Training

• According to Westfield and Stahlhut (1999), diversity training is defined as "the process by which a workforce is educated about cultural, socio-economic, racial and religious differences among employees and taught how to embrace those differences so as to create and maintain an effective work environment" (Lai & Kleiner, 2001).
• Provide training for managers and supervisors designed to incorporate diversity-related issues into management techniques (Kent State University Diversity Implementation Plan 2001-2005).
• Train and re-train clerical and custodial staff in issues related to race, social classes, etc. (Kent State University Diversity Implementation Plan 2001-2005).
• Initiate annual workshops for deans, chairs, and directors to enhance their ability to increase minority representation in faculty hiring pools (Kent State University Diversity Implementation Plan 2001-2005).
• Provide comprehensive diversity education and training programs for all faculty and staff (Kent State University Diversity Implementation Plan 2001-2005).
• Provide ongoing training to all faculty, instructors, graduate assistants and staff to achieve cultural competencies (The Report of the Diversity Action Committee to the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees, 2002).
• Develop training for hiring leaders to ensure that diverse applicants aren't discounted in the interviewing process because they are different (Digh, 1999).
• Continue and enhance first-, third-, and sixth-year preparation workshops on tenure processes and expectations (University of Colorado at Boulder, Campus Diversity Plan: A Blueprint for Action, July, 1999).
• Make sure that all levels of management have received diversity training or they might not be in a position to give a fair evaluation during the hiring process (The Multicultural Advantage, 2003).
• Require diversity training for all administrators, chairpersons, and staff supervisors (Turner, 2002).
• Consider providing in-house workshops on employment search skills so employees within the organization have opportunities to progress (Spangler & Wixon, 2000).
• Training a selection committee is an essential part of the success in learning to evaluate candidates. There is a tendency for people to evaluate candidates on one or two factors such as education and experience, rather than look further into behavioral factors such as flexibility, creativity, currency in the area of specialty, and interpersonal skills (Spangler & Wixon, 2000).
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  Develop sensitivity to diversity issues through college-wide workshops for all faculty and staff and with special events that focus attention in a specific way (Spangler & Wixon, 2000).
• Provide search committees with training to broaden their perspectives and resources to ensure that they are reaching out to the complete pool of potentially qualified applicants (Alger, 2000).
• Training leaders (and all employees for that matter) is often seen as a key method for eliminating artificial barriers to individual development (Goldstein & Ford, 2002).
• All faculty should be required to participate in diversity training (Owens, Reis & Hall, 1994).
• There should be a required orientation for all new staff. Inviting participation in formal and informal activities will signal to new members that they are indeed part of the college family (Owens, Reis & Hall, 1994).
• Facilitate the design, development, and/or implementation of a variety of training programs for faculty and staff to increase their competence in working with diverse individuals and groups (Virginia Tech University Diversity Plan, 2000).
• Facilitate the development of courses, programs, and research projects - both on campus and off - that support diversity training and multicultural education for working professionals in government, industry, and education (Virginia Tech University Diversity Plan, 2000).
• It is crucial that talented individuals be trained, developed and promoted within the organization. This training is especially important at entry levels. As individuals come into a workplace with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, everyone must be provided the training opportunities to move ahead with new skills and knowledge (Clark, 1997).
• Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations has a certificate program where students can take nine classes and then take an exam. Students learn by working with case studies how to deal with racist jokes, cultural differences, and how diversity impacts an organization's mission statement or bottom line. Students who successfully complete the program get to place CDP (Certified Diversity Professional) after their name (Hernandez & Field, 2003).
• Diversity professionals may enroll in Diversity Training University International, an online certificate program. Students take nine online courses for up to six weeks at a cost of $5, 300 or $700 for one class. Students learn how to design a policy for companies around diversity and to conduct focus groups and interviews with employees (Hernandez & Field, 2003).
• "The problem with traditional diversity training is that most of it fails to acknowledge the root causes of current racial inequities. By accepting the premise and goal of 'getting along,' trainings consistently jump the gun to symptoms and provide no language for communicating the often subtle dimensions of structural racism. By focusing on a single institution or workgroup, trainers often allow employees to remain singly focused on their immediate co-workers or supervisor, blinded to broader power relationships in which they are party, let alone workers, consumers, and conditions affected by their work. As a result, racism gets defined too narrowly, band-aid solutions are applauded, and transformative alternatives go undeveloped. (Hernandez & Field, 2003)."
• Organizations are moving away from diversity training that focuses on cultural differences, says James Carter, head of The Carter Group Inc. of Castro Valley, Calif., which provides management training and development programs. Instead, companies are seeking general training in "managing awareness" -- moving away from specific issues related to race and gender toward teaching techniques to better manage a workforce of differing perspectives, backgrounds, ideas and skills. According to Carter the current need is for managers to learn how to manage diverse groups and to understand their own inherent cultural biases. They are moving away from cross-cultural approaches to training and toward promoting soft skills that support inclusion. According to Carter, this type of training includes decision-making skills, communication skills, teambuilding skills, and leadership skills (Frase-Blunt, 2003).
• Diversity training programs should focus on enhancing diversity self-efficacy that will help leaders meet the challenge of a truly diverse and pluralistic work environment. Diversity training must focus on enhancing diversity self-efficacy and providing the skills needed to affect individual judgments of ability to influence change in themselves and others in the work environment (Combs, 2002). The new focus of diversity training must be to incorporate the four sources of self-efficacy information (i.e. enactive mastery, vicarious or modeling experiences, verbal persuasion, and psychological and physiological arousal) as learning objectives of the training itself (Combs, 2002).
• Training and education regarding diversity and issues of cultural, age, racial and gender differences are most instructive when included in mainstream topical training areas (i.e., training in team effectiveness that infuses diversity principles) (Combs, 2002).
• For diversity training to be effective, those receiving such training must perceive themselves as being capable of regulating and directing their actions regarding diversity (Combs, 2002).

