Being culturally competent in the workplace is not only the manager’s responsibility. It is every employee’s responsibility to increase their cultural sensitivity. Being culturally sensitive does not refer to minority cultures but also to the mainstream culture as well. It has to be a two-way street.
There are some who believe their Blackness or minority status gives them license to be disrespectful to their white colleagues by using racist epithets at the drop of a hat. This attitude does not bode well for congenial office relationships.
An employee can no longer operate on the fly in the workplace. Every word a person utters must be spoken consciously. There is an old adage that goes like this: sticks and stones may break my bones but words never hurt me – who ever wrote these lines perhaps had never been stung by words. Words are mightier, weightier and can deliver a far heavier blow than sticks and stones. The hurt from sticks and stones eases after a while but hurtful words live with us like a constant companion throughout our lives.
When we are in the workplace, it is each employee’s duty to respect each other’s human rights. This is law in most developed countries. However, you can respect a person’s human rights and still disrespect the person’s basic rights as a human being.
We need to go beyond the law and to do the right thing. We need to develop a culture of respect amongst all employees through clear and simple policies which must be posted in visible places for everyone to see.
The boss must also lead by example. It is not a crime to acknowledge ignorance. If you do not know something about a person’s culture, ask questions. People generally love the opportunity to speak about their cultures; their eyes light up, their faces glow and there is certain esteem knowing that you are interested in them and their culture.
One of the ways to build a culture of respect in the workplace is to designate a person to organize cultural days starting with the cultures that are part of the workplace. Bring in a speaker, have local group cook specific foods from the cultures and celebrate the diversity in the workplace. This action will go a long way towards creating a respectful and culturally sensitive work environment.
