Diversity and Inclusion Training

There are a variety of needs to be met when planning an extensive equality/diversity training programme.

It might be useful to look at the training as being of three kinds:

• Equality training
  bringing people ‘up to speed' in the areas of legislation and definitions - traditional ‘equality' work
  
• Diversity skills training
  moving people from an equality focus to a diversity focus departmental planning building on previous action plans to establish focus and priorities
  
• Inclusion training
  allowing people to explore their own attitudes to difference and see how these attitudes impact on every interaction they might have at work

Equality training

Over the last twenty years, much training has been carried out in the name of equality. This kind of training is still very much needed and concentrates on looking at the groups of people to which the law applies and making sure that managers and employees are clear about what is lawful and what is not. Some of the areas which need to be covered are:

• the difference between direct/indirect discrimination and positive action/positive discrimination
  
• establishing a harassment free environment
  
• updates on current legislation including the Human Rights Act

Diversity skills training

Diversity training encompasses a much broader range of differences than are covered by the law. In fact, many organisations' own policies go much further than the law and cover many more kinds of differences. There is also a different slant on the business case - now related to competitive advantage not compliance with the law; and case studies relate to a wider concept of difference which may include flexible working, for example.

Once people have begun to see the bigger perspective, then the range of activities needed to implement diversity strategies is very wide.

A workshop could cover:

• the benefits of managing and valuing diversity
  
• case studies reflecting dealing with diversity issues on a day to day basis
  
• your policy and what it means in practice
  
• definition of diversity ‘champion' behaviour
  
• examination of current working practices to assess if they support valuing diversity
  
• recommendations and action planning on how to achieve equality and diversity in your organisation

Inclusion Training

What has become clear is that an increase of diversity in an organisation establishes potential - for innovation, for synergy, for creativity of thought. However, if people who are ‘different' (however that difference is defined) are not included then diversity can cause conflict and a decline in motivation and performance. And now the level of responsibility changes. For inclusion is not a management issue but is a personal responsibility issue. In every interaction between two people there might be a reaction to a particular aspect of difference which could get in the way of that interaction being as effective as it could be.

So now it is time for training to challenge people to look at their own attitudes and behaviour and be responsible for playing their part in helping to make their organisation truly inclusive and ultimately successful.

See The Appreciating Differences interactive seminar for our approach to inclusion training.