Prior to conducting diversity training, a company should examine the following practices if it is going to have a chance to implement diversity training effectively:
 

• Acknowledge and celebrate the diversity
• Construct formal policies and procedures for promoting a diverse workforce
• Research internal and external customer data
• Develop a workplace diversity strategic plan (Lai & Kleiner, 2001).

Successful organizations practice some type of long-term follow-up and monitoring to sustain the positive effects of diversity training efforts. These efforts included:
 

• Establishing a committee and/or developing a newsletter to track progress, highlight various cultures, etc
• Administering a survey periodically to gauge results
• Meeting regularly with key managers, administrators, etc. to review these efforts (Jordan, 1999).

• One approach to measuring the effectiveness of diversity training is to "take the pulse of the organization before, during, and after training, through objective elements as number of lawsuits, retention and turnover rates, absenteeism, and affirmative action hiring and promotion figures. Other, harder to measure elements that should be monitored include changes in staff behavior; increased staff sensitivity; increased recognition of diversity as a business imperative; less blaming or attacking of white males for problems; recognition that diversity is not just a matter of affirmative action; and stronger emphasis on multi-culturalism. These can be measured using attitude surveys and exit interviews as well as direct observation, particularly if respondents can be made to feel comfortable about speaking truthfully" (Jordan, 1999).
• "Diversity training is frequently referred to as training and education to raise awareness about individual differences and the changes in the workforce and to create behavioral changes that are required to effectively manage and work within a more diverse workforce" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• "Training can be critical to whether an organization will be able to effectively and successfully achieve its diversity goals" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training is perceived as an effective tool to attract and retain customers and productive workers, maintain high employee morale, and foster understanding harmony among employees (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• "According to diversity experts, diversity training should begin with increasing awareness of what the concept of diversity is and why it is important. Then skill training should be provided with specific information needed to create behavior changes that are required to effectively manage and work within a diverse work force. Then application strategies and support need to be provided so that diversity awareness and skills can be applied to improve work performance, customer relationships, productivity, interpersonal communication, and so forth" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should be aligned with the organization's strategic goals (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should "provide awareness building; promote effective intercultural communication; improve morale; build trust in all employees; develop understanding and respect for differences; help employees understand their strengths and weaknesses; reduce differential treatment; and build skills needed to more effectively work within a diverse workplace" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• A major goal of diversity training is to build trust and respect in all employees. "This will assist in creating and open problem-solving climate in which diversity issues are confronted and clarified, both in and between groups" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).

Components of effective diversity training programs:
 

• Commitment and support from top management
• Included as part of the organizational strategic plan
• Meet the specific needs of the organization
• Utilize qualified trainers
• Combine with other diversity initiatives
• Mandatory attendance
• Create inclusive programs
• Provide trust and confidentiality
• Require accountability
• Conduct evaluation (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).

