Cultural Competences, An Essential Element For Job Success
Currently, the world of work is very competitive. In the selection process, it is valued beyond titles and experience. Competencies are also taken into account. Some that various sectors have been focusing on are cultural competencies, because they are seen as an essential element for job success.
Today we will tell you what these competencies are about, why companies are increasingly emphasizing them, in which fields they may be necessary and how they have to do with awareness and adaptation. Dig deeper with us!
Cultural competences, what are they about?
Before we focus on cultural competencies, let’s define what a competency is. It is all those skills, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills that are defined by an organization. They must be in tune with the values and management of the company, in addition, respect its limits and enhance productivity.
Now, what is a cult competition? These are skills, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills that make it easier for a person to work in various intercultural contexts, effectively.
In addition, according to the qualitative study by Saavedra Macías, Bascón Díaz, Arias Sánchez and Español, published in the Psychoperspectives Magazine, cultural competences are a multidimensional concept, let’s see:
- Legal-Administrative Character. It has to do with policies and legislation.
- Organizational. It is related to flexible resources that are permeable to characteristics of different communities.
- Individual. It is related to the professional’s abilities to develop taking into account cultural diversity.
- Cognitive. It requires critical reflection on the world and the position that a person or organization occupies.
Cultural competencies are also non-linear processes that require sensitivity and empathy. To be effective, “each person, system, institution or program faces certain setbacks and achieves specific goals in each of the stages” (Martínez, Martínez and Calzado, 2006).
Cultural competences today
Today, the job is more diversified. On the one hand, because globalization has allowed the movement of people to other countries; on the other, since new technologies make it easier for us to be connected with different parts of the world.
These situations mean that each time the worker must be more contextualized in terms of other cultures. Similarly, organizations and institutions. Even at the legal and political level.
Imagine a multinational that has employees from various countries, how should the company approach its employees? Let us think of a worker who works remotely and has never been to the country where the company is located; however, you must work as a team. These are just two of the thousands of examples that highlight the importance of cultural competencies.
On the other hand, the world increasingly tends to be inclusive and tolerant of diversity. Without socio-cultural competencies, it is impossible for us to make that world possible. Now, these competencies may be required in various fields:
- Organizations.
- Health.
- Public politics.
- Pedagogy.
- Telecommuting.
- Legal scope.
According to Martínez, Martinez and Calzado (2006), to have these competences it is necessary that we have knowledge of the culture of the users, the impact of racism and poverty on behavior, attitudes, disabilities and values, impact of policies, resources , power relations and the impact of policies.
Adaptation as a tool
Adaptation is the essence to develop cultural skills, as it requires accommodating, or conforming to various circumstances or conditions, according to the Royal Spanish Academy of the Language. This means that the individual or organization must have the facility to enter the context from respect, be sensitive to it and understand the dynamics to adjust.
The adaptation process is a valuable tool of cultural competences, to develop it, we must take into account the following:
- Communicate precisely, adapting to the language of the culture we are in or who we are with.
- Learn from other cultures.
- Value the diversity of meanings and discuss differences in a tolerant way and showing examples from other cultures, avoiding misunderstandings.
- Allocate resources in favor of minority groups.
- Investigate cultural issues.
- Recognize and combat what goes against other cultures, for example, racism, stereotypes, myths, etc.
Also, promote the empowerment of other cultures and be inclusive. This requires that the person in a cultural encounter take into account intergroup variability. In addition, that it integrates: the value for diversity, a continuous self-evaluation in relation to its interaction with other cultures, having cultural knowledge, and reflecting intercultural pluralism, attending to the associated needs.
Consciousness is one of the keys
Consciousness enables a person with cultural competencies to reflect the knowledge derived from values, attitudes and behaviors. A person with these skills is in contact with the depths of his being, to avoid prejudice towards other cultures and deepen his cultural approach. In addition, he is aware of the values of his own culture, which allows him to move away from beliefs that promote inequality.
In that sense, it is open not to impose its cultural values and rather to be assertive when interacting with other cultures. This does not imply that you renounce your identity, what you need is to respect and be sensitive to other types of life, beliefs, way of making decisions and solving problems. To do this, you can include your own values, but without imposing them, rather, promoting harmony, empathy, learning and cooperation.
In summary, cultural competencies are a process that is being built little by little and that is closely related to the development of each individual or organization. It requires appreciating different ways of seeing, developing, customs, practices, attitudes and beliefs; This does not mean accepting everything, but being in harmony with the other and knowing how to communicate assertively favoring integration and inclusion.
