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Creating a Positive Cultural Diversity Climate in the Workplace

This article is part of a series on "Cross-cultural Relationships in the Workplace." It will provide useful information to apply strategies to create a positive diversity climate in your organization.

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Updated:

January 10, 2024

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Creating a Positive Cultural Diversity Climate in the Workplace

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If you missed the previous articles titled cultural intelligence in the workforce and cultural differences in the workplace, we invite you to look at them. Those articles discussed the impact of culture in the workplace, and how beneficial it can be for the organization. Likewise, they shared tips on how to practice cultural intelligence and suggestions to manage diversity in your workplace.

Positive Cultural Diversity Climate

Cultural diversity climate is understood as an organizational climate characterized by openness towards, and appreciation of, individual differences in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, demographic and cultural backgrounds, to enhance outcomes in culturally diverse teams (Hofhuis, Van Der Rijt & Vlug, 2016)

How to Create a Positive Diversity Climate in the Organization and Assess it?

Kühlmann & Heinz (2017) suggest that a first step toward creating a positive diversity climate in the workplace is defining the organization's diversity principles. The authors advise discussing the following questions will help define organizational diversity principles:

Why do we want to integrate cultural diversity into the organizational culture?
What are the critical aspects of cultural diversity in the organization?
What exactly should an appreciation of diversity entail in the organization?
How can we combine the appreciation of diversity with the existing principles of the organization?

If your organization is looking to assess their practice of positive diversity climate the following questions need to be considered regarding respect for cultural differences Adler (2002).

Is the organization ensuring that all its workers can express their opinions and be heard?
Does the organization have a favorable diversity climate? Is it making efforts to build it?
Is the organization valuing the cultural differences of its workers?
Overall, do I feel valued and respected in all my personal characteristics by the organization?

Additionally, Adler (2002) suggests that part of a positive diversity climate is building acceptance of diversity by reducing race-based discrimination among workers at all levels. The authors proposed five strategies that can help reduce stereotyping and discrimination in the workplace:

Implementing organizational accountability/development
Delivering diversity training
Providing resource development and provision
Serving as sites for positive intergroup contact
Serving as 'role models' in anti-discrimination and pro-diversity practice for other organizations.

References

Adler, N. J. (2002). International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour, 4^th Edition, McGill University, South-Western, Thomson Learning, pp.105-131.

Hofhuis, J., Van Der Rijt, P. G., & Vlug, M. (2016). Diversity climate enhances work outcomes through trust and openness in workgroup communication. SpringerPlus, 5(1), 714.

Kühlmann, T., & Heinz, R. (2017). Managing cultural diversity in small and medium-sized organizations. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.