The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training for Managers
| 7 Min Read
In American workplaces, embracing diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) starts at the top. It’s vital for managers to learn the importance of building teams where everyone feels valued and encouraged to thrive, especially employees from underrepresented and marginalized communities.
Of course, many managers need guidance to follow their organization’s DEI policies. In this article, we’ll explore the value of ongoing professional development and examine how investing in DEIB training can instill a sense of belonging, helping translate inclusive policies into inclusive cultures.
What Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training?
Before discussing the importance of DEI training, let’s examine each word that comprises the acronym through a workplace lens:
- Diversity: The positive presence of people with different ethnicities, backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities within an organization.
- Equity: Organizations treat people fairly, especially in terms of hiring, compensation, and professional development.
- Inclusion: All employees feel like valued members of their organization, with leaders welcoming their input and participation.
Through DEI training, managers learn to create cultures where differences are embraced. Building that type of culture requires more than a single training session. Instead, managers must stay current on the many ways to remove barriers to diversity and inclusion. According to the Association for Talent Development, here are some of the top examples of diversity and inclusion training:
Unconscious Bias Training
Built In defined unconscious bias as “a subconscious attitude that affects the way individuals feel and think about others around them.” Training on this topic helps managers recognize these biases to ensure they follow fair hiring practices and promote the strengths of individuals on their team.
Allyship Training
Allies strive to understand the experiences of marginalized individuals and stand up for them in the face of oppression, according to the National Institutes of Health. Managers who take part in allyship training develop the skills needed to protect workers affected by discrimination in the workplace and life.
Bystander Communication Training
Also known as bystander intervention, bystander communication requires individuals to act on the side of justice when they witness inappropriate behavior. As detailed by CultureAlly, a DEI training company, learning about bystander communication helps managers take responsibility and speak up after recognizing an injustice has occurred.
The Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion Training
A recent Pew Research Study found that most American workers understand the importance of DEI in the workplace. However, that same study determined that only about half of employers offer diversity, equity, and inclusion training. That’s unfortunate, as these learning opportunities benefit workers and the company. For instance, HR Future detailed how receiving this training helps employees:
Shed Biases and Prejudices
DEI training stresses bringing diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to the foreground, encouraging workers to reject stereotypes and embrace differences.
Improve Decision-Making
Engaging in DEI training enables workers to welcome new perspectives, which leads to stronger, more balanced decisions.
Strengthen Customer Engagement
Employees who act inclusively are more adept at meeting the needs of diverse customers. In fact, an American Sociological Association study found that championing diversity can result in revenue gains.
Expand Workforce Recruitment
Embracing DEI initiatives demonstrates that organizations are committed to justice and inclusion. As a result, they can attract diverse candidates who share those values.
In addition to those benefits, DEI training boosts employee engagement. As the Times of Malta reported, engagement is key to long-term worker retention and motivates managers to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.
If managers want to foster genuine engagement, they should strive to create a sense of belonging among their workers. In fact, many human resources professionals are expanding their DEI efforts to span diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
What is DEIB?
DEIB’s meaning builds on the concept of DEI by emphasizing a feeling of connection among employees and their organization. According to BPM, a workplace solutions firm, belonging is a positive outcome of truly inclusive workplaces where all employees feel like they fit in. DEIB training can help managers instill that feeling by learning to monitor and reward accomplishments in ways that “integrate diverse employees into the core fabric of the organization.”
Business Leadership Today stressed that belonging helps workers understand they are part of a team and should feel empowered to share their ideas. By leading DEIB initiatives that instill a sense of belonging, managers ensure their direct reports feel secure when voicing their perspectives and taking social risks — instead of worrying about getting passed up for a promotion or even losing their jobs.
Examples of DEIB Initiatives for Your Workplace
Offering DEIB training is one way to create a company culture that values belonging alongside diversity, equity, and inclusion. The following DEIB strategies identified by Blue Beyond Consulting could help organizational leaders promote belonging:
Create an Employee Resource Group (ERG)
An employee resource group is a voluntary, employee-led diversity and inclusion initiative. Employees with shared experiences, identities, and goals form ERGs to advocate for and connect with one another, heightening inclusion and helping individuals feel like they belong.
Although ERGs are employee-led, they require involvement from their organization’s human resources and DEI professionals. A study by McKinsey & Company found that this collaboration helps align ERG and company goals while avoiding overlapping efforts, such as the duplication of DEIB training or communications about community events.
Mentor Junior Employees
In addition to helping junior employees build career skills, mentorship programs strengthen belonging among members of underrepresented groups by providing opportunities to connect with senior leaders. According to the software company MentorcliQ, organizations can use mentorship programs to improve belonging by focusing on:
- Shared goals: When the mentorship begins, the senior and junior employees should collaborate on their vision of a successful partnership.
- Thoughtful pairings: Organizations can instill a sense of belonging by matching mentees and mentors with similar goals and interests.
- Open communication: While it’s essential for mentees to learn from mentors, encouraging both parties to listen will foster trust and respect.
It’s also important to encourage all employees to participate in mentorship. Doing so can increase inclusion by helping senior and junior employees make new connections, reaffirm their commitments to team goals, and deepen their affinity for the company.
Create and Track Goals for DEIB Training and Related Initiatives
For professionals working in diversity, equity, and inclusion jobs, it’s essential to measure the effectiveness of DEIB training and other DEIB strategies. Culture Amp, a company that helps organizations enhance employee performance and engagement, suggested analyzing metrics related to an array of DEIB initiatives, including:
- Hiring: Measuring the diversity of applicants can help organizations learn if they are attracting diverse candidates.
- Advancement: Organizations can foster career growth for individuals in underrepresented groups by providing equal access to advancement opportunities and professional development.
- ERG participation: Because ERGs facilitate a sense of belonging, measuring interest in these groups and analyzing the catalyst for low participation is important.
- Accessibility: Determining whether the company environment provides equitable access is essential to removing barriers for employees with varying abilities and needs.
By measuring and analyzing data in those areas, managers can play a leading role in supporting DEIB in the workplace. These steps help improve DEIB training and related initiatives, increasing the success of individual employees and boosting overall company performance.
Become a Business Leader Who Generates Results
Supporting DEIB initiatives plays a central role in building an inclusive culture where everyone feels like a valued contributor. If you’re ready to become a leader capable of empowering the success of each member of your team, seek your Master of Business Administration online at Eastern Oregon University. You’ll study advanced business concepts while completing courses on managing workforce DEI in practice, managerial finance, marketing strategies, and beyond.
In our online MBA program, you’ll complete each course in a flexible format that works well for business professionals. Request information today to learn how EOU can help you build in-demand skills for the next stage of your career.