TLIG707B Work in A Culturally Diverse Environment: Learner Guide

TLIG707B Work
in a culturally
diverse
environment
Learner Guide
Contents
What this Learner’s Guide is about......................................................3
Planning your learning................................................................................4
How you will be assessed.........................................................................6
Section 1.............................................................................................................................7
Communicating with customers and colleagues from diverse
backgrounds 7
Section 2..........................................................................................................................26
Dealing with cross-cultural misunderstandings............................26
Additional resources................................................................................................36
Feedback on activities............................................................................................38
TLIG707B Work in a socially diverse environment
Page 2 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

ADELG1042 Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 2008
What this Learner’s Guide is about
This Learner’s Guide is about the skills and knowledge required to

work in a socially diverse environment, including the development
and application of the cultural awareness that is required by all people
working in the transport and distribution industries. It includes the
cultural awareness required for serving customers and working with
colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
The Elements of Competency from the unit TLIG707B Work in a socially

diverse environment covered in this Learner’s Guide are listed below.
Communicate with customers and colleagues from
diverse backgrounds
Deal with cross-‐cultural misunderstandings
This unit of competency is from the Transport and Logistics

Training Package (TLI07).
© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 3

Customised and developed by Armstrong’s Driver Education Pty Ltd August 1008 ADELG1042
Planning your learning
It is important to plan your learning before you start because you may
already have some of the knowledge and skills that are covered in
this Learner’s Guide. This might be because:
• you have been working in the industry for some
time, and/or
• you have already completed training in this area.
Together with your supervisor or trainer use the checklists on the

following pages to help you plan your study program. Your answers to
the questions in the checklist will help you work out which sections of
this Learner’s Guide you need to complete.
This Learner’s Guide is written with the idea that learning is made
more relevant when you, the learner, are actually working in the
industry. This means that you will have people within the enterprise
who can show you things, discuss how things are done and answer any
questions you have. Also you can practise what you learn and see how
what you learn is applied in the enterprise.
If you are working through this Learner’s Guide and have not yet
found a job in the industry, you will need to talk to your trainer about
doing work experience or working and learning in some sort of
simulated workplace.

Section 1: Communicate with customers and

colleagues from diverse
backgrounds
Are you able to: Yes No
1. treat and value customers and colleagues
from all cultural groups with respect and
sensitivity?
2. take account of cultural differences in your
verbal and non-‐verbal communication?
3. use gestures, simple words in the other
person’s language and other efforts to
communicate where language barriers
exist?
4. obtain assistance from colleagues,
reference books and outside agencies
when required for communication?
Section 2: Deal with cross-cultural

misunderstandings
Are you able to: Yes No
1. identify issues that may cause conflict or
misunderstanding?
2. address difficulties with appropriate
people and seek assistance from team
leaders?
3. consider cultural differences when
difficulties or misunderstandings occur?
4. make efforts to resolve misunderstandings,
taking account of cultural considerations?
5. refer issues or problems to the appropriate
team leader/supervisor for follow-‐up?

How you will be assessed
Assessment of this Unit of Competency will include observation of real

or simulated work processes using workplace procedures and
questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills. It must be
demonstrated in an actual or simulated work situation under
supervision.
You will be required to demonstrate that you can:

• recognise cultural differences amongst colleagues and
customers
• communicate with customers and colleagues from
diverse backgrounds
• deal with cross-‐cultural misunderstandings.

Section 1
Communicating with
customers and colleagues from
diverse backgrounds

Section outline
Areas covered in this section
Communicating with customers and colleagues from diverse

backgrounds including:
 using respect and sensitivity in communications
 accounting for cultural differences in communicating with
customers and colleagues
 avoiding stereotyping
 making efforts to communicate where language barriers exist
including seeking external assistance

How do you communicate with customers and

colleagues from diverse backgrounds?
What is the context for diversity?
The ability to work with people from a range of cultural backgrounds

is more and more important in Australia as migration has created a
population that is extremely diverse.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics provided the following breakdown

of Australia’s population for 2000:
Total population 19,157,000
Male population 9,538,000
Female population 9,619,000
Indigenous population 418,800
Overseas born population 4,521,000 (23.6%)
Further more, the percentage of overseas born persons has risen

from 22.9% in 1991 to 23.6% in 2000. This means that one in four people
in Australia were born overseas. The percentage born in the UK and
Ireland was just over 6%. This means that over 17% of our population
were born overseas in a culture that is not ‘Anglo-‐Saxon’. Add to this
figure family members born in Australia but living and following the
culture of their parents, and you can arrive at a figure of one in five or
one in four people living in a culture different to that traditionally seen
as ‘Aussie’.
Australia has seen different cultural and ethnic groups arrive
on our shores as a result of:
• changing immigration policies – Australia eliminated the
‘White Australian policy’ which was a fundamental
change in Australian society and subsequently changed
the ethnic population of this country
• labour shortages in Australia – both skilled and unskilled
• economic and humanitarian hardship in overseas
countries (e.g. Vietnam after the Vietnam War).

