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Accept cultural diversity as a basis for
effective work place and professional
relationships
Show respect for cultural diversity in all communications
and interactions with co-workers and clients
The concept of culture
Universal human needs, cultural needs and personal needs
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Visible aspects of culture
Language
Food
Clothing
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Less visible aspects of culture
Social interaction
Beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions
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Identifying our own cultures
11
Use specific strategies to eliminate bias and discrimination in
the workplace
12
Risk of prejudice and stereotyping
12
Contribute to the development of workplace and
professional relationships based on acceptance of cultural
diversity
13
Work relationships
13
Guidelines
A positive attitude
Work at improving your communication skills
Resolve conflicts early on
Treat all co-workers with respect
Share information about cultural practices
Understand and accept cultural differences
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1
Show respect for cultural diversity in
all communications and interactions
with co-workers and clients
The concept of culture
Put most simply, culture refers to the way of life and world view of a
particular group of people at a particular point in time
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 provides people with a blueprint for living, that is, it determines
ideas about appropriate values and behaviours.
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

local history and politics

major events, both natural and made by humans

interactions with other cultures.
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
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© NSW DET 2009
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 concept of culture.
Figure 1: The culture iceberg
The culture iceberg in Figure 1 shows a small number of things visible
above the surface—language, food and clothing. These aspects of culture
represent our way of life and are clearly visible. In terms of health care,
these aspects represent a client’s:

activities of daily living

recurrent care needs; that is, the needs we have many times a day,
every day, such as the need to communicate, the need for sustenance,
and the need for personal care.
While 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

do not necessarily represent the most important information to help
us understand a person’s needs or actions

can be misleading; for example, a person’s physical appearance,
what they eat or what language they speak may not reflect that
person’s cultural identity.
Universal human needs, cultural needs and personal
needs
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.
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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.
We all share such universal needs as a safe place to live, adequate food and
clean water. We all have a need for knowledge, work to support ourselves
and our family and certain spiritual aspirations. However, 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 codes 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.
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. Cultural groups are made up of individuals,
with each person being unique in his or her own way.
This would be a good time to attempt Activities 1, 2 and 3 before
moving on with the remainder of this reading.
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 and personal care.
As mentioned in the last section, the culture iceberg shows a small number
of things visible above the surface such as:
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
language

food

clothing.
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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.
In the same way writing when it appears in different scripts is an immediate
indication that the writing comes from a different background or culture.
Figure 2: 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
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.
Familiar, culturally appropriate food is very important to clients’ quality of
life.
What people eat and drink and the way they eat and drink it, 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.
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Cultural differences surrounding food may include various cultures’
practices or preferences in the following areas:

ingredients

preparation and handling

cooking methods

utensils and cutlery

presentation

customs and taboos.
Providing all clients with the same food is likely to produce different
outcomes and responses. For example, a person may

be happy and comfortable with the food because it is home-like and
familiar food

have difficulty accessing the food due to unfamiliar cutlery/utensils

accept the food but not like it because it is unfamiliar

become distressed because the food is forbidden in his or her culture.
Clothing
Figure 3: People and their clothes
Clothing is another very visible sign 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 vary 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. What is acceptable clothing in one culture
may be inappropriate in another.
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© NSW DET 2009
Figure 4: 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.
The following is a link to an interactive picture that shows clothing as a very
visible cultural difference.
Less visible aspects of culture
Now that we have looked at the visible aspects of culture, it is time to look
at those aspects of culture found below the surface of the water in our
diagram. The majority of the culture iceberg is found below the surface of
the water where a vast mass of very important aspects of culture lie. 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
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
perceptions.
These aspects are very closely intertwined and overlap. However, we will
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 learn the expected ways of
behaving with other people as we grow up. As adults, the code has become
so much a part of who we are and how we behave 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

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 in others. It can lead to strong
reactions and misunderstandings.
In different cultures, the same action may carry a different message or
meaning. The same behaviour can affect different people in different ways.
In social interactions, the message we convey cany be interpreted in
different ways by those unfamiliar with our culture. 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.
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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 older people in most
cultures.
Beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions
Beliefs, attitudes, values and perceptions are very closely intertwined. Each
one impacts on the others and is very closely related to social interaction
and the social code of conduct prescribed by a culture.
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.
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, we will focus on gaining the awareness and skills
needed to integrate and respond to cultural variations in the workplace.
A word of caution first: 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. These relate to how
individualistic or collective a culture is. Figure 5 outlines the difference
between the two kinds of culture as they relate to reliance on others.
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.
Broad differences between groups of cultures
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Reliance on
others
Collective
Individualistic
In some societies the focus
In other societies the
is on inter-dependence—
emphasis is on
people rely on each other.
independence or self-
Examples of these societies:
reliance.
Middle Eastern and Eastern
Examples of these societies:
societies.
Western societies.
Figure 5: Broad differences between groups of cultures
Relection
Can you think of the positive as well as negative impact of being reliant and
of being self-reliant?
Different world views will influence the reactions of individuals to
particular events/circumstances. An understanding of different cultural
perspectives help us understand behaviours that may otherwise appear
unreasonable or inconsistent.
Beliefs
A system of belief or religious faith can give meaning and direction to
whole communities and individuals. This aspect of culture is probably the
most complex and the one that may cause some of the strongest reactions
and misunderstandings.
Our lives are strongly influenced by cultural and individual codes, beliefs,
attitudes and perceptions. Their beliefs help determine the way people from
a particular culture think, act and react to life events and circumstances.
They may also 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, 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.
What is important and possible is to understand 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.
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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.
This would be a good time to attempt Activity 4 before moving on
with the remainder of this reading.
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 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 the majority of people from a particular background, they will
usually be very general and not particularly useful to understanding
individuals. For example, people could 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 population. Whilst these
observations do represent broad features of Australia, they do not explain
the nature of individuals living here.
This would be a good time to attempt Activity 5 before moving on
with the remainder of this reading.
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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 prejudging or applying a stereotypical picture of what a person from a
particular background should be like.
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Contribute to the development of
workplace and professional
relationships based on acceptance of
cultural diversity
Work relationships
Work relationships can be with your:

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.
In the workplace, we have to build successful work relationships and
interact with people in a positive way to achieve our organisational goals.
Reflection
Can you think of any more types of work relationships
Guidelines
Below are guidelines for contributing 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.
This would be a good time to attempt Activity 6 before moving on
with the remainder of this reading.
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© NSW DET 2009
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A positive attitude
This means avoiding negative thought and criticisms. Be aware of any
prejudices you have about any aspect of your co-workers’ lives, for example
their culture, religion, customs, lifestyle choices and so on. Once you have
this self-awareness, you can work towards eliminating your prejudices.
Often, prejudices arise out of fear or uncertainty; that is, 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.
Work at improving your communication skills
Always listen carefully to the other person. Focus on their message, not on,
for example, their pronunciation, accent or some other attribute. Listen
carefully and you will be able to respond appropriately—and, thus, avoid
misunderstandings. If you are unsure of what the other person said, check
with them—you can do this by reflecting back what you think they had said;
for example: ‘So, are you saying we should…?’
Resolve conflicts early on
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, whether in cultural and
linguistic background or some other area such as, age, gender, lifestyle,
disability or position in the organisation.
Treating all workers equally means being inclusive, such as 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.
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© NSW DET 2009
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 similarities as differences.
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.
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