• Diversity efforts need to be connected to the organizational needs and business objectives if they are to be successful (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• A needs assessment of the organizational climate should be completed prior to initiating any training (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity trainers need to have both professional/academic skills (needs assessment; evaluation; program development; group dynamics; business terms; social psychology; cultural change; organizational behavior; and historical diversity issues) and personal/interpersonal skills (communication skills; presentation skills; ability to understand different cultures; ability to understand others' diversity issues as well as their own; ability to handle conflict and hostility and still remain neutral; be open-minded and empathetic; respect differences and be committed to diversity; utilize an inclusive philosophy; sensitive to individual differences and organizational needs; and have extensive experience in dealing with diversity issues (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• "Selecting a diversity trainer is a very important decision, because diversity issues are emotionally volatile, sensitive, and require a person who is well versed in both the subject matter and the techniques necessary to diffuse conflict and reduce resistance" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should only be part of an organization's diversity strategy and should not stand alone. " In isolation, diversity training is not likely to have a major impact, but as part of an overall strategy it can help move an organization forward by helping to maximize the potential of all employees" (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should be linked to existing training programs such as leadership training, team building, total quality management, and employee empowerment and participation to help increase its effectiveness (Wentling & Pama-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should create an all-inclusive environment and should go beyond protected class differences. "All employees should feel comfortable expressing their attitudes and views, including white males" (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• Establishing an environment of trust and confidentiality is a critical component of en effective diversity training program. Trust and confidentiality are essential parts of professionalism for diversity trainers. Trust and confidentiality should be established at the beginning of all training sessions (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• Diversity training should include awareness, skills, application, and support (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
  The potential benefits of training will not likely occur unless trainees return to a supportive environment for applying what they have learned (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• According to Baytos (1995) diversity training should be integrated into other training programs, in order to be viable for the long term (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• Wheeler (1994) found that for diversity training to be most effective it should be mandatory for everyone (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• Selection of a trainer is a very important decision that will have an impact on the effectiveness of the diversity training (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• A clearly focused evaluation plan that includes accountability is necessary for an effective diversity training program (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• Rynes and Rosen (1995) found that more successful diversity programs are associated with long-term follow-up evaluations of training (Wentling & Palma-Rivas, 1999).
• "The training should be part of an overall strategy to develop and value diversity. Awareness programs alone will not accomplish diversity objectives" (Mathews, 1998).

"The diversity training should include some key components:
 

• Leadership, support and participation of top management
• Needs assessment involving the key organizational stakeholders such as unions and representatives from diverse groups, all levels of organization and functions
• Clearly articulated goals that connect to the organization's strategic plan
• Instructors skilled in multicultural issues and adult learning
• Experiential learning including role plays, exercises and group activities
• Evaluation, modification, and follow-up to facilitate institutionalizing the learning" (Mathews, 1998).

