Need Diversity In The Workplace Training? How To Get It Right

Are you considering implementing a diversity in the workplace training program for your organization?  If so, are you sure that your organization needs it?  Do you know how important diversity training in the workplace is and what the workplace statistics are behind it?  Also, do you know there are different levels an organization can attain or the most effective way to deliver the training?  In this article, we answer these questions, provide you with an assessment tool to decide if your organization needs diversity training in the workplace, and discuss the options you have for implementing the training.  Then, we will end with tips on overcoming challenges using our top tips based on our extensive experience creating custom training for numerous clients.  Let’s begin.

What Is Diversity In The Workplace?

Diversity in the workplace refers to differences among people in an organization.  It can encompass a broad spectrum of individual and group differences.  For example, Diversity in the workplace includes:

• Race and Ethnicity: Recognizing and appreciating different backgrounds and cultures
• Gender and Gender Identity: Ensuring equal opportunities and respect for all genders, including non-binary, transgender, cisgender individuals, big-gender, two-spirit, and pangender
• Age: Respecting and valuing the perspectives and experiences of different age groups, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z
• Sexual Orientation: Being inclusive of people who identify as LGBTQ+
• Disability: Making accommodations and offering support for those with physical, cognitive, behavioural, sensory, or communication impairments
• Neurodiversity: Being aware of the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population (used especially in the context of autistic spectrum disorders).  This is often an area overlooked in many diversity in the workplace training programs
• Religion: Being aware of and respecting different religious practices and beliefs
• Socio-economic Status: Recognizing and valuing employees from all economic and social backgrounds
• Education: Respecting those with different educational backgrounds, whether formal education, on-the-job training, or life experiences
• National Origin: Including individuals from various countries and regions
• Language: Recognizing, accepting, and accommodating employees who speak different languages
• Cultural Background: Respecting and leveraging different cultural norms, values, and perspectives
• Other Characteristics: Parental status, marital status, and more are all crucial factors when considering diversity in the workplace training

“Diversity and Inclusion needs to be something that every single employee at the company has a stake in.” — Bo Young Lee, Uber’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

In your diversity training in the workplace all these factors need to be included in your new program.

Why Is Diversity Important In The Workplace?

First and foremost, diversity is essential for cultivating social justice and equity.  Secondly, organizations have found that diversity is necessary because it enhances organizational performance.  Below are some of the reasons why it matters to organizations and why diversity training in the workplace is now a standard course for many organizations:

• Corporate Social Responsibility: Beyond the business case, promoting diversity is the right thing to do from a social justice and equity perspective. It demonstrates a commitment to reflecting and respecting the broader community in which a business operates
• Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: Diverse teams bring together new perspectives, experiences, and approaches, leading to increased creativity and innovative solutions to problems
• Better Decision Making: Many organizations realize that diversity training in the workplace is vital because their teams offer a broader array of solutions and viewpoints. Research has shown that diverse groups make decisions faster and with better outcomes
• Representation: A diverse workforce better reflects the eclectic nature of global customers and stakeholders. This representation can lead to a better understanding and service of a broad range of markets
• Increased Profits: Diverse companies are often more profitable. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, companies with diverse executive teams are more likely to outperform their peers in profitability
• Attracting and Retaining Talent: A commitment to diversity training in the workplace can make an organization more attractive to prospective employees. It can lead to a broader talent pool and reduced turnover as employees feel more valued and included
• Improved Employee Performance: Employees are likelier to feel comfortable and happy in an environment where inclusivity is a priority. It can lead to increased productivity and performance
• Reduced Risks: Companies that promote diversity and inclusion can reduce the risks of discrimination lawsuits. Moreover, a commitment to diversity can enhance a company’s reputation and brand
• Cultural Insight and Competence: A diverse workforce can increase an organization’s cultural awareness, helping them understand and cater to a broader range of customers
• Competitive Advantage: As global markets become interconnected, companies with a high level of diversity training in the workplace are better positioned to understand and penetrate international markets
• Personal and Professional Growth: Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds can challenge traditional viewpoints, leading to personal and professional growth for employees
• Enhanced Employer Brand: Companies known for their commitment to diversity are viewed more favorably by the public, which can improve their reputation and brand value

It’s important to note that while having a diverse workforce is vital, it’s equally essential to ensure inclusion.  That’s because diversity without inclusion can still make marginalized groups feel undervalued or unheard.   Actual benefits arise when diverse voices are present and actively included and valued in decision-making processes and organizational culture.

“Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness.  It is the key to growth.” — Jesse Jackson.

Workplace Diversity Statistics

Nowadays, diversity and inclusion in the workforce are natural necessities for most of us.  But if you have individuals in your organization you still need to convince that diversity in the workplace training has a high return on investment, show them some of the statistics below.  It’s one of the reasons that diversity training in the workplace is now one of the most popular courses organizations offer because they’ve realized the benefits.

• Corporations identified as more diverse and inclusive are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors. (McKinsey)
• Diverse companies are 70% more likely to capture new markets. (HBR)
• Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions. (People Management)
• Diverse management teams lead to 19% higher revenue. (BCG)
• Companies employing an equal number of men and women manage to produce up to 41% higher revenue. (Clear Company)
• Gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to notice higher financial returns. (McKinsey)
• 74% of millennial employees believe their organization is more innovative with a culture of inclusion, and 47% actively look for diversity and inclusion when sizing up potential employers. (Deloitte)
• 78% of employees who responded to a Harvard Business Review study said they work at organizations that lack diversity in leadership positions. (HBR)
• Inclusive companies get 2.3 times more cash flow per employee. (Josh Bersin)
• Millennials are 83% more likely to be engaged at work at inclusive companies. (Deloitte)

“In today’s interconnected and globalized world, it is now commonplace for people of dissimilar world views, faiths, and races to live side by side.  It is a matter of great urgency, therefore, that we find ways to cooperate with one another in a spirit of mutual acceptance and respect.” – Dalai Lama.

Does Your Organization Need Diversity Training In The Workplace?

To help you decide if your organization needs diversity training in the workplace (or additional training), we’ve created a practical assessment that you can use.  We based it on information from highly reputable sources, including Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks, McKinsey & Company Reports on DEI, Harvard Business Review (HBR), and others, including government sources.

The assessment covers six areas

• Leadership + Strategy
• Training + Development
• Recruitment + Hiring
• Workplace Culture
• Equity In Opportunities
• Metrics + Accountability

And it also provides an evidence-based and practical way to assess your organization’s DEI efforts and determine if there’s a training gap.  It only takes about 10 minutes.   Access the assessment below and rate your organization.  Does it rank below 90 points and require training to level up or even excel as a diverse and inclusive organization?

Levels Of Diversity Training

The ultimate goal of diversity training in the workplace is to create a more inclusive and harmonious workplace where every individual feels valued, understood, and respected.  As such, you can develop several levels of diversity training in the workplace depending on your organization’s situation and needs.  Once you’ve decided if your organization needs diversity in the workplace training, you need to decide what level of training it requires.  The assessment you completed will assist you in determining the current level and what you need to focus on to enhance it.

Awareness Building

Awareness building is often the first step in diversity training in the workplace.  It is where participants are made aware of their own biases and prejudices, both conscious and unconscious.  The idea is to recognize that everyone has biases that can influence their decisions and behavior regardless of background.

Skill Development

Once participants recognize their biases, the next step is to develop skills to interact more effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.  It might include communication skills, conflict resolution strategies, and techniques for building inclusive teams.

Behavioral Change

The ultimate aim of diversity training in the workplace is to change behavior.  So, participants are encouraged to apply their knowledge to create an environment where every employee feels included and valued.  It can involve modifying how people provide feedback, hiring practices, or reshaping team dynamics.

Enhancing Business Results

Embedding the training and enhancing diversity and inclusion is the next level.  Also, it’s been demonstrated that when companies have inclusive cultures, they are:

• Eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes
• Six times more likely to be innovative and agile
• Three times as likely to be high-performing
• Twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets

The Diversity And Inclusion Revolution, Deloitte

Diversity Training Implementation Options

So, having decided that your organization requires diversity training in the workplace, and the levels that you want to focus on for improvement, what format should the training take, and how will you deliver it?  There are several factors to consider when making these decisions, including pros and cons.

In-Person Or Online Delivery?

The first consideration is whether you will undertake in-person training or workshops or utilize online training delivery.  In-person training is a good choice if you

• have an experienced instructor who understands your organization and who can adapt their diversity in the workplace training to your circumstances
• only have a small group who can quickly get together, or if you require one-on-one coaching

Otherwise, for most organizations, it’s not as viable an option because

• it’s unrealistic to be able to coordinate in-person sessions for large numbers of staff
• it’s often cost-prohibitive
• the organization has people located across several or many geographic locations

Most organizations now will choose an online or a blended training option (part online, part in-person), which also have the environmental advantage of contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.