These peoples have made an impact on Australia in terms of:

• cuisine
• contributions to the skills of our national workforce
• economic benefits from increasing need for services and
goods
• increasing the available pool of labour
• cultural diversity in Australia
• fostering language studies and language acquisition for
all Australians
• assisting with establishing trading links and business
opportunities with other countries.
Cultural diversity extends beyond ethnicity. The traditional
family unit of mother, father and children is increasingly
less relevant in Australia as family units may consist of same
sex couples, children of different fathers/mothers living in
the same household, extended families, friends sharing
houses, etc. Whereas in the past people with disabilities
lived in institutions, the modern practice is to integrate
people into communities.
So, a typical neighbourhood or staff of a workplace is no
longer a collection of ‘nuclear families’ or members of such
families but can be composed of a rich diversity and variety
of individuals from different types of household units or
family groups and from many cultural backgrounds.
The reasons that it is important to understand how to interact
with others in today’s diverse society include that:
• the competitive markets in which Australia trades are
now very different from the reliance we had in the past on
trade with the United Kingdom and Europe (25% of our
markets are new markets)
• beliefs and tolerance have changed as Australia matures
as a society
• people will not accept behaviours that were
considered ‘Ok’ in the past
• legislation is in place with regard to harassment and
discrimination and understanding the diversity of culture
is a fundamental building block to eliminating
discriminatory behaviour.
These benefits have made Australia come to be recognised as
a nation that has benefited from the diversity of its people
and as a desirable place to live.

What are my responsibilities in a socially

diverse work environment?
This introduction to this unit of competency pointed out that
Australia has a diversity of cultures within a neighbourhood, and
equally, within a workplace.
Diversity has many dimensions as follows:
ADDITIONAL (includes but not limited to):
Educational background
CORE: Family responsibilities/parental status
Geographic location Income
Age Language
Ethnicity Level/function
Gender Life styles
Marital status
Physical ability Military experience
Race Organisational culture
Sexual orientation Political beliefs
Religion
Skills
Socio-economic status
Thinking patterns
Work background
The Core dimensions include inborn or inherent differences that will

have an impact on one’s life throughout it. The secondary dimensions
can be acquired or changed throughout one’s lifetime. These
dimensions tend to have less impact than those of the core but still
have an impact on a person’s life, self-‐definition and worldview.

Legislation has been introduced to make discrimination illegal in

Australian workplaces. As a result, individual enterprises have
formulated policies and procedures to address such issues. Training is
an essential part of organisations’ responses to this legislation.
It is important to understand the responsibilities that you have as an

individual in a workplace.
As well as the legislative framework and ensuring that you comply

with these laws, the actions and behaviours of individuals are
important in an organisation making use of and supporting cultural
and social diversity.
Positive attitudes and behaviours are those that value people as

individuals, regardless of culture or social grouping, and the
contribution they make to the organisation.
In the next activity, you are asked to investigate your responsibilities in

this area.

Activity 1: Responsibilities
Talk to your manager, a person in the Human Resources department

of your workplace or access workplace documents that describe your
responsibilities with respect to legislation such as:
• Equal Employment Opportunity.
• Anti-discrimination legislation.
Discuss how your workplace has incorporated its responsibilities

into diversity policies, procedures and the training that is offered to
support the implementation of these policies.
Summarise your findings in the space below:
There is feedback on this activity at the back of this

Learner’s Guide.

What does your workplace offer to customers

and colleagues from different cultural
backgrounds?
Workplaces can see cultural diversity as an asset and work towards
making the services of the enterprise easily accessible. Similarly, the
employment of people from different cultural backgrounds can be
made more accommodating.
Some of the ways that enterprises can make their services more
accessible or user-‐friendlier include:
• having signs in other languages
• providing wheelchair access through ramps, lifts and with
facilities set a the height appropriate to people in
wheelchairs (public phones or service counters set at a
lower height)
• employing staff of a socially diverse background (e.g.
speaking a community languages, wheel-‐chaired,
Auslan abled)
• having and providing access to telephone interpreters
• translating information into community languages
• training staff not to make assumptions based on religion,
race, sexuality, marital status (e.g. “Madam, would you like
to take home the details and discuss these with your
husband?”)
• taking account of cultural taboos and accommodating
these with sensitivity (e.g. in some cultures a man cannot
interact with a woman unless another woman is present)
• providing graphic images for public information rather
than using words (e.g. using a symbol for a phone/lift/etc
rather than the words ‘phone/lift/etc’).
These strategies consist of both using positives measures and
removing negatives or deterrents to customers or clients.
Further information about the issues you might address in
working with customers of different cultural backgrounds can
be found on the Queensland Health web site at:
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hssb/cultdiv/cultdiv/home.htm
The site discusses characteristics and history of different cultural

groups. Although focused on the implications for health care staff, it is

a useful resource. In the next activities you are asked to start

investigating ways of working in a culturally inclusive and
sensitive manner.

