Diversity & Inclusion Training

The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace

A survey by Korn/Ferry International found that more than 2 million people leave their jobs each year because of unfairness in the workplace, costing employers an estimated $64 billion per year in hiring costs. People of color were three times more likely than white heterosexual men to say unfairness was the reason they quit their jobs. On the other hand, a diverse workplace has been proven to have more talent, collaboration, employee satisfaction, and financial success. To promote improved collaboration and retention in your organization, diversity training should be top of mind.

Understanding Diversity

There are a few key areas to look at when trying to understand diversity and its significance. Positive employee and manager behaviors should be exhibited, and workplace design should be structured to create a framework for inclusion. People need to recognize what respect means to each individual, and what behaviors and perspectives are necessary for successful and respectful conflict resolution before, during, and after the process. Employees should also exhibit behaviors that influence others to be part of the solution. They need to give and receive feedback on negative behavior in a respectful manner and understand ways to surpass barriers and seek personal growth.

Creating Better Behaviors

Both employees and managers can help improve diversity in the workplace and make others feel included. Better behavior from everyone means everyone feels part of the team.

Employee Responsibility

Employees should adapt to different working styles, approaches to communicating, and preferences for interacting. They need to communicate respectfully and effectively and treat every person as a unique individual. Including and encouraging all coworkers to participate in formal and informal meetings is essential.

Manager Responsibility

Managers need to understand how personal preferences may affect personnel decisions, such as who gets promoted or who gets assigned the best projects. Decisions should be made based on employees’ skills and abilities and the task requirements. Projects should not be assigned on age, gender, etc. Managers should also coach and mentor individuals who may be struggling to engage with others appropriately. It is crucial to get to know employees’ personalities, unique skills, and interests.

An Inclusive Workforce

If all of these tasks can be accomplished, a more diverse and respectful workplace will emerge. This can benefit everyone working at the organization and the organization as a whole.

To promote inclusion in your organization, explore the many effective diversity training materials available at HRDQ!