DEI Training Program for Managers

Workplaces are becoming more and more diverse. 45% of Millennials (who will soon make up 75% of the workforce) consider themselves "non-white."

Racial and ethnic differences are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the variety of cultures, religions, languages, genders, and other factors you'll find among your workforce.

Understanding their differences, and creating a place where they feel safe, included, and supported in performing their responsibilities, is crucial to your role as a manager. 

While this workflow is designed to walk you through the principles of DEI initiatives and how to implement them within your team, DEI evaluations should be continuously recurring. Be sure to include feedback from your employees in these evaluations and collaborate with them on improving your work environment.

No one expects you to have all the answers.
You just have to ask the questions. 

Tips on workflow features will appear in boxes that look like this:

TIP: This is a tip.

You can choose to leave them in, or quickly remove them by editing the workflow. 

At the end of the template, there will also be in-depth resources on how to get the most from your workflows including videos and webinars. 

Before you begin, enter your details in the fields below so your participation will be recorded. 

TIP: Process Street Automations and third-party integrations like Zapier can be used to export data from this workflow to another database. 

This program is designed to promote the following issues:

• Ensuring equal access to support and resources
• Building an inclusive company culture
• Addressing and rectifying historical bias within the company
• Designing structures that recognize and appreciate cultural differences
• Creating a mission statement and company values that model inclusive practices
• Implementing a diverse talent pipeline

For DEI training to be effective, you need to be committed and open to understanding, empathy, and think critically about your own perceptions and beliefs. 

To varying degrees, everyone uses stereotypes and personal biases to evaluate people, situations, and environments.

Unconscious bias and strategies to address it will be covered in more detail in the second section, "Knowledge & Skills." 

For the time being, though, just concentrate on the information being presented and pinpoint moments in your own experiences you can relate to it.

Responsibility | Accountability | Action | Behavior Change

As you progress through your training workflow, keep these four elements in mind. Think about how you can implement them in creating your new DEI initiatives. 

• Who will have primary responsibility for developing these initiatives?
• How will accountability be measured?
• What actions should be taken?
• What behaviors will need to change?

TIP: Using the video and image widgets, it's easy to add rich media to your workflows to explain a concept, offer a tutorial, or simply add a greeting at the beginning.

Before you dive in, it's important to take a moment to really understand what the program will discuss going forward.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often used as interchangeable terms when, in fact, they aren't.

This is where many DEI programs fail. It's possible to have a diverse workplace without equity or inclusivity, or diversity and inclusivity without equity. 

Much like a tripod without all three legs, you won't be able to maintain long-term diversity, inclusivity, or equity without all three concepts. 

Let's outline exactly what we mean by diversity, equity, and inclusivity.

Diversity

Diversity is what makes people within a group different from each other. This includes characteristics like:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Language
• Socioeconomics
• Physical ability

Equity

Equity ensures that processes, programs, and opportunities are impartial, fair, and equally accessible for every individual.

Inclusivity

Inclusion means that every individual has a sense of belonging, comfortability, and support within the company. An inclusive environment encourages trust between colleagues and allows individuals to present their most authentic selves without fear of reprisal.

Answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Your answers will be kept private and are only a tool for you to reflect on your own ideas.

Label the following statements either true or false.

Answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Your answers will be kept private. It's important to evaluate how well you feel DEI issues are being acknowledged and handled within your organization.

Label the following statements either true or false.

Before doing anything else, to introduce the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusions, you need to first erase differences.

This sounds counterintuitive, but many stereotypes, prejudices, and micro-behaviors are rooted simply in a lack of accurate information. People often struggle in unfamiliar situations or with unfamiliar ideas, and, as a result, ask or say something that is intrusive or offensive. 

By first emphasizing how everyone is similar, individual differences become less confusing. 

Watch the video below and think about why the participants made the judgments they did based solely on their partner's voice and the information they were given. 

As you watch the video, make notes about your impressions of each participant.

Self-reflection

• What motivated your assumptions about each participant?
• Can you identify specific experiences or ideas you have that influenced those presumptions?
• How do you think each participant assessed their partner? Were the correct answers lucky guesses or did their reasoning sound objective?
• What positive or neutral biases did the participants use to make assumptions about their partners?

With a global workforce, encountering other cultures, traditions, and beliefs is inevitable. 

There are even a variety of cultures within the same country, the same region, city, families, and individuals. Even within the same culture or belief system, there are variations in traditions and concepts. 

While no one is expected to have a detailed understanding of every culture, tradition, or belief system, it is important to understand that these systems aren't universal for every person. More importantly: They don't have to be.