Activity 2: Cultural sensitivity and respect
Use the web site reference given to you above or talk to friends
who have come from other cultures or are from a different social
and/or cultural environment to yourself. Use tact and try to read
your friends’ body language (signs of discomfort, unease with your
questions, etc) if you talk directly to people about this activity.
Summarise ways in which you would work with customers from a
different background.
Summarise your thoughts in the space below:

Learner’s Guide.

Activity 3: Resources
The web site reference given to you above is one example of a

resource that you can use to determine how to work with clients or
colleagues from a different social environment to yourself. Another
resource is talking to friends, family members, reading, using the
Internet. Talk to others people who you believe are good
communicators, especially with people from different social and/or
cultural backgrounds and try to identify further resources for
information on how to:
• work with people of other cultures
• use interpreters
• work with disabled people
• work with vision impaired persons
• make workplaces ‘user-friendly’ to wheel chaired persons
• accommodate employees with families or those caring
for elderly relatives, sick family members (‘family friendly
workplaces’)
• communicate with deaf people
• avoid stereotyping (making a judgement about all people
having a common trait, e.g. deaf people, having the same
characteristics) and assumptions about people’s values.

Learner’s Guide.

Activity 4: Cultural competence checklist
The following checklist is adapted from material used in the training

of people working in culturally diverse organisations. There are no
right and wrong answers and the checklist is designed to offer
some points for discussion among your fellow team members.
Responses can be ALWAYS/SOMETIMES/NEVER:
No. Statement A S N
1 I am aware of the need for signs, posters and

other materials to be in community languages
as well as English or to use graphics to convey
the message (e.g. safety signs)
2 I am aware of how to get access to interpreters
in a range of languages, in my workplace
3 With fellow team members who speak
languages other than English, I have attempted
to learn basic greetings and to communicate
4 When communicating with people with limited
English proficiency, I do not raise my voice to
be heard, I do not assume the person is of
limited intelligence, I make every effort to
communicate
5 I attend training that I am offered or is available
in cultural awareness
6 I think about and reflect on how I communicate
with others especially those from other cultural
or social groups
7 I recognise and accept that individuals from
culturally diverse backgrounds may not want to
have anything to do with their own culture
8 I do not use racist, sexist terms and discourage
others from doing so by discussing the impact
that this has on others
9 I intervene appropriately where I see instances
of racist, sexist and discriminatory behaviour

10 I understand that people’s religion and other

beliefs may influence how people understand
and respond in various situations
11 I understand and respect that factors such as

gender, class, age, etc. have different
significance among different cultures
12 I apply to my everyday actions what I have

learnt about cultural diversity and on my
reflections about how I communicate and what
I learn from discussions with others

Learner’s Guide.

How do I communicate with people who do not

speak English?
Your customers or colleagues may include tourists on holiday in
Australia and people born overseas who have not learnt
English. Communicating with these people may present some
problems. However, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.
If you have not had the opportunity to travel overseas in a non-‐

English speaking country, try to imagine how you would manage
(Australians have done this and in the reverse there are many non-‐
English speaking tourists in Australia at any one time). As a tourist, life
is fairly relaxed and communication difficulties are not a major
problem. Now try to picture a situation in which you do your current
job but in a country where English is not the spoken language.
Europe might be a bit easier as many Europeans speak English to some

extent (but may choose not to!) as do people involved in trade in
Asian countries. English has become one of the most commonly
spoken languages in the world and certainly the language of trade and
commerce.
Communicating with people who do not speak English can be

made easier by:
• using pictures
• speaking more slowly where the person has limited
English (don’t make the mistake of speaking louder – lack
of English and hearing impairment are different!)
• using interpreters or others in the workplace who speak
that language (take care not to confuse language
groups that may be geographically close but are in fact
different and may be in conflict in their home countries)
• getting material translated into community languages
• learning some basic words in other languages such as
danger/stop, etc. particularly where safety is concerned or
as basic greetings.
The next activity looks at communicating across language barriers.

Activity 5: Communicating with non-English speakers
Talk to others in your workplace about how they communicate

with customers and colleagues who do not speak English or have
limited English. Discuss the techniques above as a starting point.
You might also talk to people who have travelled in and worked
overseas and look at how they coped with communicating.

