The Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion Training in the Workplace

Developing a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture does not happen organically in the workplace. The organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion do so intentionally, often by integrating diversity and inclusion (D&I) into their professional development. Achieving diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a goal that all businesses should be working toward, which is why executives and managers should continue to offer relevant professional development and training programs for their employees.

Understanding Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

A diverse and inclusive work environment is defined by Great Place to Work as one in which all employees feel valued, respected, and included. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are only fully achieved when all stakeholders, regardless of their title or position, feel involved, supported, and valued by the organization.

In an age of significant social change, it has never been more important for leaders to understand the power and benefits of diversity training in the workplace. Beyond aiming for diversity in hiring, a successful D&I effort would also include incorporating D&I components in planning and policy.

What Is Diversity and Inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion are two terms that are commonly associated with one another, but it's important to note that they are not interchangeable synonyms.

According to Achievers, diversity and inclusion in the workplace is defined as the effort that an organization makes to ensure that all policies and practices at the organization promote, respect and empower all employees, regardless of their backgrounds. Understanding the differences between diversity and inclusion can help you better implement diversity training in your organization:

• Diversity focuses on the differences of individual traits, such as an individual's race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, or class. Achieving diversity requires employers to actively recruit and hire a workforce that consists of many different people, all of whom can bring valuable perspectives and insights to the table.
• Inclusion focuses on the ability to ensure that all diverse members of the team feel welcomed, involved, engaged, and empowered. An inclusive workplace is one in which all team members, regardless of their diverse differences, feel that they are welcome to share their thoughts, pitch their ideas, and grow within the organization.

Why Is Diversity and Inclusion Important in Professional Settings?

Diversity and inclusion has become critically important in recent years, as social justice initiatives have highlighted the fact that many workplaces lack the diversity and inclusivity required to be a fully productive organization. Today, it's clear that diversity and inclusion can be the biggest factor in attracting and retaining top talent within an organization, but Great Place to Work notes that there are many other benefits associated with diversity and inclusion in the workplace, such as:

• improving innovation
• generating higher revenue levels
• enhancing recruitment efforts
• reducing turnover rates.

The Link Between Diversity Training and Professional Development

The key to maximizing the benefits of diversity training is to embed diversity and inclusion initiatives into each professional development training program that you offer. Rather than viewing diversity training and professional development as separate entities, you can take a powerful approach that leverages the power of both opportunities to increase employee engagement and maximize the results.

The Role of Professional Development Training in Career Growth

A career in any field is going to span the course of decades, during which time there will inevitably be technological, social, and economic changes that impact that particular field. Professional development training allows employees to update existing skills or develop new ones,  and become aware of emerging trends that are likely to shape their industry. Ultimately, employers who invest in professional development will find that they can benefit from a competitive workforce that will continue to generate innovative ideas and solutions for their organization. Professional development programs have been shown to increase profits by about 24 percent and boost employee retention by nearly 30 percent.

Why Diversity Training Is a Key Component of Modern Professional Development

Modern professional development programs are designed to teach employees more than the practical and technical skills needed to thrive in their particular positions. Rather, these programs are designed to enhance both their personal and professional lives, often focusing on the soft skills required to have a productive and positive work environment. Noting this, it's clear that diversity training plays an important role in today's evolving business landscape. By embedding diversity training into your professional development programs, your organization is proving that it is committed to building and developing a diverse and culturally aware workforce.

 Steps for Integrating Diversity Training Into Your Career Path

There are actionable steps that you can take to intentionally integrate diversity training into your professional development programs, and ultimately improve the career paths of the employees who work for you. By recognizing that incorporating diversity and inclusion efforts into your professional development training can be seamless, it will make it easier for you to get started.

Incorporating Diversity Training Into Work Culture

One of the best ways to leverage the power of diversity and inclusion in the workplace is to begin embedding D & I efforts into the workplace culture. You can incorporate diversity and inclusion into the work culture by:

• acknowledging the fact that unconscious bias exists and helping employees understand what unconscious bias is.
• practicing cultural humility and actively working to manage any bias that exists within organizational leadership and the workplace as a whole.
• developing a strategic diversity training program that is geared toward all employees, regardless of position or level within the organization.

The Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion in Professional Development

The benefits of diversity training are far-reaching, highlighting the power of prioritizing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. By ensuring that diversity training is built into your professional development programs, you will naturally create a sense of belonging within your organization that appeals to employees at all levels. When employees feel valued and included as part of the organization's success, they are more likely to be productive and to actively work to develop innovative and creative solutions for the company.

Achievers notes that diversity and inclusion training can benefit organizations by:

• allowing organizations to attract talent from a larger pool of candidates.
• improving employee trust in the organization.
• improving employee performance overall.
• enhancing the decision-making process at all levels of the organization.

How Diversity and Inclusion Lead to a More Productive Workplace

Diversity and inclusion efforts have been shown to lead to a more productive workforce, largely because employees at these organizations feel valued and included. They trust that their efforts will be recognized and rewarded by their employers, which is why they are willing to go the extra mile to meet deadlines, adhere to the budgets and develop creative solutions.

Employees at diverse and inclusive organizations are more likely to want to come to work each day and take pride in the work that they do for the company. In addition, they are more likely to want to stay at the company for a longer period of time.

Long-Term Career Benefits of Diversity Training

While organizations benefit significantly from diversity training, individuals also enjoy long-term career benefits from these professional development opportunities. When you work to become a more culturally aware and responsive professional, you will find that your business acumen improves. This will allow you to pursue advanced opportunities in your field.

Sources

• Why Is Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Important? (Great Place to Work)
• Diversity and inclusion in the workplace: Benefits and challenges (Achievers)
• 15 Professional Development Activities For Any Workplace (CoffeePals)
• The importance and benefits of professional development (Upskillist)
• How to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace (Dayforce)