Cultural Diversity Training
Diversity Training in the Workplace:What it is and Why it’s Important
The purpose of diversity training is to increase participants' cultural awareness,
knowledge, and communication. Diversity training can benefit an organization by helping
to prevent civil rights violations, increasing the inclusion of different identity groups, and
promoting better teamwork. The main goal of a successful diversity training program is to
create a positive work environment by helping employees recognize and be tolerant of
differences among co-workers.
Cultural diversity training is an important component of an overall inclusion and
diversity strategy. Diversity training provides the knowledge, skills and tools to assist team
members for behaving differently. This is important for creating and sustaining change that
fosters a more diverse, inclusive, respectful and productive organization. Diversity training
must be flexible to meet the demands and schedules of today's active working environments.
Goals
Raising awareness. One of the goals of diversity training in the workplace is to raise
awareness of the value of collaborating with people of different cultures, races, genders,
ethnicities, beliefs, experiences and ideas. Through interactive videos and other elements
that are relevant and engaging, diversity training enables employees to understand how
concepts such as cultural competency, unconscious bias, civility and workplace sensitivity
apply in real world situations.
While these concepts are not new, they are being discussed in new ways and in different
contexts. For example, cultural competency − the ability to interact effectively with people of
different backgrounds and cultures.
Commitment from the top. Getting commitment from the CEO and involving every level of
management is essential for diversity and inclusion programs to succeed, experts say.
Diversity training offers leadership a flexible platform for communicating and reinforcing their
organization’s values and expectations for inclusive behavior.
Inclusion and workplace sensitivity
This involves ensuring that individuals from underrepresented groups feel valued and have
opportunities to advance and take on leadership roles. Diversity training helps to develop
inclusive thinking and inclusive actions, which leads to a more positive, productive work
environment for everyone.
Workplace sensitivity is another key concept in diversity training. By encouraging employees
to be aware of the differences and comfort levels of others, and how their attitudes and
behaviors and may cause offense unintentionally, employees develop skills that foster better
teamwork and decision-making. And, importantly, being sensitive and aware of one’s
behavior towards others can also help prevent discrimination and harassment.
Function
Workplace diversity training is an investment in your employees, thus an investment in your
company. Cultural awareness serves as a bridge between employees whose paths might not
otherwise cross.
A training program serves to inspire cultural sensitivity in religion, ethnicity, sex, background,
sexual orientation, disabilities and age, according to a 2004 article by business consultant
David G. Lewis.
Benefits
Diversity training benefits a workplace by allowing employees to let their guards down and
build healthy business relationships, as well as decreasing at work bullying and
discrimination, according to Women's Media, a business resource for women.
The plans turn complacent employees into passionate, well-adjusted and comfortable
employees by decreasing non-work-related pressures, according to the Greater Rochester
Diversity Council.
Diversity training improves the quality of work put out by employees. It produces a happier
staff and, in turn, increases productivity.
Methods
Workplace Diversity training can be implemented in some ways.
Training programs bring a diversity professional to your office or your staff to an off-site
location for a multiple-day program, spread out over several weeks or all at once.
Professionals can shed valuable light upon diversity issues, but these programs are
expensive.
A weekend cultural retreat to an off-campus location, such as a mountain lodge or a
business-friendly hotel, allows employees to get to know each other in a non-work setting.
There retreat facilitator can obtain workplace diversity resources and guide the staff through
the issues.
Warning
Diversity in the workplace often faces extreme resistance from employees. For diversity to
thrive, managers must be able to spot this resistance and put an end to it. Resistance comes
in many forms and behaviors.
A resistant employee is quick to think that unearned benefits are being showered upon
certain people, according to Women's Media, and that promotions are being given to meet a
quota.
The employee becomes frustrated with being required to be politically correct and, while
outwardly willing to participate in diversity training, still feels wary about the process and
possibly even disagrees with it.
A resistant employee starts rumors about things he thinks are unfair and causes unrest in an
office. This person can be damaging to office morale.
The employee doesn't take diversity training seriously, going through the motions but making
jokes and being distracting along the way. A resistant employee acts inconvenienced by
team-building exercises.
Prevention/Solution
Resistance is powerful, but your effort to encourage positivity can be, too.
Several ways to address diversity resistance exist and could make all the difference in the
office:
Emphasize all employee differences not just race and sex as issues of diversity.
Putting everyone's differences on the same level, whether age, religion or background, will
help people see that everyone is different in their own ways.
Share the company's vision for diversity with employees. Often, plans are implemented
without communicating them to the staff. Keeping everyone in the loop will prevent a lot of
resistance.
Make sure all management personnel are on board. If upper management doesn't seem
interested in Diversity, employees are likely to not take it seriously.
Keep an open door policy. Tell employees that if they have a concern, they can talk to
management anytime they want. This will keep issues on the table and not in the break
room.
Be consistent with diversity training. Facilitate regular diversity meetings and keep it
fresh on everyone's minds.
