Home
Courses
Workplace Culture
Building Cultural...

Building Cultural Competency in the Workplace

Cultural differences influence how people communicate, collaborate, and interpret workplace expectations.

This training helps employees recognize how differences in communication styles, perspectives, and workplace norms shape everyday interactions. Learners build the awareness and adaptability needed to navigate cross-cultural situations more thoughtfully, reduce misunderstandings, and communicate more effectively across teams and cultures.

Team having an informal office coffee chat.

Audience

All employees

Format

Self-paced, scenario-based online training

Duration

15 minutes

Download course details Request a demo

SHIFT helps you equip employees to navigate cultural differences and communicate more effectively in everyday situations.

53%

of U.S. employees say workplace culture is important when evaluating job offers

2.3x

more cash flow per employee at organizations with strong workplace culture

36%

higher profitability for organizations with greater cultural diversity

Workplace interactions are shaped by differences in communication styles, expectations, and perspectives. Building Cultural Competency in the Workplace helps employees recognize these dynamics and build the awareness and adaptability needed to communicate more effectively, strengthen collaboration, and navigate cross-cultural workplace interactions with greater confidence and understanding.

Course overview

Building Cultural Competency in the Workplace equips employees to recognize how cultural differences influence everyday workplace interactions. Through interactive scenarios and practical examples, learners explore how assumptions, communication styles, and expectations influence how meaning is interpreted in workplace interactions. The course builds skills to navigate these situations with greater awareness and clarity.

Beyond awareness to action

Most cultural competency training focuses on understanding differences at a high level. SHIFT’s approach focuses on how those differences show up in real situations. Participants learn to recognize when communication may break down, adjust their approach, and respond in ways that improve clarity and reduce misinterpretation in cross-cultural interactions.

This training builds the ability to:

Understand why cultural competency is important in today’s work environment
Learn the foundations of cultural competency
Identify key ingredients for developing cross-cultural skills
Gain practical strategies for successful cross-cultural communication

I am a huge fan of all of the materials and education SHIFT provides for the growth and success of individual learners in the workplace.

Erika Whyte
VP, Director Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Built on legal and workplace expertise.

SHIFT’s training is designed not just to build awareness, but to help employees navigate everyday workplace interactions with greater understanding and adaptability.

Reviewed and designed by employment law attorneys
Developed with insights from workplace culture, psychology, and global communication practices
Focuses on practical action, not just awareness
Engaging scenarios drawn from real workplace interactions
Reflects the complexity of cross-cultural communication
Empowers employees to adjust behavior in real time

Building Cultural Competency in the Workplace Course Identity Screenshot

Proven to change behavior.

Moves beyond “check-the-box” training with realistic workplace scenarios
Highlights moments where cultural differences affect communication
Interactive content encourages reflection and perspective-taking
Shows how assumptions influence workplace interactions
Teaches practical judgment and communication strategies
Builds skills to adjust responses in unfamiliar situations
Supports clearer, more effective collaboration

The result is employees who recognize differences earlier and adapt their communication to improve understanding and team performance.

Building Cultural Competency in the Workplace Course Elements Screenshot

Course details

Format: Self-paced eLearning with interactive scenarios and reflection points
Duration: 15 minutes
Languages: English and Spanish (others available upon request)
Certificate: Instant certificate download
Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliant, screen-reader compatible, closed captions included
Flexible Delivery Options: SCORM-ready training, deployable via client LMS or hosted by SHIFT
Customization: Branding options and full content tailoring available, with updates reviewed to maintain alignment with legal requirements
White Glove Implementation: Dedicated Project Manager
SCORM integration
LMS set-up & admin training
Go-live support and post-launch check-ins

Frequently asked questions about cultural competency training.

Cultural competency is the ability to recognize how cultural differences influence communication and interactions, and to adjust behavior to work more effectively with others.

Supervisors and non-supervisory employees. The course is designed to improve communication and collaboration across all roles.

Approximately 15 minutes, with self-paced interactive scenarios.

It is practical. The course focuses on real workplace situations and helps employees adjust their communication in the moment.

See how SHIFT prepares your teams for real workplace decisions.

Request a demo

Related courses

View all courses

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Group doing project around a conference table.

Allyship in Action

Real allyship happens in the moment. Build the skills to recognize it, act on it, and make it stick.

ALL EMPLOYEES

7 MINUTES

Learn more

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Three employees smiling and supporting one another during a positive workplace interaction focused on inclusion and teamwork.

Building Employee Inclusion and Upstander Culture

Build skills to recognize when to act and support inclusion through everyday workplace interactions.

ALL EMPLOYEES

20 MINUTES

Learn more

WORKPLACE CULTURE