HR Manager’s Guide to Diversity Training

Categories: Advice for HR Professionals

One of the challenges of HR in a company is how they will foster and drive the importance of a diverse workforce. Today, it is almost imperative that a company comprises workers of various ages, races, religions, beliefs, ethnicities, or gender identities.

However, an inclusive and diverse workplace does not happen overnight. The management, employees, and other stakeholders should be a part of the solution to create this kind of environment.

As HR professionals, the best way to proactively foster an inclusive environment at work is by conducting regular training for your employees. Having diversity training sessions can significantly improve the overall cultural sensitivity in the workplace, but what is diversity training?

What is Diversity Training?

Diversity training is a program designed to help employees become more culturally sensitive and aware of diversity and inclusion issues. Through this, they learn the proper skills to help interact with each other and teach them how to be respectful of people with different backgrounds and experiences.

Why is Diversity Training Important?

While workplace diversity is a welcome development for companies, it does present unique challenges. These challenges can become a source of friction and a drain on morale if unaddressed. Thus, having appropriate training to address issues relating to differences can improve the company’s overall morale and business performance. 

Proper training includes knowing the different laws that protect an employee from discrimination and the best approaches to handling cultural differences. Adequate training also educates other employees on how to accept and manage these differences to work together and be productive.

Letting your employees know that their individuality matters may add to why they want to stay with your company. In addition, with empowered employees, the company has a greater chance of performing well than if they were to disregard diversity training completely.

Benefits of Diversity Training

  1. A boost in recruitment and retention

Employees who feel welcomed at their workplace will most likely stay on board. Today, around 83% of millennials are actively engaged in an organization that fosters an inclusive culture. When all employees feel heard, they feel included. Happy employees attract more talents into your organization who would want to stay.

  1. An increase in innovation

People see and solve problems differently. If your employees don’t understand the root of the problem, it would be challenging to develop a unified solution. However, if they’re well-equipped with the knowledge, you have a diverse and creative team that can learn and grow together and create more solutions to other problems and issues.

In fact, companies with a more diverse leadership team saw an increase in revenue by 19 percentage points

  1. A better reputation

Companies that focus on building a diverse workforce have a better business reputation. Times are changing; people now embrace their uniqueness. Employees care about how well all employees are treated, no matter their backgrounds and experiences. Diverse cultures have a wider reach and relate to more people.

5 Tips to Make Your Diversity Training Program Successful

  1. Identify your areas of concern

When starting your diversity training, it is essential to step back and assess your areas of concern. The only way you’ll know how to fix the problem is if you know what it is in the first place.

You can start by getting feedback from your employees and examining your diversity data. Then, create a survey to determine the demographics in your office and tailor your plans around it.

  1. Include employees from all levels

Remember that inclusion means all employees, no matter their level in the company. Securing support from the top management makes it easier to convince everyone to participate.

When making a diversity program, success lands on the cooperation of every employee. The only way you’ll get cooperation from everyone is by including them in the first place and convincing them that diversity training is in their best interest.

  1. Communicate your initiatives well

To gather cooperation from your employees, they must first understand why diversity training is needed. Assessment can bring out issues regarding difficult conversations and allyship. Explaining what you’re trying to resolve and how you plan to fix it will make it easier for your employees to understand and cooperate. 

  1. Get the right materials for your audience

People learn differently. They may need different materials and types of training to help them understand. Don’t force pre-existing training materials to suit a diverse audience. For example, if your company have individuals who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, then you should tailor the content of the training materials to LGBTQ+ topics rather than dealing with broad issues.

  1. Hire an expert

Not everyone is equipped with the proper knowledge to conduct this training program. It takes an expert in Human Resources to know how to approach different people and address their issues the best. Therefore, hiring a recruitment agency in the Philippines can help increase your chances of improving employee relationships and business efficiency.

Conduct a Diversity Training Today

The best way to ensure a smooth-sailing company is by making sure that every employee is on the same page through well-researched and well-enforced diversity training. Employees do their best to understand that the differences in people are not weaknesses but opportunities to grow.

If you need help with HR and people management, Manila Recruitment offers top-notch services to bring you lasting solutions, so get in touch with us today!