What is the best online diversity training to improve company culture?

Company diversity training programs can significantly impact your business, but only if your workplace diversity training is done correctly.

Is your organization looking to make diversity and inclusion a priority?

Are you unsure how to implement a diversity and inclusion training program in your company?

Do you know the benefits of a good DEI training program for your organization?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a popular and necessary topic to address in the workplace. However, many companies realize they aren’t equipped to handle DEI in their organizations, so they’re implementing corporate diversity training programs.

Unfortunately, too many companies offer diversity and inclusion training programs that are inadequate. These programs are full of intellectual knowledge without any practical, experiential components.

Diversity training for employees should move beyond simply raising awareness of DEI issues. Instead, they should help shape thought processes and behaviors in your employees. A program that doesn’t impact an employee’s behavior won’t bring about lasting DEI change in the workplace.

If your company is looking to invest in one of the best online diversity training programs, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’re diving into the world of diversity and inclusion training. You’ll learn why DEI in the workplace is important and what elements make a good DEI training program.

Keep reading to get your hands on the best diversity and inclusion training for employees.

What is DEI and what are its benefits?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is the ability to recognize, celebrate, and encourage differences in individuals in the workplace. It’s not simply becoming aware of “unconscious bias” but also taking practical steps to actively appreciate these differences.

DEI makes people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc., feel seen, known, welcomed, and valued. It ensures that all employees or customers are treated fairly and with respect. A strong DEI culture restores dignity and respect to all people and gives everyone a seat at the table.

But when it comes to DEI in the workplace, most companies simply hire more people from diverse backgrounds and call it a day. Yes, promoting diversity in the hiring process is necessary and valuable to an organization’s overall DEI success.

However, if you want to make DEI a genuine part of your company’s DNA, you need to make sure every employee (at every level of the company!) is on the same page.

So, do you want to know how to prioritize DEI in your workplace and ensure it’s a core value for everyone?

A workplace diversity training program is the best way to bring lasting DEI change to your employees and organization.

Company diversity training programs: Making DEI a priority in your workplace

When it comes to creating and implementing diversity and inclusion training for managers and other employees, too many companies aren’t offering valuable training. Most companies:

• Implement a one-size-fits-all corporate diversity training
• Only provide training for a select group of employees
• Don’t offer ongoing diversity training for employees
• Use outdated training delivery methods
  
  

Instead, the most effective diversity, equity, and inclusion training programs:

• Are tailored to a company’s specific needs
• Require that employees at all levels attend the training
• Provide ongoing diversity training options
• Utilize a training platform that’s accessible to in-office and remote employees
  
  

The best diversity and inclusion training programs meet two criteria:

1. They combine educational knowledge with practical, real-world application
2. They’re offered through an online platform to provide accessibility to every employee regardless of geographic location
   
   

Here’s why these two components are so vital regarding diversity training for employees.

Educational and Experiential Learning

The first step of the process is to educate your employees about DEI. You need to present them with information that’s right and true. It should also be done in a way that’s clear, concise, and understandable.

But to truly change your employees’ thought processes, you need to go a step further by providing them with the opportunity to take what they learn and apply it to real-world situations. This could include role-playing activities or behavioral scenarios requiring employees to think critically and apply DEI concepts.

Discussing DEI training topics can also help employees verbalize their thoughts and hear perspectives from others. Discussions can open the floor for those previously affected by poor DEI cultures to share their experiences and bring further understanding to their co-workers.

Ultimately, if you want to affect someone’s behavior, you need to provide training that moves beyond simple informational videos or text.

Online Diversity Training Software

Unfortunately, office-wide training programs aren’t as simple as they used to be. With our remote and hybrid workforces, employees are all over the place.

So, how do you provide informative, engaging training to a workforce that’s geographically spread out?

Utilizing a learning management system (LMS) is an excellent way to remotely deliver company diversity training programs to employees anywhere in the world.

An LMS is an online software platform that allows you to:

• House all your training content in one easy-to-access place
• Provide customized, engaging training content to employees
• Make training educational and experiential
• Continuously train and upskill employees
• Access real-time insights and feedback
  
  

With an LMS, your training is completely customizable and unique to fit your company’s needs. If you need to make changes or add new content, you can. Your training will never be outdated, so your employees will always be at the forefront of industry standards and trends.