Hypothetically, you attended University A. One of your colleagues attended University B, which is located in the same city and happens to have a strong rivalry with University A. 

As alumni, you both actively participate in your universities' events, take pride in your own university's traditions, and maybe gloat a little when their team loses. 

Despite this, you work well together. You respect each other, you enjoy working together, and you actually have more things in common than your differences. You both have kids, love Schnauzers, and have a weakness for the churros from that one specific food truck around the corner. 

You wouldn't go out of your way to harm your colleague or let rivalry banter go too far. If it did, you'd apologize immediately and never repeat that behavior again. 

Cultures, beliefs, and traditions often act as stronger personal identifiers than someone's alma mater. However, if you wouldn't deface a coworker's team pennant, consider how your words and actions might (figuratively) deface characteristics they value even more. 

Open communication is a must for facilitating a diverse and inclusive environment. 

Hosting team "town hall" meetings where individuals are encouraged to discuss obstacles, issues, or needs is one way to do this. 

As a manager, you need to be the facilitator and ensure that each person has the space to speak freely and without recrimination.

If an employee is offended or harmed by a colleague or manager, they need to be supported and heard. It's important for the entire group to understand why the action was offensive or harmful, and how the situation could have been handled differently. 

It's unlikely that you'll be able to hold a successful town hall the very first time. Your employees will be unsure and potentially unwilling to speak in front of their peers first. 

Do not force them.

You need to first show them that the town hall meeting is a safe place for them to voice their concerns and that those concerns will be heard and acted on. 

As a lead-up to an actual town hall, you could provide an anonymous channel where employees can document instances where they've felt discriminated against, harassed, or bullied at work. This will also provide them an opportunity to explain what changes could be made to allow them to feel more comfortable in the workplace. 

Once you've established that foundation of trust, you can move on to "live" town halls. 

TIP: If at any time during the meeting, participants become upset, angry, or hostile towards each other, the best route is to end that meeting immediately. Only resume the meeting once emotions have calmed. It may also be worth speaking individually to the upset employees to find the cause.

DEI initiatives aren't just about creating a more positive workplace for your employees. 

There are also legal regulations requiring that certain standards are met and certain categories are protected from discrimination. 

Anti-discrimination laws vary from place to place but are designed to prevent discrimination in education, housing, employment, and other areas of social and/or public life.

Make sure that you research and understand the specific regulations and laws related to employment discrimination in your area.

Unconscious bias is something we're all guilty of. Inherent biases shape our perceptions of the world and allow us to make quick decisions about individual situations. 

Ask yourself if you've ever done the following:

• Presumed a doctor with a gender-neutral name was male.
• Been surprised that a software engineer spent most of their free time hiking, camping, and doing other outdoor activities?
• Crossed the street or otherwise avoided a homeless person?
• Didn't expect someone to be highly skilled in their field because they had a thick accent?
• Been disappointed by a new release from your favorite band because "it doesn't even sound like them"?
• Mistaken a customer in a store for an employee because they looked like they worked there? 

All of these are things that people do every day without thinking about them. Most people, if these actions were pointed out, would feel disappointed that they'd made those presumptions. 

You can't do anything to prevent unconscious bias. The best each of us can do is recognize that we have it, and evaluate our decisions to for any impact of that bias. 

There are 4 primary types of bias to be aware of:

Perception bias: Believing a characteristic is typical of a particular group of people based on stereotypes or assumptions. 

Affinity bias: Our tendency to feel a natural connection with people who are similar to us.

Halo effect: Projecting positive qualities onto people without actually knowing them. 

Horn effect: Projecting negative qualities onto someone without knowing them.

Confirmation bias: Looking for evidence in a situation to confirm our pre-existing expectations.

Attribution bias: Attributing our own behavior to our environment while others' behavior is due to internal characteristics.

Describe how you feel about the following situations. Don't think about it too long; simply write down your initial feelings as soon as you have them.

Answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Your answers will be kept private and are only a tool for you to reflect on your own ideas.

Decide whether or not each statement is appropriate.

Not appropriate.

While it may seem like a casual ice breaker, for someone whose ethnicity or heritage is ambiguous, the phrasing implies that they don't belong. It implies that the person "isn't really from here" and, as a result, isn't like everyone else.

Not appropriate. 

You might think you're giving a compliment, but you are actually reinforcing the binary between masculine and feminine - and determining that there can be only one expression of each. 

TIP: If you wouldn't say something to a cisgender person, it's probably not something you should say to a transgender person.