Learner’s Guide.

Activity 6: Your workplaces efforts to communicate with non-

English speakers and work with diverse cultures
Discuss with your fellow employees what measures are provided in

the workplace to communicate with people (customers and
employees) whose first language is other than English. Examples
might include: information in community languages, safety signs
using graphics, etc.)
Also look at ways that your workplace has accommodated the
needs of people of other social groupings. Examples might
include: wheel chair ramps, flexi-time and part time
arrangements for parents, etc.)

Learner’s Guide.

How do I work with people of different cultural

backgrounds to myself?
Workforces traditionally have worked hard to present the model of
appropriate and successful behaviour within the workforce as that of
a typical white, middle aged, Anglo-‐Saxon person (usually male).
Characteristics that are valued within this culture are:

• heterosexuality
• married with children
• excellent health and physical shape
• Protestant
• well educated
• impersonal management style
• rational, logical thinker
• experienced at playing team sports
• motivated to succeed and advance one’s career.
This model provides the assumptions for a workplace that means that
only those who match this model can succeed. Even where an
organisation actively recruits individuals who do not meet this model,
success is limited within the organisation and if left unchallenged the
culture will end up forcing those outside the model to leave to get
promotion, equal pay for equal work and basic rights.
Legislation has changed the ‘outer face of organisations’ so that it

is illegal to discriminate on the basis of the core and many of the
secondary dimensions of diversity described earlier in this Learner’s
Guide. However, only by changing the operating culture can
discrimination be totally removed.
Stereotyping is seen as the key to changing the culture within an

organization. Stereotyping involves making an assumption based on
one’s own values about an individual or a group based on
perceptions of that individual or group.
For instance, imagine you are a person serving behind the counter of a
shop that sells expensive goods and a person enters who has not
shaved and has odd footwear – one foot is in a soft slipper or shoe
with a hole in the big toe and the other foot is in a ‘normal shoe’.
When the person asks you for some assistance, their voice is affected
in some way and not very coherent.

What are your assumptions?
Did you think that:

• the person shouldn’t be in the shop as he was a street
person or ‘bum’
• the person might be drunk
• the person might be intellectually impaired
• they just weren’t the right sort of person for your
very exclusive shop?
Think again!!!!!!
How about this for an explanation – the person is able to afford the
goods in your shop and is coming in to buy some things. Recently, the
person was involved in an accident which left him with a broken toe
(hence the odd footwear), a broken jaw (hence the ‘odd’ voice) and a
sprained wrist that meant that he was unable to shave.
Stereotypes are dangerous and the basis for perpetuating cultures

that are non-‐inclusive.
In the Case Studies that follow, you are asked to check your
own thinking for assumptions and stereotyping.

Activity 7: Assumptions and stereotyping
In each of the following Case Studies, you are presented with a

scenario and asked to honestly and immediately record what your
thoughts are about the subject being described. The ‘Feedback on
Activities’ provides the detail that explains the subject’s action or
appearance. Check your assumptions against the ‘facts’.
Case Study 1
As you walk along the street near your home, a young child runs
out of her house with blood coming from her nose. An adult then
follows the child out the door and runs after her calling out, “You
come back here immediately” in an angry voice.
Case Study 2
You are standing at the station about to catch a train. A man in

very old, worn clothes with paint spatters all over his clothes,
walks on to the platform carrying a computer. He seems agitated
and restless.
Case Study 3
A young woman dressed in ‘goth’ gear (dyed black hair, thick black
mascara, long fingernails with black nail polish, black clothes, white
face powder, etc) walks out of a house with her long fingers circled
around an old woman’s arm and looking as if she is trying to hurry
the old woman along. The old woman seems resistant to moving
quickly and is shuffling along slowly.
Case Study 4
You enter the tearoom at your workplace and a group of

employees are talking in a language you don’t understand. As
soon as they see you they stop talking and move off out of the
tearoom.
Case Study 5
Two young men meet in the street and greet each other with a kiss.

Learner’s Guide.

