How to Train for Managing Diversity in the Workplace
The globalization of the American workforce has resulted in more diverse employee groups than ever before. As a result, many companies are now delivering diversity training to all managers and upper level executives. According to Diversity Builder, a search engine optimization firm focused on diversity training, companies that dedicate resources to diversity training often report higher employee retention rates, improved employee performance and morale, reduced harassment incidences and discrimination lawsuits and improved workplace staffing.
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Things You'll Need
- Company mission statement
- Defined training budget
- Departmental approval
- Diversity training vendor
- Managerial participation
Instructions
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Define the company's overall business goal, which is typically addressed in a mission statement. This is the ultimate end result that every employee's daily tasks aim to achieve.
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Determine the budget available for managerial training. This will help determine the time frame for the training, as well as the method of training that will be most affordable, such as traditional classroom instruction versus Web-based training.
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Investigate the costs related to hiring an outside, third-party training vendor to deliver training and the costs associated with developing and delivering training through an in-house department, such as human resources.
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Choose a training program that teaches managers to be responsive and open to communication from employees regardless of sex, culture, native language, age and gender. It should also encourage mentoring relationships between managers and minority employees.
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Provide follow-up training sessions as needed that reinforce the conviction that a diverse workforce is more productive and competitive.
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Tips & Warnings
Conducting periodic employee surveys focused on issues relating to diversity will allow an organization to assess the effectiveness of its managers in relating to diverse populations. Approaches to training can then be adjusted accordingly based on these assessments.
In an article written by Shankar Vedantam for the January 20, 2008, issue of the Washington Post, several sources suggest that managerial diversity increases when training programs are voluntary, but actually decreases when diversity training is mandated simply as a means to avoid liability.