Instructor-Led Or On-Demand Course?

Assuming an online option is selected, do you create an on-demand course or have instructor-led training?  An example of the latter is virtual live training conducted via Zoom or a similar platform.  Its advantages are that you can reach remote teams with your diversity training in the workplace program and include some interactive elements such as breakout rooms, live polls, and chat-based discussions.  However, these sessions require scheduling and can become an administrative burden.  In addition, they also do not have the level of interactive instructional activities you can include in an on-demand course.

For most applications, including diversity in the workplace training, on-demand courses have many advantages.

Advantages Of Online Diversity Training In The Workplace

To maximize the impact of diversity training in the workplace, it must be part of a larger strategic initiative that has buy-in from leadership and is evaluated regularly and updated to reflect the organization’s evolving needs.

A training component is crucial in fostering an understanding and appreciation that diversity goes beyond merely hiring diverse talent.  To truly create an inclusive environment, there needs to be an active commitment from all organization members to understand, respect, and value individual differences.  Diversity training in the workplace can play a pivotal role in this process, and online training offers a range of advantages:

Accessibility: Online diversity in the workplace training is accessible to anyone with an internet connection.  So, employees can access training regardless of location, making it especially useful for companies with multiple locations or remote workers.

Flexibility: Employees can complete training at their own pace and schedule.  This flexibility can lead to better engagement and comprehension as learners can choose optimal times for their learning.

Consistency: Online diversity in the workplace training ensures that every participant receives the same content, reducing variability in delivery that can occur with in-person sessions.

Scalability: Online platforms can accommodate many users, making it easy for organizations to simultaneously roll out training to everyone.

Data Tracking and Analysis: Online platforms can provide valuable analytics about employee engagement, areas where employees may struggle, and completion rates.  This data can help to improve the training content and address specific issues.

Interactive Learning: Modern on-demand diversity in the workplace training incorporates interactive elements, such as quizzes, videos, discussion groups, and simulations, which can enhance engagement and retention.

Easy Updating: As ideas and best practices around diversity and inclusion evolve, you can easily update online training materials to reflect the latest research and insights.

Resource Libraries: Online training can offer a resource library for participants, allowing them to revisit content, access additional readings, or delve deeper into specific topics.

Immediate Feedback: Many on-demand training modules provide immediate feedback through quizzes or tests, allowing participants to gauge their understanding and revisit areas of confusion.

‘Off-the-shelf” V’s Custom Diversity Training In the Workplace?

The final consideration you have to make is whether you will implement a custom on-demand course or direct your workforce to an ‘off-the-shelf’ course (for example, Udemy or LinkedIn training).  ‘Off-the-shelf’ diversity in the workplace training courses can be cost-effective.  But only if you have a few people who will take the courses, and you don’t get caught paying per module (see below).  Also, they are often quick to deploy if the training already exists.

However, there are several disadvantages to ‘Off-the-shelf’ diversity in the workplace training, including

• Generic – Content may not align well with your organization’s culture, policies, or unique circumstances.
• Limited Engagement – Learners may feel less connected to content that lacks specific examples or relevance to their roles.
• Brand Inconsistency – Generic courses won’t reflect an organization’s branding, voice, or values.
• One-Size-Fits-All Approach – ‘Off-the-shelf” diversity in the workplace training courses often fail to address specific requirements or organizational goals.
• Minimal Customization – Limited or no ability to modify content, meaning less flexibility to include internal policies or organizational-specific case studies.
• Not Always As Inexpensive As It First Appears – ‘Off-the-shelf’ courses can look inexpensive but can be priced per module (not per course).  In most courses, you’ll cover 10-15 modules, so this can become very expensive at $50-100 a module
• ‘Talking Head’ Videos? – Some providers of ‘off-the-shelf’ courses put little instructional effort into creating them.  Ensure you don’t buy a course with a series of ‘talking head’ videos.  These are extremely boring, have low employee engagement, and have poor training results.  The old saying in the training and development world is, “Talking ain’t training.”

Many organizations will thus choose a custom-developed on-demand course.  Not only does it have all the benefits (see above) of on-demand courses, but they have the following advantages over “off-the-shelf” diversity in the workplace training courses.

