The modern world has become much more diverse than ever, and it encourages corporations to create a safe space for diverse collectives. As Law (2016) claims, «diversity in the workplace will increase substantially in the next century» (3). This can be considered as great news because such a tendency increases creativity within the companies and brings many positive changes. However, according to Law (2016), diversity can also have negative effects because it can increase conflicts between the employees and thus lower their efficiency and decision-making skills. To prevent this from happening, employers should implement diversity training programs to create a friendly and diverse workplace.
There are several steps that can be used when developing such a program:
Fact-gathering and Data-analyzing
It is crucial to start with a detailed self-assessment that will help understand the current issues within the company better. Every diversity training program should be created specifically for a specific collective with unique diversity and inclusion problems. It may be helpful to hire a specialist and conduct surveys, audits, and focus group interviews among the employees. After gathering the information, it should be analyzed, and key issues should be defined.
Define Diversity
As it was mentioned before, any workplace is unique, and, therefore, its diversity barriers are also different. Normally, diversity training programs aim to fight discrimination and prejudice against factors of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and religion. However, if the training program is built only around these factors, some employees may feel excluded. To show that diversity and inclusion concern everyone, it is important to define from the early beginning that the program is created for every member of the team. Thus, it should not be only about race or gender but about all kinds of personalities. Moreover, it is crucial to tie diversity to the company’s values and use the program to help employees understand how to use these values with each other and with the customers.
Choose the Right Methods
There are several methods that can be used in a training program, and it is important to choose them wisely according to the company’s features. Considering the core values of the company may also be helpful. Thus, to introduce Commitment and Compassion, it is better to use Roleplaying, while Respect and Honor can be encouraged through Peer to peer learning, and Gamification can help to teach about Motivation and Courage. By using the company’s core values to fight diversity barriers, the employer ties inclusion to the corporative vision, which is crucial for successful training.
Set Goals
Motivation is also essential for a diversity training program because changes are always challenging, and it is important to encourage the workers. The employer should set goals and explain why this program is beneficial for each employee and how it will change the workplace.
Start From the Top
After all steps mentioned above are done, it is time to implement the program. However, it is better to start from the management to set a proper example. After the lead employees are engaged in the program, it is time to involve every member of the company, no matter what their position is. To maintain a diverse and efficient collective, the employer should set an example first and then make sure that no employee is excluded from the program.
Work Cited
Law, Charlie. When Diversity Training Isn’t Enough: The Case for Inclusive Leadership. Defense Equal Opportunity Management Instituter, 2016.