Section 2
Dealing with cross-cultural

misunderstandings

Section outline
Areas covered in this section

Dealing with cross-‐cultural misunderstandings including:
 identifying issues that may cause conflict or misunderstanding
 seeking assistance with dealing with such difficulties
 considering cultural differences and their impact on such issues
 resolving such issue and problems
 following up on issues and problems with team leaders/supervisors

How do you deal with cross-cultural

misunderstandings?
What can cause conflict or misunderstanding in

the workplace as related to cultural issues?
Many people believe that visitors to Australia or people taking up
citizenship here will quickly learn how to ‘fit in’ and the ‘Aussie way of
doing things’. Culture is more deeply ingrained than this picture
presents and some people will never replace their own culture with
‘the Aussie way of doing things’ but will, in time understand and be
sensitive and respect Australian culture. Similarly, the cultures of
visitors and those born or raised in other cultures should be
respected. However, misunderstandings can occur.
Some simple Case Studies are presented her to illustrate how

misunderstandings may arise in the workplace through
stereotyping and making assumptions.
Case Study 1:
Boris is a native of an Eastern European country where the police force

has powers of interrogation and arrest on the basis of suspicion rather
than hard evidence. Boris himself has been arrested and tortured in his
country for suspected subversive activity. He fled to Australia and still
treats any questioning with suspicion.
As part of his learning and development he is told that he will be

assessed via observation and questioning. He refuses to be assessed
without giving any reasons for his actions.
Case Study 2:
Sheila was born and raised in the Northern Territory before moving
interstate and taking up a job in a transport company in Sydney. After
a stocktake it is discovered that stock losses are occurring that
cannot be explained by any other means than theft. The manager of
the company questions all staff members including those with or
without authority to access the stock storage area.
When questioned by the manager, Shelia does not make eye contact
with the manager. She explains that she has no access to the storage
area and says she loves her job and is pleased to be given an
opportunity to work in the City.

The manager does not trust her answers and suspects her of theft
because she does not ‘appear honest’. Others in the company have
noticed that Sheila does not make eye contact. Together with the fact
that she is new to the company, she is suspected of stealing stock.
Case Study 3:
Aziz never attends social functions put on by the company social club.
These involve events such as a summer BBQ, a night at an ‘Irish Pub’, a
wine bottling and a visit to a country horse race meeting. His excuses
vary from family commitments, his wife being ill that weekend, being
away, having to take his children to a Saturday morning language school.
When invited to join his mates for a drink after work, he again makes
excuses. Although he is a good worker and joins in conversations at
lunchtime in the lunchroom, he is seen to be a bit ‘stand-‐offish’ because
he does not go to the social club functions.
The opportunity arises for a team leader’s position, to be filled by

internal application. Aziz applies and during the application process,
his non-‐attendance at social functions and drinks after work is
raised as a reason for not promoting him.
Case Study 4:
Houng arrived in Australia by boat as a refugee from Vietnam in the

early 80’s. He owned a transport business in his own country but left
that behind when he fled with his family. Over a period of years he has
learnt English and shown himself to be a good, conscientious worker.
As a result he has gained employment in a warehousing company and
been promoted to leading hand, supervising the work of four other
team members in the despatch department.
The company is not a closed shop and Houng although in conversation

seems to be in agreement with the union’s position on many issues, is
not a member of the union.
As a result of a stalemate being reached over Enterprise Bargaining, a

strike is called of all employees. Pressure is put on non-‐union
members to go out on strike and pickets are threatened.
Houng refuses to go on strike. His colleagues, including the team that

he supervises are most angry but he continues to claim that “a good
worker should never do that to his/her boss”.

Case Study 5:
Immigration becomes a ‘hot topic’ due to a statement made in the

papers that “all immigration should be stopped as they are taking
jobs away from real Australians”.
Each time the topic comes up at work, Hannah seems to disappear and
go off to the toilet or go for a cigarette or go back to work before her
break is finished. Opinion is divided around the workplace but most
people feel that the author of the statement is racist and ill informed.
Her work mates gradually realise what is happening and accuse her of
being “ a racist follower” of the author of the statement.
Case Study 6:
E. A. S. Y. Storage Pty. Ltd. provides storage for customers’ goods on a

short to longer-‐term basis. The company’s manager decides to invest
time and energy into a continuous improvement program. Following a
series of training exercises funded by the company and held during
work time, an Action Plan is formulated for teams to be formed and
for these teams to meet fortnightly to discuss ways of getting jobs
done and how these could be made safer, how quality can be
maintained or improved and how the tasks could be made more
efficient.
Paola has attended every training program and each of the team
meetings over the first two months of the program but while she was
attentive in the training and completed all activities, she has not asked
one question during the training, offered to share her ideas or make a
comment and has made no verbal contribution to the team meetings.
Her supervisor feels that her time would be better spent being back
at work while the others meet and discuss improvements. The
supervisor raises the matter with the production manager of the
company with the view to suggesting that Paola attends to the phone
and other work duties while the others meet.

Activity 8: Potential misunderstandings
Talk to other team members about the Case Studies presented

above. You could arrange to do this as a group as part of a
learning and development exercise for all staff. Select 4 of the 6
Case Studies and decide:
• what assumptions are being made about the person in the
situation that might not be accurate?
• what aspects of these situations might be influenced by
cultural considerations?
• how could you as an individual support this person or what
would you do?
• what (positive) actions could supervisors/managers take in each
situation?
• what (positive) actions might other team members take in
each situation?