• Many of the problems associated with poor diversity training are due to a lack of consensus within the organization as to the definition of diversity and disagreement over how diversity initiatives should be put into practice (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• The objectives of diversity training vary from imparting awareness to encouraging behavior changes (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• There are no common standards for the objectives and content of diversity training. Trainers should not design training purely on the wishes of the client, without the benefit of an organizational or cultural assessment to identify other relevant issues within the organization (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• It is difficult to measure the impact of diversity initiatives and related training because managers can't explain what they expected from the efforts in the first place (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• "Management needs to set standards for and assess the competency of diversity consultants and trainers. Insist that they perform a cultural assessment of the organization before any training and that they talk to employees throughout the organization - not just senior managers" (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• Each company has its own diversity-related issues, so a customized training approach is absolutely critical (Overmyer Day, 1995).
• Diversity training must be accompanied by an examination of how the company does business (Flynn, 1998).
• "Best practices include diversity training for the entire workforce and specific training for managers. Professionally developed programs are recommended" (Salomon & Schork, 2003).
• "The best training programs focus on inclusion. Everyone should understand diversity in the broadest terms" (Salomon & Schork, 2003).
• Some training programs include sessions where people actually identify and work through real issues within the company. This can provide an opportunity to facilitate real communication and begin tackling real issues (Salomon & Schork, 2003).
• Diversity training should be part of the orientation process for new employees (Swanson, 2002).
• Managers must be well-trained and extensively trained in diversity management (Swanson, 2002).
• Companies that are committed to diversity training are constantly looking for ways to measure the effectiveness of such efforts. Part of the training process includes testing whether the chosen type of training is actually related to improved or effective job performance by individuals and work groups. The organization must continually strive to determine the effectiveness of its diversity training (Lai & Kleiner, 2001).
• An organization can use several steps to evaluate their diversity training programs. "First it can look at employees' reaction and how well they like the program. Second, it should find out which principles, techniques, and facts are understood and absorbed by employees. Third, it can use quantitative and qualitative measurement of change in ob-the-job performance. Fourth, how well the program achieves the desired results is also essential" (Lai & Kleiner, 2001).
• Many managers have a negative view of corporate diversity training programs because there has been evidence that these programs are a waste of valuable time and can even aggravate the problems they are intended to solve (Paskoff, 1996).
• The common flaws of diversity initiatives include their lack of tangible standards, failure to advocate conflict resolution, promotion of stereotyping, failure to consider individual differences and increased legal risk (Paskoff, 1996).
  To be effective, a diversity training program should be closely linked to civil rights compliance and fair employment practices. It should clearly convey a commitment to fair treatment, focus on employees' similarities, identify and prohibit unacceptable conduct, teach rules of civil behavior, and treat diversity and discrimination of business issues (Paskoff, 1996).
• Training should focus not on attitudes but on behaviors that are and are not permitted, and especially those behaviors that are illegal. Teach rules of civil behavior. To assure fair dally treatment, managers and employees should be taught basic rules that they can apply universally. This is the most direct and effective solution to managing diversity and reducing litigation risks. Focusing on behavior gives people concrete standards and empowers the employer to enforce them (Paskoff, 1996).
• Companies that focus on teaching rules of civil behavior have found that their managers and employees accept this sort of training far more readily than they do with typical diversity programs (Paskoff, 1996).
• Use one course, not many. It is a mistake to have separate courses on sexual harassment, racial issues, ethnicity, disabilities, and so on. Civil rights laws in these areas are more similar than different (Paskoff, 1996).
• Offer at least three training sessions per quarter for the Academic and Administrative Office that emphasize the recruitment and retention of women and minorities (Phillips, 2002).
• With so much depending on the skills, attitudes, and behaviors modeled by organizational leaders, creating an inclusive environment must include in-depth, multi-day educational sessions for senior executives and other leaders in the organization, focusing on leveraging diversity and building inclusion. Many change efforts fail to gain the total support of the organization because people don't see senior leaders demonstrating the desired new behaviors. People recognize when the senior leaders fail to practice the behaviors and values they are asking of others. This makes the senior leaders' education process critical to an inclusion breakthrough. Ideally, the education session is a multi-day, residential event during which the participants are removed from their everyday work environment. Because leadership education plays a major role in creating an inclusive environment, the longer and more intensive the session, the stronger the foundation of the change process.
  
  

  Regardless of its length, the priority of the education session is to provide participants with an understanding of:
   

• The characteristics and effects of organizational cultures on individual and team performance
• The differences between exclusive and inclusive work cultures
• The nature and benefits of inclusive behaviors and attitudes, including the importance of using clear and direct communication in all interactions
• What it takes to leverage diversity for higher performance
• The nature of strategic culture change (Miller & Katz, 2002).

• Create a training plan. Develop training and training support materials. Complete pilot sessions. Review the training plan with executives and leadership ("Key Steps," 1996).
• "Diversity training should always emphasize how diversity can be used to improve productivity and therefore make an impact on the bottom line" (Owens, 1997).
• "Companies are realizing that encouraging a diverse workforce is not just a matter of what is right, it is a strategic advantage. But, as with any other strategy, employees need training to make it happen" (Brayboy, 2003).

