What is Cultural Safety?

Cultural safety is an ongoing journey, not a destination. It’s an ethos that goes far beyond the buzzwords of diversity and inclusion. It’s the lived experience of feeling seen, valued, and respected for who you are, no matter your background. While diversity is about representation and inclusion is about involvement, cultural safety elevates these concepts to a space where everyone feels psychologically and physically secure enough to be their most authentic selves. This safety creates a fertile ground for true belonging, where individuals are not just heard but celebrated for their unique perspectives.

The Performance Factor

You might be asking, “What does cultural safety have to do with performance?” Well, a lot!

The beauty of high-performing teams lies in #trust and #collaboration. Trust thrives where people feel safe. When individuals can bring their full selves to work without fear of judgment, the collective focus shifts.

Instead of diverting energy into maintaining a facade, people focus their energies into collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation. The ripple effect of this on business is seen in accelerated growth and an amplified impact for the business and everyone involved.

“When people feel safe, they are empowered to contribute their best work—transcending limits and smashing goals.

The Physical & Psychological Impact

In a culturally safe environment, the toll of stress and mental fatigue drastically diminishes. The fear of discrimination, microaggressions, or simply feeling like an outsider melts away. This freedom allows us to function at our peak, not just mentally but also physically. Lower stress levels lead to fewer sick days, higher job satisfaction, and overall increased well-being.  

And the impact of a culturally safe environment is a workforce that’s shifts from surviving to thriving. Where employees are energised, engaged, and invested in their roles and the company mission. It’s a win-win, not just in terms of performance but in overall quality of life.

So, how do you build cultural safety?

Taking steps toward cultural safety is easier than you think. Here are some simple ways to start shifting your workplace:

1. Conduct a Cultural Safety Audit: Start by assessing the current climate. Use anonymous surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews to gather insights. This will give you a clear picture of the steps you need to take.  First Nations Strategies can help build a cultural safety audit that aligns with your business, goals and values.
2. Get Leadership Involved: It goes without saying, a shift in culture needs to be a top-down approach, yet so many organisations seek change without leadership involvement.  Leaders set the tone, create policies, and most importantly, model the behaviour they wish to see.
3. Encourage Open Dialogue: Building cultural safety starts with trust and truth-telling. Open dialogue is about not only having the tough conversations, but preparing your teams for the conversations. Be sure to provide opportunities for everyone to have a voice, and make it safe for people to discuss their experiences and opinions.  This may include providing a range of ways people can share their experiences, and perceptions of the organisation.
   
4. Educate and Re-Educate: Rolling out a single diversity training program isn’t going to cut it. Cultural safety requires an ongoing commitment, and continuous education to maintain and build upon the momentum.