Learner’s Guide.

How can you contribute to working in a socially

diverse environment?
Your own behaviour in the workplace is a role model to others, even if
you are not a manager or trainer. People will notice how you make
contributions to working with others of other cultural backgrounds by:
• understanding and modelling the appropriate workplace
behaviour with regard to diversity and the workplace
Code of Ethics
• being aware of cultural differences and treating these
differences with respect and sensitivity
• using strategies to try to communicate where language
is a barrier to communication
• making suggestions and implementing strategies to
provide access for customers to your company’s services
• trying to assist colleagues who speak other languages than
your own and who are disabled, to perform their work role
safely and effectively
• taking the time to appreciate others points of view and
the cultural values behind those views
• trying to deal with issues and problems that might arise in
the workplace that have some link to differences in culture
• reporting issues that arise and seeking the assistance
of team leaders/trainers/managers/specialists in the
workplace (HR manager, etc) to deal with these issues.
Your roles and responsibilities in this area need not stop there. Your
role modelling can be taken further and you might:
• learn a community language or some basics to
help communicate in the workplace
• invite speakers into the workplace to talk about
relevant issues
• arrange a special event that honours other cultures and
their peoples
• locate resources that might be useful in the workplace
to support others and for educating team members
• take a stand against racism, sexism, other objectionable
practices

• make suggestions about translating information for

the use of customers and colleagues
• raise issues of access to the workplace for disabled
persons.
The following activity asks you to develop a project that models the
behaviours and attitudes explored in this Learner’s Guide. You might
do this project with others in the workplace as away of spreading the
work load and the ‘message’.

Activity 9: Being a role model
Use the suggestions above to take up a project in your workplace

where you contribute to ‘work in a socially diverse environment’.
You might like to get assistance from others, particularly team
members going through the same module as you are.
Document the following:
• what you plan to do including what you set out to achieve?
• how you got approval to do this project?
• why you did this particular project rather than something
else/why this project is relevant to your workplace?
• how you ran the project?
• how the project worked compared to what you aimed to
achieve?
• what you learnt from this project?
Examples might include:

• working with a group to look at more family friendly
arrangements of work such as flexitime, permanent part-time,
gaining access to child care for employees children
• translating customer information into community
language versions
• celebrating diversity in the workplace through festivals and
celebrations
• evaluating ways to recruit staff so that the organization’s profile
is closer to that of the community it works with (according to
gender, ethnicity, other factors)
• evaluating the organisation’s strategies and practices to include
the diversity of employees through a series of consultations
with different groups
• developing a Code of Ethics or Customer Service charter that
values and builds on diversity in the organisation and across the
customer base.
Make sure you choose a project that can be achieved and has
support from management in your workplace.
Learner’s Guide.


Additional
resources

Web sites:
• Diversity@work
http://www.work.asn.au/
• Queensland Health diversity web site
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hssb/cultdiv/home.htm
• Diversity Victoria (government web site)
http://www.diversity.vicnet.net.au/
• Diversity Australia
http://www.diversityaustralia.gov.au/
• RacismNoWay web site
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/library/cultural/
• Centre for Workplace Communication and Culture
http://www.edoz.com.au/cwcc/docs/cwcc/diversity.html
• Workplace diversity in the Australian Public Service
http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications01/diversityguidelines.htm
• Attorney General’s Department (relevant legislation)
http://scaletext.law.gov.au/html/pastereg/1/617/0/PR000170.htm
• University of Newcastle web site (legislation and other resources
including a guide to working with persons of diverse cultures (Cultural
Sensitivity Book)
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/services/equity/policy/cultural_sensit
ivity_book.doc
• Cross-‐cultural training (Migrant Resource Centre, North
East Melbourne) http://www.mrcne.org.au/training.html
• Queensland University of Technology Equity Plan

http://www.equity.qut.edu.au/plan/2002/equity_plan_2002.doc

Feedback
on activities
The responses provided in this section are suggested responses.
Because every workplace is different, your responses may vary
according to your specific workplace procedures, the equipment
available and the nature of the business.

Activity 1: Responsibilities
Your summary might cover areas like:

• non-discrimination in selection of staff
• special considerations for religious observance such as
Ramadan
• penalties for racial vilification or racism in the workplace
• how a culturally diverse workforce can assist an organization to
market and trade across a culturally diverse customer or client
base
• positive statements that reflect a belief that a workforce can
utilise the skills of a culturally diverse group to facilitate
business operations
• confidentiality of personal information.
Activity 2: Cultural sensitivity and respect
Your responses to these questions will vary according to how

you researched your information and the group you identified to
research.
The key will be to try to understand what the values of the group
are and what is considered acceptable/’normal practice’ in their
culture that might be considered unacceptable/’abnormal’ in
your own culture and vice versa. Some key differences may be:
• form of address
• eye contact
• respect for elders, religious figures
• forbidden topics of conversation and topics uncomfortable to
discuss (e.g. sex, religion, politics)
• interactions between males and females.
It is useful to remember that Australians are seen as very open and

‘laid back’ by other cultures. The informality of Australians and
forthrightness has caused problems in the past in overseas
countries.

