How to improve your cultural awareness skills

Cultural awareness is the ability to understand, respect and interact with people from different cultures, backgrounds, faiths and belief systems.

In our vibrant and diverse society, this is a vital skill. It’s also essential in the world of work, where cultural awareness helps you communicate better, avoid misunderstandings and build relationships with people from different backgrounds.

‘Cultural awareness helps you get along with others, whatever their background – it’s a skill employers look for’

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What is cultural awareness?

Modern society is made up people from different ethnicities, faiths and cultural traditions. Whether in your school or home life, you may come across people from different cultural backgrounds to yourself. You may even encounter people who have moved to the UK from other countries – or maybe you have yourself! What is your own cultural background?

This cultural diversity makes our society a rich and exciting place to be. It is also means that we may communicate differently, have different belief systems and different cultural traditions. Faith – or religion – is one way people can be culturally different. For example, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs all celebrate different religious festivals.

Developing cultural awareness means being mindful of these differences and educating yourself about them. Here are some key elements of cultural awareness:

Understanding diversity: Knowing that people come from different backgrounds and cultures, each with their own unique traditions and perspectives.
Being open-minded: Being willing to learn about and accept cultures that are different from your own.
Communication: Learning how different cultures communicate, which can be different, particularly when it comes to body language and how emotions are expressed.
Empathy: Putting yourself in other people’s shoes and understanding their experiences, even if they are different from your own.

Cultural awareness at school

There are lots of opportunities to develop your cultural awareness at school – from the subjects you study to the students and teachers you encounter.

In particular, you will study different faiths and cultures in religious studies (RS) and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). In RS, you will look at the major faiths one by one and learn about the religious texts, different belief systems, acts of worship and festivals.

You’ll also get the chance to broaden your cultural horizons in other subjects. For example, you will study literary texts from different cultures in English. In sociology, you may look at how different religious groups interact in society. And in history, you may learn about various civilizations and societies, and their interactions over time.

Another way you’ll develop cultural awareness at school is by mixing with people from different backgrounds. Think about your school. Can you name three religious faiths that are practised by other students or staff?

Cultural awareness at work

Cultural awareness is useful across industries and professions – but it may be especially important if you pursue a career which involves working with people from different cultural backgrounds.

For example, if you work in a field such as healthcare or social services, you will serve people from across the community. It is essential that you know how to relate to people of different ethnicities, nationalities and religions.

Cultural awareness is also important if you work for a global employer. Many large firms – particularly in areas such as finance, law, professional services and technology – have offices all over the world and you may travel to other countries or work with colleagues who have come to the UK from overseas.

In our diverse and multicultural society, it is inevitable that you will work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Any employer will expect you to get along with people from all walks of life and be tolerant of difference.