Embracing multiculturalism in the workplace has become a vital practice for those employers who want to foster understanding and inclusivity. We’re living in an increasingly interconnected world, with workplaces able to reach the far end of the globe to be able to hire their next talent.
Celebrating cultural diversity is something that should be standard in any workplace, because not only does it strengthen the team, it enhances how creative everybody could be. If you’re looking for ways to drive employee engagement and promote a more respectful and productive work environment, celebrating cultural diversity is how to do it.
Whether you do it through celebrating cultural events on the calendar, showcasing diverse cultural artefacts like Australian Indigenous merchandise can create opportunities for cross-cultural learning, there are plenty of ways that you can promote and celebrate multiculturalism at work. We’ve put together some of the top ways that you could actively recognise and honour the tapestry of cultures within your office and within your wider business.
Host Cultural Awareness Days.
One of the most effective ways that you can celebrate multiculturalism at work is to pay attention to the cultural awareness days on the calendar. Dedicating specific days to cultural awareness can provide opportunities for employees to mingle, learn about each other’s cultures, customs and traditions. For example, you could host a day dedicated to Australian Indigenous culture, where employees can learn about the significance of the language, the land, and the cultural practice. Australian Indigenous merchandise, such as handcrafted jewellery and traditional artwork could be featured as part of the celebration. You could encourage your employees to share their own cultural background through presentations, potluck dinners, music and storytelling.
Create Inclusive Office Decor.
The environment can play a huge role in fostering a sense of belonging for all of your employees. Consider incorporating multicultural elements into the office decor, such as flags, artwork, or items that reflect the various cultural backgrounds of your team. These will help to serve as reminders that the value that is placed on inclusivity in the workplace, creates an environment that celebrates different people and their perspectives.
Offer People the Opportunity to Learn New Languages.
Language is one of the most distinctive aspects of culture, and learning new languages is a good way to build understanding and appreciation for different cultures. You might offer introductory courses in languages spoken by a significant portion of your workforce. For example, if most of your workforce is placed overseas, there is nothing wrong in getting your home based learning the language and vice versa. Not only does this demonstrate your company’s commitment to inclusivity, but it helps people to communicate better with each other.
Celebrate Cultural Holidays and Traditions.
There are so many great opportunities for celebration in the workplace. Recognising global holidays like Diwali, Chinese New Year, Eid, or NAIDOC week can allow employees to share their traditions with others. This promotes cross cultural understanding and it allows you to have some more fun in your workplace.
Encourage Diversity in Leadership.
If First Nations people make up a big bulk of your workforce, then having a First Nations person as part of the leadership team just makes sense. Leadership diversity is essential for promotion of multiculturalism within the workplace. Knowing that people from different cultural backgrounds are well represented in your business and in the decision making processes of it can help to send a powerful message about your business type. Mentorship programmes at their employees from different cultural backgrounds also encourages learning, which helps employees to develop a sense of belonging and increase their engagement at work.
Offer Cultural Competency Training.
Investing in cultural competency training is another effective way to celebrate multiculturalism at work. These programmes can help employees to understand cultural differences and learn how to communicate, collaborate, and understand more across cultural boundaries. Cultural competency training can help to reduce any misunderstandings and unconscious biases in the workplace. The training could focus on various aspects of multiculturalism such as understanding cultural norms and overcoming language barriers.
Promote Inclusivity in Your Hiring Practices.
An impactful way to celebrate multiculturalism in your workplace is by ensuring that your hiring practices are equitable and inclusive. Promoting diversity throughout the recruitment process and making sure that employees from different cultural backgrounds have equal opportunities to succeed.
Understanding how to promote multiculturalism at work can make all the difference to how people feel when working with you – and it’s worth your time to make your people feel seen.