Activity 3: Resources
Responses to this question will vary. Your resources might

include:
• government departments and publications that they put out
• web sites
• commercial publications
• training programs (consider attending such a program)
• Migrant Resource Centres and publications that they put out
• other companies strategies for working with other cultures,
people of diverse social background
• disability support groups.
Activity 4: Cultural competence checklist
There are no right and wrong answers and the checklist is

designed to offer some points for discussion among your fellow
team members. Discuss your responses with your trainer.
Activity 5: Communicating with non-English speakers
Responses to these questions will vary. The techniques suggested

are a good starting point. Patience and a commitment to
communicating are useful in this situation.
Activity 6: Your workplaces efforts to communicate with non-

English speakers and work with diverse cultures
Responses to these questions will vary from nothing to changing

working arrangements, changing physical conditions, installing
specialised facilities and equipment, etc.

Activity 7: Assumptions and stereotyping
The ‘facts’ behind these situations are as follows:
Case Study 1
The child is from next door and has a blood nose. She is
attempting to run home to her own parent. The adult knows that
no-one is at home and is anxious that the child has panicked and
run into the street.
Case Study 2
The man is a painting contractor who has just been to pick up a

computer advertised through a local paper. The computer will
replace the present computer (the main box) as the screen, etc are
still OK but the box has a bigger capacity (memory) and speed.
The painter wants to get back home in time for his favourite TV
show and is annoyed that the train hasn’t arrived.
Case Study 3
The ‘goth’ is the older woman’s grand-daughter and is taking her

to the doctor’s for a check-up as her grandmother has had trouble
with her hip and is moving very slowly and with some degree of
pain.
Case Study 4
The group were just chatting about ‘nothing much’ but realised as
you came in that their break was up and moved back to work. (You
might assume that you were being talked about!!!)
Case Study 5
The two young men are cousins and coming from a European
background, always greet each other with a kiss.

Activity 8: Potential misunderstandings
Case Study 1
Because of Boris’ experience with the police in his former

homeland, he may be very anxious about assessment.
Assessment is a voluntary process undertaken when the
candidate is ready for assessment. Boris could refuse to be
assessed but this could cause resentment or cause a loss of
income to Boris if assessment is linked to promotion or salary.
Showing the benefits of the process and talking about how the
assessment will be carried out can often be useful strategies to
address people’s suspicions. Special consideration could be
applied to Boris so that he can select assessment methods that are
less threatening than questioning. He might take a support person
with him during assessment. Talking to others who have been
assessed (especially people of a similar background) might also
help.
As his manager/trainer, patience will be required. Perhaps letting
him sit back and see the results of others being assessed might
help. Another strategy might be to get him trained an assessor so
that he can be an advocate for assessment for people in similar
situations to himself.
Kangan-Batman Institute of TAFE in Victoria have some
resources for assessment of indigenous people and people of
other languages and cultures.
Case Study 2
The assumption that lack of eye contact means that a person is

‘shifty’ or dishonest may be made in this situation. Indigenous
people will not make eye contact with persons of authority (this is
also true for some Asian cultures). Sheila could be telling the truth
and be totally innocent. She may also be reluctant to disagree with
the manager when accused of theft.
The manager should not assume that lack of eye contact implies
guilt. Further investigation of ALL staff is required to clear up the
matter. The question of theft that is internal to a company is
probably the most uncomfortable situation that occurs in a
workplace and also leads to misunderstandings. Stereotyping can
also affect peoples’ judgements in such situations. The manager
should be careful to presume innocence until otherwise proven and
has a responsibility to take this message to all staff.

