learn the expected ways of behaving with other
people as we grow up. As adults, the code is used so automatically that we forget that our way
of interacting is not a natural way of behaving, but the prescribed way of our particular
culture.
The code of conduct of a particular culture may prescribe appropriate interactions between:
•
•
men and women
young people and older people
8
© NSW DET 2007
•
•
•
•
relatives
colleagues
strangers
subordinates and superiors.
The code of conduct affects not only what people can say to each other, but also the way they:
•
•
•
•
address each other
touch each other
use gestures
outwardly express their emotions and feelings.
All cultures have their own code of conduct. In some cultures the rules can be strict and
complex.
Breaking these rules of social interaction can trigger irritation, distrust, and even real distress.
It can lead to strong reactions and misunderstandings.
In different cultures, the same action may carry a different message or meaning. The same
behaviour is likely to affect different people in different ways.
With social interactions, sometimes the messages we convey may be interpreted in different
ways. Mistakes will be made unintentionally, especially when we are first getting to know a
new person. Mistakes cannot always be avoided. The important thing is to learn from the
mistakes and to ask if unsure.
The first step when interacting with new people from different cultures is to carefully observe
reactions to our behaviour to see whether the message has been received the way it was
intended.
In any workplace, effective interaction among the people you work with is very important
because:
•
•
•
it will impact on teamwork and job satisfaction
it is a recurrent need
it is a precondition to providing quality care.
Of particular relevance is the special status given to children in most cultures.
We will now focus attention on the remaining less visible aspects of culture found below the
surface: beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions.
Beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions
Beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions are very closely intertwined. Each one impacts on all
the others. These aspects are also very closely related to social interaction and the social code
of conduct prescribed by a culture.
9
© NSW DET 2009
As previous examples have illustrated, even with basic needs such as food and clothing hidden
aspects of culture can determine what is acceptable and what is not.
It is these hidden aspects that can explain strong reactions when a cultural ‘rule’ is broken.
They may be of great assistance to making our work enjoyable and rewarding, and can
drastically increase the quality of life of our clients.
Due to the vastness and complexity of cultural differences regarding belief systems, values and
attitudes, it is not possible for us to explore all the dimensions here. Instead, let us focus on
gaining the awareness and skills needed to integrate and respond to cultural variations in the
workplace.
It is very important to remember that individual differences in attitudes, beliefs, values and
perceptions exist within cultures. It is not possible to learn about a person by simply learning
about their culture.
Making judgements about a person based on superficial information about their cultural
background is dangerous, as will be seen later in this resource when we discuss the risk of
prejudice and stereotyping. We must always be extremely cautious when trying to understand
a person on the basis of their culture. However there are some broad cultural attitudes and
values that are relevant to the health care setting.
Broad differences between groups of cultures
Reliance on others
Collective
Individualistic
In some societies the focus
is on inter-dependence –
people rely on each other.
In other societies the
emphasis is on
independence or selfreliance.
Examples of these societies:
Middle Eastern and Eastern
societies.
Examples of these societies:
Western societies.
Can you think of the positive as well as negative impact of being reliant and of being selfreliant?
Individualistic cultures place an emphasis on individual rights and needs, whereas collective
cultures emphasise the needs of the family and community as a whole. This broad cultural
attitude/value may have a significant impact on individual clients in health care.
Different world views will influence the reactions of individuals to particular
events/circumstances. An understanding of different cultural perspectives will help us
understand behaviours that may otherwise appear unreasonable or inconsistent.
Beliefs
This aspect of culture is probably the most complex and the one that may cause some of the
strongest reactions and misunderstandings.
10
© NSW DET 2007
A system of belief or religious faith may give meaning and direction to whole communities and
individuals.
No one is expected to know about all the complex belief systems of the world, but we all
should be aware that a belief system or a person’s faith is a fundamental part of their life that
has to be respected, though not necessarily shared or understood.
Beliefs may help determine the way people from a particular culture think, act and react to life
events and circumstances. They may help determine attitudes and reactions to health, illness,
disability, healing, treatment, death and the dying process and, for many, an after-life.
It is impossible for us to learn about all these different belief systems.
What is important and possible is to know is that these differences exist and that these beliefs
strongly impact the life of people.
People’s systems of belief and ways of understanding the meaning of life are ancient and
complex.
Within each culture there is a whole code of social conduct that determines how people are
expected to relate to each other. It is important to remember that our own ways of behaving
are not the natural or only ways of behaving; they are simply the ways our culture taught us to
behave. Different cultures have different rules.