Top 10 Reasons Diversity Training Fails (Velasquez, 1998)

1. Diversity training is coming out of the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Office. Diversity training should come from the whole organization through a diversity steering committee made up of employees from a representative cross-section of the organization.
2. Diversity training is being done because it is the "right" thing or "moral" thing to do. The organization does not understand the connection between diversity and the bottom line. These are good and valid reasons but in corporate America make the business case for diversity training first.
3. Training is all the organization is doing. The organization is not reviewing or scrutinizing their hiring, promotion, leadership development, and business practices. Do you have a formal, inclusive mentoring program in place? Are you a homogenous company (senior and upper management) marketing and selling to a heterogeneous or diverse marketplace? Or, will a heterogeneous company (your competitor) understand and anticipate the needs of your heterogeneous or diverse marketplace more effectively than you and your homogeneous company?
4. The diversity training has management's support (they will provide the resources) but not their commitment (management or senior management in particular, does not attend training, does not "walk the talk"). Management's lack of participation is all the evidence the rest of the organization needs to resist the training and consider it the next fad. They will wait and it will pass.
5. The training being conducted is "off-the-shelf" and not custom designed to meet the unique needs of the particular organization. Participants in the generic workshop are overheard asking themselves, "What does this have to do with me?" The training fails because participants were not engaged, not interested, and did not find the training practical, pertinent and compelling.
6. Training is being developed and lead solely by external diversity consultants and trainers. The training is thus the consultant's program and not a program developed by the employees of the organization, for the organization. No ownership or buy-in is solicited and thus none is secured and the program eventually perishes and the external diversity trainer is the "fall guy."
7. Diversity training was designed and developed without a formal needs analysis or diagnosis of the organization. Who in the ivory tower developed this program? Your program was probably developed by someone who doesn't even work at your company. What did they know?
8. Your diversity training program is awareness-based but provides no skills, no practical, "hands-on", everyday tools. People are heard saying, "This was great but now what? What am I supposed to do now? I go back to my workplace tomorrow."
9. Internal resources are not formed, developed, and encouraged, i.e., internal diversity change agents, facilitators, and an internal resource center and/or office. You haven't formed an internal diversity steering committee and haven't trained and developed internal change agents to "keep the fires burning." You have not continued the work once the external diversity trainer has moved on.
10. Your diversity training had no formal follow-up. Many of the action items had no owners and no one revisited the training. Training alone is not the cure-all panacea. You need to have internally driven initiatives supported by senior management commitment as well as ongoing attention and training from internal as well as external subject matter experts.

Top 10 Reasons Diversity Training Programs Succeed (Velasquez, 1998)

Successful diversity training should follow the following principles:

1. It is developed through a partnership of internal employees (diversity steering committee) and an external subject matter expert (diversity consultant and trainer).
2. It has a senior-level advocate or champion. The champion of the internal diversity steering committee is the President and/or CEO of your organization. He/she participated in workshops where all of the diversity training consultant candidates considered were asked to present and train. You test drove all of the diversity training contractors and picked the best trainer - not the one that looked best on paper.
3. It is supported by sound research. Your organization is presenting the business rationale, the bottom-line results of doing this work. Also presented are the costs of not doing this work. Your company is doing this work because their future, market share, retention of talent, and performance depend on understanding and anticipating the needs of an increasingly diverse workplace and marketplace.
4. It occurs in a supportive corporate culture, one that reflects an ongoing commitment to continuous learning. You may have a resource or learning center where books, articles, and other support and educational materials are available. Now, you can even find cd-rom training programs for individual or small group learning. Multicultural calendars are made available to everyone, possibly through your intranet.
5. It is "skill-based." Most diversity training is currently awareness based. When you actually develop a set of skills or "tools" for your diversity skill/tool kit.
6. It ensures transfer of skills from the training room to the workplace. Diversity training should educate and empower all employees with new skills and tools.
7. It is not dependent on a "savior." Do not rely on one person (diversity trainer or manager of diversity) to save the organization. A steering committee representing the whole organization must uniformly champion all of the initiatives.
8. It does not occur in a vacuum and must be supported by other initiatives and activities. Training alone is not the "cure-all." A formal mentoring program that includes and encourages all employees to participate is another potential diversity initiative. Many organizations are going to structured group interviews to stop the "cloning" and homogenization of management and leadership ranks.
9. It is thoroughly planned, implemented, and measured for its impact on the organization.
10. It takes on a life of its own. Employees are fired up and asked to participate, to carry the torch forward. Employees are encouraged to get involved, develop and lead brown-bag discussions, mini-training, and other activities. A formal diversity learning center is established. Such a center has books, videos, audiotapes, cd-roms, and other learning materials available for all employees when they need such assistance. There is an ongoing and continuous commitment to creating and promoting a more inclusive work environment that values our differences.