Australia is a cultural melting pot and home to people of all nationalities.
As the population ages, aged care centres are under pressure to provide quality support for individuals from a wide range of different cultural backgrounds. The power to facilitate this can lie in your hiring strategy.
Reasons to encourage cultural diversity in your aged care team
According to Diversity Australia, organisations with strong diversity, equality and a culture of inclusivity attract top talent. They expand their pool of skilled team members and improve branding as an employer. This applies to aged care centres as much as any other business.
The benefits to your facility of diverse and inclusive hiring practices include:
The ability to serve a wider client base
Aged care facilities must increasingly cater to diverse residents with different cultural backgrounds and personal preferences. Employing care workers from a range of cultural backgrounds can facilitate more comprehensive and understanding support, not to mention breaking down language barriers.
Culturally diverse carers and nurses bring a wealth of perspectives and experiences to their workplace. This helps create a more inclusive environment where residents and team members feel understood and valued.
From daily routines to hygiene practices and meals, every culture has a familiar way of doing things. Staff who have an innate understanding of culturally diverse practices will be able to build a stronger relationship with residents and find their work more fulfilling. As a result, residents and their families will be more satisfied with their experience.
Avoiding ‘group-think’
Diverse teams are less prone to the phenomenon of what’s known as ‘group-think’, where a group may conform to a point where they have similar ideas and perspectives, and fail to challenge each other.
By integrating care workers from different cultural backgrounds, aged care homes can benefit from a broader range of viewpoints and approaches to problem-solving. Bringing together more diverse perspectives can lead to more creative and effective solutions in care delivery, policies and practices, which can improve overall service quality and business reputation.
Find out more about hiring international candidates for the aged care sector.
Harmonious environments and dementia support
Studies have found over 31% of aged care residents were born overseas, and 9.2% of people using aged care preferred to speak in a language other than English. This number may increase in people who have dementia, who often revert to their primary language as their cognitive abilities deteriorate.
Unfortunately, language barriers can potentially contribute to higher aggression in people with dementia, which is why having multilingual employees at your aged care facility can benefit the wellbeing of all stakeholders.
Broader skill sets and innovative ideas
Every facility aims for best-practice, but innovation can come from anywhere. Bringing in culturally and nationally diverse team members can benefit your facility because your new staff can share the best-practices and initiatives they have witnessed in their roles overseas.
Encourage newcomers to share their experiences and understanding of the industry. This may lead to positive change and cost savings at your facility.
Meet ESG and DEI requirements
As a facility, you may have targets and KPIs related to Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), and Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI). Having a culturally diverse workforce can support this.
Inclusivity can also extend beyond the care staff to all levels of the organisation, including management and board positions. Encouraging international hires right up to board level helps to create a more comprehensive and representative leadership team.
It is important for aged care residents to feel as comfortable and ‘at home’ as possible. By providing your residents with access to diverse employees who understand their needs, traditions and perspectives, you can create a more supportive and fulfilling environment for everyone.