Case Study 3
Perhaps Aziz is Muslim and has a problem with events involving

alcohol and non-Halal meats. Assumptions could be made that he
is not a very sociable person rather than he following his religious
beliefs in his own quiet way!
As his manager/trainer or as part of the selection committee,
there is a responsibility to ensure that anti-discrimination
legislation and related policies are followed. Selection should be
based on merit and competence. Maybe a discussion with Aziz
about him communicating his real reasons for refusing to attend
social function would be in his interests.
Case Study 4
Houng has a problem that may cause some friction in the

workplace. His stand may be affected by his culture. Many Asian
cultures have a respect for authority figures such as managers that
is different to how Australians view work and the right to strike.
The company is not a closed shop and Houng can make a
choice of belonging to the union or not doing so. Some unions
have encouraged the donation of a day’s strike pay to ‘fighting
funds’ where members cannot join in with the action taken.
Houng’s colleagues might suggest he does this to show his
support for the issue while maintaining his own beliefs. This may
present an option that results in preventing the issue escalating.
Case Study 5
An assumption is being made that Hannah agrees with the views

and opinions of the statement made in relation to immigration. The
truth may be that she is too angry to talk about the issue because
of her own history. She may have been an immigrant herself. She
may be afraid that she will be targeted or regarded as someone
who is taking away Australians’ jobs when she is actually an
Australian who happens to have been born overseas.
Some situations are better left alone and this might be one of them.
Perhaps a friend at work could have a ‘quiet word’ with her and
raise the fact that some people think she is a supporter of the view
given because she avoids talking about it with her fellow workers.
When the topic is raised, as an individual you might suggest
that people who are migrants may feel uncomfortable about the
discussion.

Case Study 6
Just because Paola does not speak up, this does not mean that
she is wasting her own and everyone else’s time in being involved
in the program. She may have valuable ideas to contribute but the
forum of an open meeting and the style of training delivered may
not have suited the way she contributes and learns.
Good trainers take account of learning styles and provide
opportunities for everyone to contribute. Sometimes a different
training style can be used where contributions are made
anonymously (ideas put onto paper and read out by the
facilitator) or less personally (suggesting that instead of talking
about your own personal experience, contribute ideas that others
have discussed with you).
Similarly, meetings can be restructured or varied to promote
contributions from all members of the group. Breaking groups up
into pairs or small groups may be useful for quieter contributors. In
a group sometimes people can tend to dominate and a good
facilitator will work to get contributions from al members rather than
the loudest or most vocal people.
The manager/trainer might also talk to Paola or get her involved in
a special task force or work group to work on a project to
encourage her to contribute her ideas.
Activity 9: Role modelling
Discuss your project with your trainer/manager/others

supporting your learning. Use their feedback to guide what you
do. Try to involve others in the project so that they learn from
what you are trying to achieve. Pick a project that is achievable
and gains the approval of your manager or other relevant people
in the workplace. If you have a Human Resources manager,
he/she might offer support and guidance.


TLIG707B Work in A Culturally Diverse Environment: Learner Guide

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TLIG707B Work in A Culturally Diverse Environment: Learner Guide

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TLIG707B Work

Page 2 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

What this Learner’s Guide is about

This Learner’s Guide is about the skills and knowledge required to

The Elements of Competency from the unit TLIG707B Work in a socially

This unit of competency is from the Transport and Logistics

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 3

Planning your learning

Together with your supervisor or trainer use the checklists on the

Page 4 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

Section 1: Communicate with customers and

Section 2: Deal with cross-cultural

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 5

How you will be assessed

Assessment of this Unit of Competency will include observation of real

You will be required to demonstrate that you can:

Page 6 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 7

Areas covered in this section

Communicating with customers and colleagues from diverse

Page 8 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

How do you communicate with customers and

What is the context for diversity?

The ability to work with people from a range of cultural backgrounds

The Australian Bureau of Statistics provided the following breakdown

Total population 19,157,000

Male population 9,538,000

Female population 9,619,000

Indigenous population 418,800

Overseas born population 4,521,000 (23.6%)

Further more, the percentage of overseas born persons has risen

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 9

These peoples have made an impact on Australia in terms of:

Page 10 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

What are my responsibilities in a socially

Diversity has many dimensions as follows:

ADDITIONAL (includes but not limited to):

The Core dimensions include inborn or inherent differences that will

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 11

Legislation has been introduced to make discrimination illegal in

It is important to understand the responsibilities that you have as an

As well as the legislative framework and ensuring that you comply

Positive attitudes and behaviours are those that value people as

In the next activity, you are asked to investigate your responsibilities in

Page 12 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

Talk to your manager, a person in the Human Resources department

Discuss how your workplace has incorporated its responsibilities

There is feedback on this activity at the back of this

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 13

What does your workplace offer to customers

The site discusses characteristics and history of different cultural

Page 14 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

a useful resource. In the next activities you are asked to start

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 15

Activity 2: Cultural sensitivity and respect

There is feedback on this activity at the back of this

Page 16 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

The web site reference given to you above is one example of a

Summarise your findings in the space below:

There is feedback on this activity at the back of this

© Australian National Training Authority 2003 Page 17

Activity 4: Cultural competence checklist

The following checklist is adapted from material used in the training

1 I am aware of the need for signs, posters and

Page 18 © Australian National Training Authority 2003

10 I understand that people’s religion and other