Working across cultures
Whilst we all know a little about each other’s cultures, such as traditional foods, religious holidays and greetings in different languages, there’s always more that we can learn to make sure everyone feels respected and included. This includes knowledge around communication styles, the things that matter across cultures and the ways in which we like to work.
Here you’ll find a range of information and activities to support you with learning about this and play your part in creating a more inclusive culture for everyone:
It isn’t always easy to start up a conversation about culture. This quick guide will help you to understand the basics of what a culture is and why it’s important to show respect and inclusion.
The way we think and act can depend on our culture and this sometimes means that we can misunderstand other people’s behaviour. This activity gets everyone talking about how we can work best together.
The way in which we communicate differs from culture to culture. This short activity will help you and your colleagues to understand how your communication styles are similar and different.
Games can often teach us a lot about another person’s culture. Check out the list of games provided or pick your own. It’s a fun, social way to learn more about your colleague’s cultures.
Additional resources for managers and leaders:
How can you be a respectful and inclusive leader? This activity will help you to explore your level of interest and skills in working across cultures and give you ideas of more things you can do to lead inclusively.
This toolkit has been designed to help build your knowledge about cultural differences and support you to have the right conversations with your teams to create a more inclusive culture.
Creating a culture where everyone feels respected and included is up to all of us. Watch this short video from your colleagues talking about what this means to them: