Developing Multicultural Competence to Improve Cross-Race Work Relationships

Abstract

As the workforce continues to diversify, it will become increasingly important that organizational leaders develop specific skills to manage multicultural issues and interactions. A theoretically-based diversity training program to develop multicultural competence in trainee participants was evaluated using a pretest–posttest nonequivalent-control-group design. Results showed positive change in reactions to interracial situations at work, awareness of psychological privilege, and lower modern racism attitudes, even after controlling for pretest scores and diversity of life experiences. Results also support a link between training and multicultural competence in the workplace. Implications for practitioners, trainers, and diversity researchers are discussed.