Diversity and Inclusion Training Offer

LeeAnnLuck

We are in the process of re-evaluating our current Diversity and Inclusion training offer for all employees as well as the various leadership levels. What are some of your top recommendations or "must haves" for an effective D&I training curriculum? Does anyone have strong data that they have used to illustrate the positive impact of manager focused D&I training?

Carlos Alves

We started our D&I committee one year ago.

we consider ourselves in awareness phase: start talking about the subject more frequently.

we’ll have a formal training for the executives first (one I have news on its content I’m open to share).

also we promote once a month open inclusion and diversity talks, one/one and a half sessions with people sharing their personal stories.

in Brazil we’ve been seeing lots of companies opening qualified jobs, which is important, exclusively for some people, which helps on inclusion.

IAOP is promoting an event on Impact Sourcing that you also may look at: https://www.iaop.org/is20?utm_source=informz&utm_medium=HigherLogic&utm_campaign=email&_zs=ubg8b&_zl=tTpH2

Microsoft offer in their youtube channel accessibility tips and in their partner training program you find an Accessibility Path. Their D&I org is great and growing.

Lexi Provost

Hi LeeAnn! We actually have a Rapid Research Response poll running right now titled Workplace Diversity and Inclusion which has a question on Diversity and Inclusion Training programs that might be an interesting metric for you. Our Rapid Research Response polls give you immediate results from all the companies that have taken the poll thus far.

We have had a lot of success from our dedicated D&I committee, which has formed a book club of sorts and selected books with diversity and inclusion focus' to read and discuss.

Thank you for your important questions. I am interested to hear what others companies are doing in this regard.

StevenForth

In my own company where we struggle is accepting the big differences in cognitive, communication and decision making styles. I think this goes much deeper than gender, orientation, culture. We do not have a lot of issues with these, in large part because of our hiring practices and our leadership. I think diversity needs to be broadly defined.

[Deleted User]

Hi LeeAnne, In my search for resources on this topic, I found the research done by Harvard Prof. Frank Dobbin a good place to start. He talks about why many of these programs fail, and what versions tend to get real, positive results. His work indicates that diversity training alone can actually backfire and make managers defensive - even resulting in less diversity. The key seems to be that you need to bring managers into the problem solving process. When managers see the current stats and challenges for themselves, they are much more likely to accept the problem as a problem, and to drive solutions.

LeeAnnLuck

Thank you Jason. I look forward to reading this research. Sounds like we are on that same page already with our efforts to mobilize the majority and bring them into the process. I appreciate the dialogue.