Ruth Garcia treating a culturally and linguistically diverse worker
Australia is a nation of diversity, with almost half of us either born overseas or having a parent who was. Since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia, bringing with them a wealth of cultures and languages, identifying with around 300 ancestries.
In celebration of Harmony Week, Work Healthy Australia is proud to spotlight Ruth Garcia, a dedicated Work Health Provider within our team, and Cristianne Dias, HR Manager for JBS Beef City.
“Diversity helps me to learn and adapt” – Ruth Garcia
Ruth Garcia, Workplace Health Provider at Work Healthy Australia, works with people from different cultures and backgrounds on a daily basis. She believes diversity provides her with ongoing learning opportunities. Ruth herself comes from a linguistically and culturally diverse background – she was born in Manila, Philippines, and migrated with her family to Australia when she was 4-5 years old.Â
Ruth’s journey from her birthplace in Manila, Philippines, to becoming an integral part of our team in Australia is a testament to the strength and resilience that diversity brings to our community and workplace. Having migrated with her family at a young age, Ruth’s own experiences have deeply informed her approach to providing compassionate and culturally sensitive health care to workers.
Ruth interacts daily with people from various cultures and backgrounds as she treats workers in manual handling roles across different industries. She recognises the unique challenges that culturally and linguistically diverse workers face, from navigating financial pressures and high expectations in a new job to adapting to a new society and finding community. Through her work, Ruth has developed innovative strategies to communicate effectively with patients, utilising visuals, technology, and a keen sense of empathy to ensure that every patient feels seen, heard, and understood.
“Visuals offer a universal language accessible by various cultures and languages. Visuals can help promote health messages, e.g. stretching posters placed in common workplace areas such as the changing room or tea room.”
Ruth’s commitment to building bridges through communication and understanding highlights the importance of cultural awareness in work health and safety. Ruth says that collaboration between onsite health providers and managers helps introduce workers to workplace health services and demystify the process of seeking help. Â
“In some countries and cultures, allied health is considered a luxury and often difficult to access. When overseas workers come to Australia, it might be difficult for them to understand that their employer offers free healthcare onsite. In some cultures, physical touch or manual therapy can be taboo due to religious practices. Being culturally aware, asking questions, and trying to understand the different backgrounds of workers is paramount. Patients ultimately feel supported when they feel understood”, says Ruth.
There are many ways for an organisation to support their cultural workers, this could include adapting to religious practices to include short prayer breaks, offering prayer rooms and recognising traditional days. Ruth encourages workplaces to work closely and collaboratively with their onsite workplace providers when devising strategies to support their diverse workforce. Integrating cultural considerations into workplace health programs can foster an environment where everyone feels supported and valued.
“Learning experiences from different countries create richer learning experiences for everyone” – Cristianne Dias, JBS Beef City
JBS Beef City in the Toowoomba region is a multicultural hub. The beef processing plant employs 36 different nationalities. Cristianne Dias is their HR Manager. She is part of the multicultural mix at the organisation, having been born in Brazil.
According to Cristianne, the language barrier can be the most difficult challenge for some workers. For others, though, the biggest struggle is being from their home country. To help overseas workers settle in, Cristianne and her team try to encourage them to participate and become a part of the local community, be it by joining sports teams, volunteering or getting involved with their church. This not only caters to individual interests but also fosters a strong sense of belonging.
Another initiative JBS uses to promote a culture of belonging is to embody its mantra of “one team / one family”. “Since their first arrival, our multicultural team members are treated with respect and dignity and we try to include them in the team in a way they would feel comfortable. Interpreters are provided to help with language barriers and we go beyond offering employment by actively engaging our workers in the local community events and activities” said Cristianne.
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) workers, along with migrant and young workers have been identified as having a greater risk of injury or illness at work. Cristianne ensures their workplace induction and support processes are robust and comprehensive. “All new employees are inducted in line with their Team Member Handbook, the company’s policies and procedures and code of conduct. That includes all our safety procedures and our workplace health & safety policy. Interpretation is provided for employees with a language barrier for the training required on-site to ensure comprehension of the company’s rules and guidelines, as well as any local regulatory and legislative requirements”, she stated.
“Create employee resource groups and mentorship programs to ensure all voices are heard and valued”
To support a culturally diverse workforce, Cristianne believes it is beneficial to have programs that foster an inclusive environment, highlighting the importance of mutual respect and understanding. “Create employee resource groups and mentorship programs to ensure all voices are heard and valued”, she advises. “It is also important to facilitate collaboration and empower individuals from different cultural backgrounds to share their unique perspectives and experiences, including their challenges”, she adds.
With Harmony Week coming up (18-24 March 2024), there are a lot of preparations at JBS Beef City. Cristianne is excited about what’s coming up: “We are planning activities to celebrate harmony by sharing different traditional meals, stories (how they arrived in Australia), sharing traditional music and showcasing musical instruments from various cultures as well as sharing traditional clothes, make-up and dancing”.
Having a diverse multicultural workforce brings many benefits to all, believes Cristianne: “Learning experiences from different countries and new ideas create richer learning experiences for everyone”, she reflects.