We just spent time talking about what DEI is and what makes a good workplace diversity training. But now you may be wondering, “Why even invest in corporate diversity training?”

Because, companies that offer diversity training for employees reap a host of benefits.

The Benefits of Workplace Diversity Training

A diverse and inclusive workplace comes with some great benefits for employers who make it a priority.

Here are four of the top benefits of diversity and inclusion training programs.

1. Safer, More Welcoming Environment

An organization that prioritizes DEI will create a safer, more welcoming workplace for current and future employees. When employees know that they’re celebrated and respected for who they are, they’ll be more open and responsive while at work.

A recent Google study found that psychological safety is an essential factor for employees. It makes them more willing to:

• Be themselves
• Vocalize their thoughts
• Take risks
• Be vulnerable in front of others at work
  
  

Knowing that DEI is a value, employees will be more likely to speak up and step out in ways that they would’ve otherwise been scared to do.

2. Increased Innovation

Piggybacking on number one above, another benefit of employment equity and inclusion training is that it breeds innovation. When employees feel safe and are willing to take risks, they’ll voice their opinions and innovation will increase.

One study found that gender diversity is positively related to radical innovation—the more men and women on a team, the more innovation that occurs.

Another study looked into the link between cultural diversity and innovation. They found that:

• Culturally diverse management teams are more likely to introduce new product innovations
• A culturally diverse workforce helps to reach new and different markets
  
  

A diversity and inclusion training for managers and employees can promote new innovations and solutions, moving your business forward in unexpected ways.

3. Attract and Retain Top Talent

Third, workplace diversity training that becomes part of your culture will help you attract and retain top talent.

A Glassdoor survey found that 76% of job seekers and employees highly value a diverse workforce regarding job opportunities and staying at a particular company.

What does this statistic mean?

It means that if you want to attract top talent or keep it around, you need to prioritize and value DEI in your organization. Otherwise, job seekers and current employees will look for employment at companies that elevate DEI.

4. Greater Financial Returns

Lastly, companies with a high value on diversity and inclusion see increased financial returns.

A McKinsey report found that companies with greater ethnic, racial, and gender diversity are more likely to see increased financial returns. A Great Place to Work study had similar findings—racially diverse workplaces experience larger revenue growth.

Simply put, a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace can provide greater financial returns.

Now, DEI shouldn’t be an initiative you start so that you can increase revenue. DEI is valuable simply because all people matter and should be given the same opportunities regardless of their background, ethnicity, age, etc.

However, there’s nothing wrong with valuing others through a DEI training program and reaping some of the rewards that come with it.

The Best Online Diversity Training for Employees

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a necessary and valuable part of any organization. It’s a way to break down walls and barriers that keep individuals from the respect, voice, and opportunities they deserve.

Many companies recognize the need for increased DEI efforts but aren’t sure how to move forward. Most diversity workplace training programs provide good information but don’t help change behaviors and thought processes.

The best diversity and inclusion training programs combine educational learning with experiential learning. They allow employees to think about and practice what they’re learning through role-playing and behavioral scenarios.

High-quality company diversity training programs also utilize online learning management systems to:

• Make the training easily and remotely accessible
• Deliver fun, engaging content that drivers learner retention
• Customize the training to fit the company’s specific needs
  
  

And implementing an ongoing corporate diversity training program comes with long-term benefits, like:

• A safer, more welcoming workplace
• Increased innovation
• The ability to attract and retain top talent
• Greater financial returns
  
  

Are you ready to provide your employees with the best online diversity training that gets results?

Unboxed Training & Technology and The Nova Collective have teamed up to deliver a DEI training program that’s effective. Nova’s Compass D&I Toolkit helps scale DEI throughout your organization with:

• 15 digital videos that present key DEI terms and concepts
• 30 behavioral scenarios that make learning experiential
• Three bundled discussion guides to encourage open communication
• Pre/post-engagement surveys to collect feedback for ongoing training
  
  

Unboxed’s Spoke® LMS is the perfect way to deliver this training to your employees. It allows you to download this training kit and get it into the hands of all your employees immediately. And once your entire organization has finished the training, you can add new custom or turn-key training modules for years to come.

Reach out to us to purchase the Compass D&I Toolkit and make DEI a priority in your workplace today.