Our lives are strongly influenced by cultural and individual codes, beliefs, attitudes and
perceptions. It is impossible for any person to learn everything about all the cultures of the
world.
Even if we did know everything about a particular culture, it is dangerous to make assumptions
about a person on the basis of their cultural background.
The first step when interacting with people from different cultures is to carefully observe
reactions to our behaviour to see whether the message has been received the way it was
intended.
Identifying our own cultures
Being aware of our own culture is the first step to becoming a culturally competent worker.
This section highlights how difficult it is to describe specific cultures and how inadequate,
simple descriptions can lead to inaccurate stereotypes and prejudices. Most of the content of
this section is covered in the exercises and resources.
While there may be some characteristics of a culture that could be useful in describing a
majority of people from a particular background, they will usually be very general and not
particularly useful to understanding individuals.
For example, people may say that Australians tend to be quite informal, that English is the
official language of the country and that Australia is a vast island with a small but diverse
11
© NSW DET 2009
population. Whilst these observations do represent broad features of Australia, they do not
explain the nature of individuals living here.
Activity 4
Use specific strategies to eliminate
bias and discrimination in the
workplace
Risk of prejudice and stereotyping
This section identifies the risks associated with making judgements about individuals on the
basis of their appearance or background and the need to recognise that prejudgements may
lead to incorrect assessments.
Of utmost importance is the need to treat people as individuals. No matter what a person’s
cultural background is, they are first and foremost an individual, with unique likes, dislikes,
needs and preferences. This attitude certainly encourages us to read and learn more about
other cultures, but at the same time to always consider the needs of the individual, without
pre-judging or applying a stereotypical picture of what a person from a particular background
should be like.
Contribute to the development of
workplace and professional
relationships based on acceptance
of cultural diversity
Work relationships
Reflect on the work relationships you have.
Work relationships may be with your:
12
© NSW DET 2007
•
•
•
•
friends at work
your supervisor or manager
co-workers, some of whom may be members of your work team
workers from other sections of the organisation.
Can you think of more types of work relationships? In the workplace, we have to build
successful work relationships and interact with people in a positive way to achieve our
organisational goals.
Activity 5
Guidelines
Below are guidelines on how we can contribute to the development of workplace and
professional relationships based on acceptance of cultural diversity. Note that many of these
guidelines are the same for all work relationships.
A positive attitude
This means avoid negative thought and criticisms. Be aware of any prejudices you have about
any aspect of your co-workers’ lives, eg culture, religion, customs, lifestyle choices etc. Once
you have this self-awareness, you can work towards eliminating your prejudices. Often,
prejudices arise out of fear or uncertainty, ie, fear or the unknown. Try as best you can to be
non-judgmental and more accepting of others. Give the other person the benefit of the doubt
and always try to learn more about other cultures, religions etc.
Work at improving your communication skills
Always listen carefully to the other person. Focus on their message, not on, say, their
pronunciation, accent or some other attribute. Listen carefully and you will be able to respond
appropriately—and, thus, and avoid misunderstandings. If you are unsure of what the other
person had said, check with them—you can do this by reflecting back what you think they had
said, eg ‘So, are you saying we should…?’
Resolve conflicts early
Sometimes, it is difficult to avoid misunderstandings. These may be misunderstandings to do
with ineffective communication or it may have to do with differences in cross-cultural
communication. If you sense a conflict brewing, do not allow it to fester—resolve it early. Be
direct and courteous. Develop a plan of action to address the problem with your co-worker
and then work together toward resolving it.
Treat all co-workers with respect
It is important to be fair towards all your co-workers, regardless of who they are and how
different they may be from you, be this in cultural and linguistic background or some other
area (eg, age, gender, lifestyle, disability, position in the organisation).
13
© NSW DET 2009
Treating all workers equally means being inclusive, eg, including them in the conversation. It
means being respectful by paying attention, listening carefully, and responding appropriately.
It means being courteous and professional and being open and honest about your feelings and
giving others the opportunity to do the same.
Share information about cultural practices
You and your co-workers might share aspects of your culture and religion and, if relevant,
experiences (eg, growing up in Australia or migrant/refugee experiences). Look for common
interests—you might find that you have as many differences as similarities.
Understand and accept cultural differences
If we are going to work harmoniously with people from diverse backgrounds, we need to be
tolerant and respectful about values, beliefs and religious practices, which may be very
different from our own. The more we learn about other cultures, the more we can put
ourselves in other people’s shoes and respect their position. When you and a co-worker do not
agree, try looking at things from their perspective.
14
© NSW DET 2007