• Tailored Content – Designed to address specific organizational needs, culture, and goals, making the training more relevant and engaging.
• Enhanced Learner Engagement – Uses real-world examples, scenarios, and case studies relevant to employees’ daily work.
• Organizational Branding – Your diversity training in the workplace can reflect the company’s voice, values, and visual identity, creating a cohesive and relevant experience for employees.
• Flexibility – Fully adaptable to changes in policy, industry regulations, or evolving organizational needs.
• Impact Measurement – Custom courses can include specific metrics and evaluation tools to measure outcomes tied to your organizational goals.
• Competitive Advantage – Differentiates the organization by aligning the diversity in the workplace training with your organization’s unique processes, values, and mission.
• Cost-Effective Delivery – While the upfront costs for developing the custom diversity training in the workplace can be higher, the ongoing delivery costs are lower.  Once created, your employees can take the course at no cost.  And over time you can easily update the course to become a long-term asset to your organization.

Top Tips To Create Online Diversity In The Workplace Training

As we’ve seen, online diversity training in the workplace has many advantages and can cover many levels.  However, pursuing your training goal successfully requires a thoughtful approach and overcoming challenges.  At Spark + Co., we’ve created many diversity in the workplace training courses for a variety of organizations, including

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Indigenous Journey for a large educational institution
• Diversity And A Respectful Workplace for a nationwide property development company
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for a Federally registered charitable organization serving the social sector
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for a large human resources association
• Inclusive Hiring for a national Canadian real estate corporation
• Autism Awareness for a Provincial network of integrated health and wellness services for young people ages 12-24.

In developing numerous online training modules on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, we’ve found some top tips to help create successful diversity training in the workplace courses, including how to overcome challenges and deal with complex topics in this sensitive area.

1. Use Authentic Narratives To Show, Not Tell
   Using authentic narratives in your diversity in the workplace training courses is critical. Rather than telling people what they should or shouldn’t do, approaches such as reciting stories, showing authentic examples, and sharing personal experiences are much more impactful.  The participant can then listen/watch and draw conclusions, which is much more effective.  Also, a first-person narrative mode of storytelling is highly effective.  The storyteller should recount events from their point of view using first person grammar such as ‘I,’ ‘me,’ ‘my’…  Below are screenshots of diversity training examples from a course on Sexual Harassment.  This particular aspect of diversity training in the workplace focuses on gender discrimination and using pronouns.

2.  Understand The Why Before The How

Before creating any training program, it’s essential to understand its purpose and explain ‘Why is diversity important for your organization?’ It’s essential to ensure that the training is rooted in real business goals, recruitment strategies, and societal benefits, such as improved performance, better decision-making, and representing a diverse customer base.  That’s because when participants understand the “why,” they’re more likely to embrace the “how,” and the impact of your diversity training in the workplace will be more significant.

3.  Be Courageous, Use Examples That Make People Uncomfortable

Playing it too safe with all your training examples usually doesn’t achieve the behavioral changes that you may desire.  And may not be authentic about the specific issues you are dealing with.  So, without offending anyone, be courageous with the examples you use.  These should include diversity training examples or stories that make you squirm slightly, as these will evoke a reaction.  You want your examples to be as authentic and human as possible.  That way, learners will recognize that you are developing an unsanitized solution for an audience by creating diversity in the workplace training that pushes the boundaries a little.

4.  Walk The Talk

When working with our clients on designing online learning, we often collaborate and work with a stakeholder group or project team.  It’s essential that the client team we work with is diverse.  If the immediate team doesn’t have the required diversity, we’ll advise clients to recruit people from diverse backgrounds to review the content early in the development process.

For example, having an Indigenous perspective was critical for one client.  But they also did not want to add to the workload of their Indigenous experts.  So, the client hired an Indigenous person for the project to ensure that the language and perspective were culturally sensitive and appropriate.

5.  Establish Writing Standards

Diversity and inclusion can be an emotionally sensitive topic.  However, many people are still learning and understanding the intricacies and nuances and how to apply them to their daily lives.  So, to help the process and prevent offending anyone unintentionally, it’s a good idea to establish writing standards.

6.  Encourage Self-Reflection

The journey to understanding diversity starts within.  So, in your diversity in the workplace training, encourage participants to examine their biases, beliefs, and behaviors.  You can achieve this through quizzes, reflective exercises, and open-ended questions.  Individuals are better positioned to recognize, address, and challenge their unconscious biases.

Questions such as “What would you do in their shoes?” can provide reflective activity, a form of repetition and practice.  And practice is a necessary part of learning.  The diversity training examples below that you can click on and review, illustrate this type of approach.

