What is Cultural Competence and Why is it Important?

Cultural competence is the ability of individuals and groups to understand and appreciate the differences between people of all cultures. This includes beliefs, values and experiences that have shaped people’s lives. Organizations today are responsible for building this competence as a critical component of their human resources practices.

Today’s workplace offers more flexibility than ever. But with that added flexibility comes an enhanced corporate responsibility to make teams that mesh well.?

Workers in today’s economy come from more unique backgrounds, cultures and socioeconomic groups compared to even a decade ago. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the U.S. population of individuals under 18 became “majority minority”; by 2044, this status will apply to the entire American population. With so many personalities and cultures intermingling, organizations must implement policies to ensure equitable treatment and investment in their minority employees.?

One of the foundations of any successful workplace now is cultural competence. This competence can occur on an individual, team or company-wide level. But achieving it is not always easy.?

What is Cultural Competence?

Cultural competence describes the conflux of behaviors, attitudes and policies that enable effective work in a cross-cultural context. Implicit in this competence is the capacity to function as individuals and organizations.

When we talk about culture, we mean the distinct beliefs, values and thoughts of groups that include:

• Different races.
• Ethnicities.
• Religious beliefs.
• Other social groups.

Why is it Important?

Cultural competence helps employees communicate and collaborate. Eliminating roadblocks that stem from cultural misunderstandings can increase efficiency and make people more productive. Creating a workplace that prioritizes cultural competence offers several benefits.

Increases Awareness of Others

Cultural competence allows employees to understand others’ unique perspectives and attitudes better. Because culturally competent employees take the time to listen to their teammates, they can foster an atmosphere of enhanced collaboration.?

Establishes Empathy

Cultural competence allows a person to understand others’ perspectives and experiences, but empathy equips them with the ability to communicate their understanding. Cultural empathy links consideration of what someone is going through and a reflection of what it truly means to experience it.

Generates Creativity

How does cultural competence increase creativity? It allows employees to explore new solutions and other perspectives. A diverse team is a creative team that brings more than one viewpoint to the table. The answer to an issue or challenge may exist where it did not before.

Allows You to Listen

Cultural competence pushes employees to focus on clear communication. While team members should always convey ideas clearly and concisely, teammates should pay attention to what the speaker says. Active listening helps build mutual understanding by encouraging people to pay attention and ask thoughtful questions. This produces a better conversation between members of an organization.?

Breaks Down Stereotypes and Unhealthy Societal Norms

Everyone carries some degree of bias into the workplace. We create stereotypes of different cultures as shorthand to relate to them. But these stereotypes and societal norms are sometimes harmful, especially if we base them on limited experiences or things we have perceived in the media.

Culturally competent employees have a high degree of self-awareness about stereotypes and what those beliefs say about them as people. These team members recognize pre-existing biases and work to overcome them through communication and interrogating those beliefs.

How to Increase Cultural Competence in the Workplace

If cultural competence is vital to a modern, functional workplace, how can organizations increase it? Dedicating a company to developing culturally competent employees takes careful planning and consistent effort. The only way to succeed is to commit to the process from the top down. A half-hearted attempt from fragmented teams will not cut it.

Receive Training from DEI Experts

For organizations where cultural competence — and the bedrock of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) — are not historically priorities, receiving proper expert training is the first step. DEI experts can hold workshops or training classes that offer employees tools and knowledge to increase their awareness.

Take the Initiative to Learn

While leadership buy-in is critical for successful, company-wide cultural competence development, it can start at any organization tier. New and tenured associates can bring ideas. Many successful initiatives begin with one person seeking better cultural sensitivity on an individual level.?

Have Cultural Humility

Cultural humility speaks to the suspension of judgment and the ability to learn about other cultures. It is the understanding that a person can learn quite a bit from someone of a different background. Culturally humble people seek to open conversations to understand another person’s identities as they relate to:

• Race or ethnicity.
• Gender.
• Sexual orientation.
• Socioeconomic status.
• Education.
• Social needs.

Be Self-Aware

Part of humility is being aware of previous biases, but it also considers existing, self-reflective questions. Awareness stems from asking the following self-reflective questions:

• What parts of my identity am I aware of? Which ones are important to this conversation?
• How am I privileged? How am I marginalized?
• Does my identity change based on context or setting?
• What are my blind spots and biases?

Pay Attention

Anyone invested in growing cultural competence in their company must pay attention to conversations around culture within the workplace. Hearing what others say and actively considering those ideas shows a willingness to change.

Listen

Every conversation is a learning opportunity but requires listening to those with different perspectives or experiences. Keep an open mind to new ideas and ask thoughtful questions to clarify what a speaker means.

Show Genuine Interest

Diversity programs are not a substitute for genuine interest. Building cultural competence revolves around a willingness to include people and to give appropriate weight to their thoughts and viewpoints.?

Final Thoughts on the Importance of Cultural Competence

The world and the workplace have changed over the past few decades, and that does not even consider how remote work allows people to connect and collaborate across time zones and continents. Cultural competence reduces the friction from working with those with different experiences. It is not just a “nice-to-have” for effective teams — it is a requirement for thriving organizations in the global economy.

Top Takeaways

• Cultural competence describes an organization’s or individual’s practices that allow people from different backgrounds to work together.
• Fostering cultural competence is vital and reduces friction among employees. It allows for better collaboration between members of distinct groups.
• Cultural competence is built upon a framework of understanding, empathy and listening to the lived-in experiences of others.
• By actively listening to team members from different walks of life, groups can uncover new solutions to problems.
• Competence is not only essential for individuals but a necessity for global organizations with far-flung employees.

(Reporting by NPD)