7 Essential Components of Cultural Competence

According to Cloverpop, more diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time. The word “diverse” in this case refers to groups made up of different ages, gender, and geographic diversity. As an employer, providing a space for open communication and mutual respect for everyone is important, period. But it is also one of the many ways you can practice cultural competence in the workplace.
So, what exactly is cultural competence? It is the capacity and willingness of a person to work and interact with another person from a different culture. The ability to develop meaningful relationships with people with different religions, nationalities, who speak different languages, and more.
Today’s world is diverse and global. Technology has made interactions across cultures around the world a very common experience. So it is important that your employees practice cultural competence every day.
Accumulating cultural competence through self-awareness and developing communication skills is a lifelong process. It is an ability that serves both inside and outside of the office.
Organizations practicing cultural competency must go beyond simply instilling tolerance amongst employees. Tolerance usually means that you are simply putting up with something that is undesirable. Cultural competence goes far beyond this and instead involves being appreciative, affirming, and inclusive of all cultural backgrounds.
Organizations must practice respecting and recognizing all cultural differences. This way, there is a sense of inclusion and acceptance amongst all employees. If your employees feel comfortable to be themselves in the office, you can expect better communication and collaboration. This includes within the team and with your clients or partners.
According to Diversity Resources, there are seven essential components of cultural competence that leaders must consider.
1. ‘beliefs and worldview’. To put it simply, this is how different people view the world and how they see themselves in it. For example, this can include religious beliefs.
2. ‘Communication’. This is the next component, emphasizing the cultural differences in how people communicate. Some people might prefer to be more direct than others, for example.
3. Kind of within the same vein as communication is ‘formality’. Manners and etiquette while communicating with others might be different from one culture to the next. Signs of respect may be different as well, bringing us to...
4. ‘Hierarchy’. Not all cultures see social structure as vertical. Some might view social hierarchies as horizontal instead. More so like everyone is on the same playing field, not one person is more important.
5. ‘Perception of time’ is another essential element of cultural differences to be aware of. This one might sound kind of strange, but people may have different timelines when it comes to their goals. Some employees may have a more fixed or flexible professional schedule. Which ties into the next component…
6. ‘Values and priorities’. Someone might need a more flexible schedule, because they value work-life balance and family first. Others may prioritize different values and not require the same flexibility.
7. Finally, we have ‘uniqueness and individuality’. To wrap up this list, we will end on how everyone, regardless of background, is unique. It is important to view your employees as individuals, and not hold them to predetermined guidelines.
Following these elements will help you, as an employer, build empathy and understanding for how others approach their own professional experiences.