7.  Tailor To Your Organization

Tailor your Diversity in the workplace training course to your organizational context – what does it mean to your business outcomes?  Why should the learner pay attention to diversity and inclusion at your organization?  Learners often want to understand the specific context and impact on their workplace.  So, address the unique diversity challenges that your organization or industry faces.  And use customized content as it makes the course more relevant to them and enhances your audience’s engagement.  You should tailor the content to align with your organizational culture’s values and goals.

Different people and workplaces require different types of training and materials.  So avoid adapting training materials created for a purpose different from yours.

As part of their diversity in the workplace training, a college asked, “What does indigenization mean to me in my role at Douglas?”  Then, they recorded the employees’ answers to show how individuals reflected on what it meant for them in their work.

8.  Represent All Forms Of Diversity

While you should tailor your course to the specific circumstances within your organization, ensure you consider all forms of diversity.  For example, race and gender are often the primary focus, but diversity is multifaceted.  So ensure your training includes age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, mental health, religious beliefs, neurodiversity, and socio-economic status.  A comprehensive approach means that all employees can resonate with the content, even if you focus more detail on the most relevant aspects of your organization.  People with “invisible” disabilities experience discrimination, so keep your definition of diversity as broad as possible.

9.  Promote Peer-To-Peer Learning

Each individual brings a unique perspective based on their experiences.  And learning from peers often leaves a lasting impression and builds empathy.  So, where possible, create opportunities for learners to share stories, insights, and perspectives.  You can facilitate this in your diversity in the workplace training through discussion forums, group projects, and breakout sessions.

10.  Regularly Update The Training Material

Diversity and inclusion are dynamic areas, evolving with societal changes, research findings, and emerging narratives.  So, as with most courses, online diversity in the workplace training requires regular updating to ensure the content remains relevant, accurate, and aligned with the latest best practices and organizational policies.

11.  Emphasize Psychological Safety

Essential to any course, especially for diversity training in the workplace, is a need to create an online space where participants can discuss diversity topics openly.  Establishing clear rules against discrimination at the start, demonstrating empathy, and creating a safe place for all are critical.

12.  Blended Learning Approaches

Use a blended learning approach where possible when creating your diversity in the workplace course.  This can include considering a mix of e-learning modules, webinars, reading materials, and forums.  The advantage Is that this caters to different learning preferences and keeps engagement high.  If feasible, you could also integrate face-to-face sessions to make certain activities more impactful.     

13.  Avoid Image Stereotypes

You could use lots of free images and other content in your training.  But these need to be authentic, which is one of the reasons to use the storyteller to tell their story.  So, avoid stereotypes when using images, voice casting, and writing narratives.  It prevents participants from listening to a voice or seeing a picture and thinking, ‘They don’t sound Asian enough’ or ‘look Indigenous enough.’  For example, using poorly selected stock images can be considered tokenism.

Some resources we find valuable and helpful are

• Visualising inclusiveness and diversity — Eva-Lotta Lamm
• Inclusive Imagery: 5 Tips to Create Visual Content for Every Audience in 2022 – Wired Impact
• 25 Free Illustrated Characters – Downloads – E-Learning Heroes
• The Gender Spectrum Collection: Stock Photos Beyond the Binary
• Nappy | Beautifully Diverse Stock Photos
• The Jopwell Collection, Vol. 1: Free Stock Images of Our Community at Work by Jopwell
• PICNOI – Free Stock Photo for a Colorful World
• Plus Size Stock Photos — AllGo
• Indigenous stock images – CIRA

14.  Diversity Training Is Only Part Of The Solution

Training is an integral part of creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.  However, a course on its own isn’t solely going to achieve the results you desire.  Suppose you aren’t genuine in your approach to diversity in hiring, promotion, and other programs.  In that case, no amount of training will help.

One of our recent clients provides some practical examples of diversity training.  They took steps to not just talk about it but created diversity training in the workplace for their managers on inclusive hiring.  It included modules on more equitable processes, creating a richer talent pool, and a practical toolkit for the managers.  While not a complete solution, it demonstrates the work that will have a more profound impact.

Diversity In The Workplace Training – Final Thoughts

Organizations are rapidly realizing the value of creating a more inclusive and harmonious workplace where everyone feels valued, understood, and respected.  And results show that it can drive innovation, enhance creativity, foster a more inclusive environment, and generate improved financial returns.  Having decided, perhaps using our assessment, that your organization requires a new diversity in the workplace training program, you can now choose using the information above what form that should take and how you want to deliver it.  If you need help working through the options or help creating an on-demand or virtual-led training program, book a consultation below or contact us for more information.  And if you’d like more information on diversity in the workplace training read this case study from a regional college.