5 Types of Workplace Diversity Training

The Most Important Elements of D&I Programs

After a rough time of fighting for racial and social justice, businesses are ready to step it up. They are putting money into diversity and inclusion, and they want to make sure that their company culture empowers and helps employees, rather than making their lives harder. The buzzwords "diversity," "equity," and "inclusion" can seem to blend together and lose their meanings. 

Does your company offer these 5 important types of diversity training at work? Are they getting training on these key parts of diversity in your workplace, and is it clear and on purpose? For diversity training in the workplace to be effective, every organization needs to talk about these five things. In this article, we'll talk about the most important parts of diversity and inclusion training and how you can use them at your company.

Diversity Training in the Workplace

Equity is the promise that everyone will be treated, given opportunities, and invested in the same way. When you try to make everything fair, you look for and try to get rid of the barriers that have kept some groups from fully participating. You also take into account the groups that have been historically underserved and underrepresented.

Inclusion is about bringing people and/or groups who have been left out of processes, activities, and decision-making in a way that shares power and gives everyone the same chances and resources. By teaching your staff about these ideas, you can make it easier for them to talk to each other and make sure that everyone in your organization acts in an inclusive way.

How to Deal with Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias is another type of diversity training that can be done at work. This is a type of pre-reflective attribution that is based on social stereotypes. It is also called "implicit bias." Many people don't even realize they have biases, and they use them unconsciously to judge other people quickly. Unconscious bias can do a lot of damage, particularly at work. Unconscious bias training is the best way to help get rid of them. This helps people see their biases and stop acting on them.

Training on Microaggressions

Microaggressions are another type of diversity training in the workplace. These are slights, snubs, and insults that are not obvious. They can send rude, hurtful, or negative messages about a person's race, gender, age, sexuality, etc. They are often the result of unintentional bias. Even if they aren't always meant to hurt, they still do. Microaggressions training teaches people how to avoid these kinds of biases and what to do when they happen to them.

Training for cultural competence

It might seem hard to make a workplace culture that is based on diversity, fairness, and inclusion. But creating an inclusive environment makes it easier for employees of different races, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, religions, etc. to work together. As an organization, your goal should always be to make it easier for people to work together and remove barriers to this.

Training on religious sensitivity

There are many different religions in our world. People say that it's not polite to talk about politics or religion. So, employees might avoid talking about their beliefs and needs when it comes to spirituality. So training on this sensitive and important subject is a must.

One last thought

You now have the tools to create a very successful training program on diversity. All DEI programs need these five types of diversity training in the workplace. You can do this!