How Small Acts Can Help Immigrants Feel at Home

As a healthcare worker with a multicultural background, I’ve seen how small acts of kindness can create safety, trust, and inclusion.

My First Experience in a New Environment

In 2019, during my Menn i helse (Men in Health) training, I was placed in a psychiatric care home with people from many different cultures — both staff and patients.

It was my first time in such an environment. I was nervous, but also curious.

I started asking simple questions: 

“What can I do for you?”

As a student, I wasn’t expected to do much — just small tasks in the kitchen or assisting others. But soon I asked if I could work with a patient on my own.

They hesitated, then said:

 “If you’re confident, go ahead.”

The patient I was given had a reputation as the most difficult in the entire nursing home — angry, aggressive, and unpredictable. But when I entered his room, I didn’t see a monster. I saw a human being — lonely, vulnerable, and in need of help.

I smiled and said: 

“Good morning.” 

He looked up, smiled back, and said the same.

We went through his morning routine and headed to breakfast together. He smiled at others and greeted them — something he apparently never did.

My colleagues were shocked: 

“What did you do to him?”

 I simply said: 

“We talked.”

It’s Not About You — It’s About Them

You lose nothing by being kind. When you set aside ego and fear, you become professional. When you build genuine relationships — with your coworkers and the people you care for — you grow in your work and in who you are.

Including others means sharing what you know, and being open to asking questions.

I learned that asking is never stupid — it’s powerful. When you ask, you connect. When you listen, you build trust.

Small Actions, Big Impact

A smile. 

A “welcome.” 

A bit of extra patience when someone struggles with language.

It costs nothing — but it means everything to the one who feels left out.

We often talk about “integration” as something big and political. But real inclusion happens in everyday life — in how we greet each other, how we listen, and how we show that we care.

Be the colleague with open arms. 

Be the one who starts a conversation. 

Be the one who stands beside someone when they need support.

Every workplace needs role models — and maybe you can be that person.

Maybe you’re the one who can help a new neighbor, coworker, or patient feel seen. 

What’s your best tip for making someone feel included?

— Tariq Khan

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