Cultural Safety: creating safe and respectful organisations and cultures for everyone equally
In a survey of approximately 100 workshop participants attending a Cultural Safety workshop to acknowledge 3 Cultural Diversity Days of Significance, 97% said Cultural Safety in the workplace is between important and extremely important.
Disappointingly, 57% said they experience average or less than average cultural safety, and 60% said this had either reduced or not significantly changed in the last 12 months.
As a subset of Psychosocial Safety, and one of the 4 types of workplace safety, organisations may be missing an opportunity to embrace an important aspect of the workplace experience for the nearly 30% - 50% of Australians born overseas or with a parent born overseas and likely identifying strongly with another country, culture, race or faith.(1)
Please note: we’ve also written blogs on how to create Cultural Safety in the workplace focussed on Interpersonal Cultural Appreciation, the impact of Cultural Identity on Wellbeing, and Belonging and the importance of Language. The common core of wellbeing for all minority groups is a helpful guide to creating psychologically safe and psychosocially safe workplaces.
What is Cultural Safety?
Workshop participants described Cultural Safety as:
not a divide between leadership and the ‘little people';
not increasing the feeling of being the 'other';
equal opportunity and respect regardless of my cultural background;
promotion of respectful relationships and communication;
feel[ing] valued and respected regardless of background;
[a]ccepting and celebrating differences respectfully'.
Effectively participants were describing the human experience on a continuum from safe to celebrated, as follows:
Safety: being accepted and experiencing equal opportunity; not divided or feeling like being the ‘other.
Respect: requires a degree of proactive behaviour which promotes relationships and communication - regardless of background.
Inclusion: (the highest order experience of the trio) as a result of feeling valued and even celebrated.
Interestingly, these sentiments echo prior research (below), conducted by The Australian Human Rights Commission.
Source: Australian Human Rights Commission
The Foundation of Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplaces and Cultures
The minimum legal requirement and social expectation in today’s workplace is safe, respectful and inclusive, which coincidentally describes the continuum of Cultural Safety experiences workshop participants outlined above. It also aligns with the new positive duties associated with the Respect @ Work legislation.
Adopting the “spirit” of the law, not just compliance with the “letter” of the law, creates the conditions for a diverse group of humans to thrive, (rather than just survive).
Is Cultural Safety just about Country and Culture?
Cultural Safety isn’t just about being cross-culturally competent or race and faith - it also covers genders, generations, all identities and intersectionalities.(2)
Interestingly, the research confirms under-represented groups act as early warning signals of unsafe cultures.(3)
Identity-related topics rank in the strongest predictors of a toxic culture. For example if an employee speaks negatively in a Glassdoor review about how members of the LGBTQIA+ community are treated, the organisation’s culture rating will be 0.65 lower on a 5-point scale on average.(3)
7 of 20 of the most powerful predictors of a negative organisation culture rating, relate to how well companies encourage the representation of diverse groups of people and whether they are made to feel welcome, treated fairly and included in key decisions.(3)
Respect is the single strongest predictor of how [team members] rate an organisation’s culture.
Sull, Sull, Cipolli & Brighenti
Common Workplace Experiences for Under-Represented Groups
Global research confirms that over 60% of people in the workplace, report ‘covering’ some element of their identity.(4) Considering the billions spent on unconscious bias training and nurturing diverse teams for competitive advantage, it’s a disappointingly high number.
Under-represented groups typically suffer a suite of common diminishing experiences in the workplace.
Minority groups are more likely to be ignored and have their skills doubted, consequently, they ‘cover’ their differences where possible. They also experience a higher burden of proof and have to work harder to establish their capability and credibility. It goes some way to explaining the reason fewer minority groups hold leadership positions in Australian organisations.
Sources: Diversity Council Australia; Jumbunna Institute; Christie Smith; Kenji Yoshino; Erving Goffman
Concerningly, however, the latest DCA Inclusion @ Work report confirms Australia’s First Nations people are experiencing not only the highest rates of exclusion of any population in Australia, they’re also experiencing increasing exclusion since the 2023 Referendum. Discrimination and harassment has also increased by 15% , impacting 59% of First Nations workers, 42% of workers with disability, 41% with a non-Christian religion and 39% of LGBTIQ+ workers.(5)
Reduced Cultural Safety both in society and at work, has been exacerbated by international events in combination with polarisation occurring from recent national events, with the support of young men dropping the most. The Australian Government has made the decision to fast track the release of its antiracism framework, which it hopes will increase Cultural Safety and unity, in the workplace and society more generally.
