What is Diversity Training?

Because the world is made up of people with various socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, religious beliefs, ethnicity, gender identity and so on, workplaces have taken to incorporating diversity training into their human resources programs. This kind of personal development program focuses on educating employees regarding positive ways of interacting with people of differing backgrounds. The purpose of such education is to increase understanding of co-workers in order to improve the work environment and its outcomes. The training can take many forms and is often required. Informative films, packets or slideshows may be presented. Another common format is to involve group in role playing exercises to provide a more personalized understanding of the material and how it may play out in real life scenarios.

Summary

The work place usually mimics the makeup of the geographic demographics in which it is located. Thus, it’s likely the staff will be made up of a wide variety of people.

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Some differences are quite noticeable such as race or age. Others are more subtle, but nonetheless impactful. These may include transgender, invisible illness or socioeconomic status. The primary purpose of diversity training is to teach employees about these differences in order to eliminate barriers that are frequently created through lack of knowledge. Understanding the culture and personal struggles of others can go far toward forming bonds and team building, which can go far toward creating an accepting and inclusive work place.

Kinds of Training

Training sessions may be of a more passive form such as receiving a lecture, viewing a slideshow or watching a film. Participants can ask questions or share personal experiences. Then there are the role playing exercises and other such hands-on activities which strive to demonstrate, on a personal level, ways in which people may be different and how understanding those differences can help lead to solutions. Sometimes there may be an observational component by supervisory staff or human resources representatives in order to see where individual strengths lie or specific ways in which team members behave. There may even be feedback offered afterward.

Benefits and Considerations

Along with education to promote understanding and sensitivity, teaching diversity topics places emphasis on how each employee brings unique talents to the work environment. The hope is to make workers feel appreciated and welcome. Participants learn how different perspectives,personality traits and life experiences can improve the ways in which they work together as a team. An understanding of diversity can also improve employee relations with customers and may even help to avoid future discrimination complaints.

It’s important to emphasize the positive aspects when approaching diversity education. Be sure to let workshop participants know that there is no blamed being placed for current lack of knowledge and that no one group is perceived as more important than another. Diversity can be a touchy subject, and some people may come into such training with preconceived notions and a negative outlook, which can easily spread throughout the group.

In order to maximize positive interactions between employees within an organization, some education and communication on topics of differences can be required. Such diversity training can be immensely beneficial, especially in a work environment that is currently experiencing issues.