Who is Responsible for Creating Cultural Safety @ Work?
50% of workshop participants attributed cultural safety to leadership and 32% to their colleagues, which makes creating Cultural Safety a joint responsibility for leaders and teams.
DCA’s research confirmed non-inclusive managers were at their highest since their Inclusion @ Work index started, with 19% of respondents working in non-inclusive teams and 27% working for non-inclusive managers. Given the significant role leaders play in creating the workplace experience, developing the skills of leaders needs to be an area of focus.
How do we Create Cultural Safety in the Workplace?
Not surprisingly perhaps, individuals rated their own level of cultural competence as higher than their organisation’s, with 60% attributing their own capability as above average or higher. Only 34% rated the organisation’s capability accordingly and 9% rated is as below average or very low.
The Cultural Proficiency Continuum is a helpful guide for organisations wanting to implement the systems and structures which support a mature degree of Cultural Safety in the workplace.
At one end of the scale, the organisation is culturally ‘unsafe’, perhaps unconsciously so, whilst at the other, it creates an environment where everyone equally belongs and their unique skills, knowledge and perspectives are sought after and celebrated.
Organisation Cultural Proficiency Continuum
Source: Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989
Cultural Destructiveness is characterised by a lack of acknowledgement of the impact of historical systems on minority groups, whilst Cultural Incapacity indicates the organisation has an awareness of the impact of history on the experiences of minority groups, but, lacks the systemic and interpersonal maturity to actively compensate for those.
Cultural Blindness occurs when organisations have policies and practices which encourage assimilation rather than inclusion, whilst Cultural Pre-Competence is characterised by tokenistic approaches rather than substantive.
Cultural Safety occurs when there is an authentic desire to accept and respect cultural differences, ie at the Cultural Competence stage. Cultural Proficiency, however, is the ultimate destination, where people’s unique lived experiences are sought out in decision making and authentically celebrated as a source of advantage.
Source: Bersin
What Degree of Belongingness and Value do you Experience in the Workplace?
Perhaps you may be reflecting, as I am, on different experiences throughout your career. I recall times where I have been either unconsciously or even consciously excluded by leaders, managers or peers, and expected to ‘fit in’ or assimilate, rather than encouraged to bring my unique insights - which might have offered a source of advantage for my team.
On unusual occasions where I was encouraged to bring the best of my true self and lived experiences, the organisation has benefited significantly. For example, when my identity lead to burnout and I used that experience to introduce a sustainable high performance culture across the organisation - which benefited both individuals and organisation performance.
What are the Benefits of Cultural Proficiency?
32% of workshop participants confirmed they were bringing less than 75% of their potential contribution to work and 63% of all participants confirmed their contribution would improve or significantly improve, if Cultural Safety were to increase.
“We need to invite that difference into the room, to create the next great event or invention, to delight our customers or meet growth numbers.”
It’s therefore not surprising the research confirms productivity increases by 15% when people feel culturally safe and there is trust in leadership.(7)
Specifically, what can Organisations do to create Cultural Safety for everyone equally?
Organisations need to develop trauma informed policies, procedures and practices which clarify what we mean when we describe low Cultural Safety versus high.
Unclear or confusing definitions of cultural safety and inclusion, make it complex and risky for people to engage with the topic, preventing positive intention turning into positive action.
Clear messages that Cultural Safety and respect for everyone matter, in combination with zero tolerance for negative or destructive behaviours.
Build leadership and team capability, through awareness and humility building and sensitivity and skills through education and understanding.
Create metrics and accountability through engagement and pulse surveys.
Lastly, benchmark your own capability through the Cultural Safety evaluation tool, and use your influence and networks to advocate for others as an ally.
When a majority of leaders and team members make it Culturally Safe for a diverse group of people, not only does individual wellbeing thrive, so does organisation culture and performance.
We are stronger together - when we maximise our collective strengths and skills, knowledge and experiences.
How will you start to create Cultural Safety in your team and organisation?
At I LEAD Consulting we’re on a mission to simplify Diversity and Inclusion for Leaders and Teams.
PRACTICE INCLUSION | EMBRACE DIVERSITY | ACTIVATE ALLIES
Sources: 1. ABS Census 2021; 2. Safework Australia; 3. Sull, Sull, Cipolli & Brighenti; 4. Kenji Yoshino; 5. D’Almada-Remedios, DCA; 6. Bersin, 7. McKinsey; 8. Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs 9. The Australian Human Rights Commission