Appropriate.

It's perfectly acceptable to ask someone how to pronounce their name if you aren't sure. 

It's not okay to say their name is hard to pronounce or ask if you can call them something else that's easier for you to say.

Not appropriate.

Not only do statements like this invalidate the person's feelings, but they are also often used as a way to dismiss or imply that what was said is harmless when in fact it isn't. 

This tactic has a long history of being used to silence marginalized groups by accusing them of overreacting, ie nothing happened, so why are you upset?

Not appropriate. 

This is an example of confirmation bias or the reversal of a confirmation bias. By singling an individual out from a group they belong to, you're implying that there's something inherently wrong with that group. 

For example:

• "You're not like other Black people; you're so articulate!"
• "You have such interesting ideas, not like other women."
• "You're so different from most of the elderly I know."

TIP: Variants to be aware of are also: "[Group] is so [adjective] - but I don't mean you," and "I can't believe someone like you is [adjective]!"

Not appropriate. 

But isn't it true that the most qualified person should get the job? 

Yes, in an ideal world without any forms of discrimination there would be nothing wrong with this statement because the most qualified person would always get the job.

Statements like this don't acknowledge the implicit bias and systemic racism built into most societal structures. Similar to statements like, "I don't see color," or "There's only one race - the human race," actually invalidate the experiences of marginalized groups by saying that - since you don't personally experience prejudice in your everyday life - discrimination doesn't exist.

Appropriate.

Not only is it inclusive to ask someone what their preferred pronouns are, but it's good allyship to identify your own pronouns on social media, in any type of communication, and when meeting new people. While it may seem awkward at first to introduce yourself by your pronouns, it helps normalize the practice of specifying pronouns and allows every individual to decide how they wish to be referred to. 

Appropriate.

Food and drink are among the easiest ways to inadvertently exclude someone, simply by being unaware that their culture, beliefs, or traditions prohibit certain foods or drinks. 

Before arranging a group meal, be sure to check what everyone's dietary preferences are and ensure that there will be food options for them to choose from.

Often, individuals with special diets are offered only one type of food to eat or something that is really just a side dish. This is just as alienating and isolating as not having anything to eat at all. 

Not appropriate.

Using gendered language - even in a situation like this where "guys" is meant as a generic term for "everyone" - prioritizes masculine identities over feminine ones. 

Not everyone will be offended by this, and some people may even prefer it. If you're unsure about your own team, you can try substituting "women" or "ladies" and gauge the reactions. 

Or, you can choose the much simpler option of replacing "guys" with an alternative like "everyone," "you all," "people," etc. 

Not appropriate.

This actually has several levels of inappropriateness to it. 

It frames homelessness as something to be ashamed of and ridiculed for. It also turns the very real circumstances of 552,830 Americans (13,000 of whom die every year) into a petty insult. 

The statement also implies that there's only one acceptable way for the individual to dress, and, if they don't follow that standard, they're somehow less than those around them. A lawyer with neck tattoos and gauged earrings may not look the way you expect a lawyer to look but it doesn't make them any less of a lawyer. 

Likewise, judging someone solely on the type of clothing they wear is not an effective way to measure a person's skills, knowledge, or abilities. There may be specific reasons for choosing the clothes they were - or it could just be what they're most comfortable in.

Inclusive management takes many forms and is something that needs to be practiced at every stage of an employee's relationship with your company from initial recruiting practices to when they potentially move on to other things. 

Inclusive management does involve ensuring that your team and other supervisors have the training and skills to address overt and covert acts of discrimination. 

It also requires a certain amount of self-awareness and self-reflection. 

What model are you providing for your employees regarding discrimination and prejudice? 

Do your marginalized employees feel like they have your active support and do you frequently offer it? 

How do you react when you hear someone make a discriminatory comment?

While those questions relate to you specifically, there are steps you can take to make your company more inclusive as well. 

Review your recruitment materials. What sort of language is used in the job descriptions and will it attract the widest variety of candidates?

Job descriptions are often gender-coded, for example. We tend to view certain roles as "feminine" while others are "masculine." The language used to describe these jobs enforces that view.  

Overuse of words like analytical, autonomous, independent, and leader are viewed as masculine-coded language. Committed, dependable, supportive, and trustworthy are examples of feminine-coded language.

While feminine or neutral-coded language won't stop men from applying, frequent use of masculine-coded language will prevent women from putting themselves forward. 

When shortlisting candidates for a position, review which ones end up in the "no" pile versus the "yes" pile.

Are there common characteristics about them? Have you made your decisions based on the candidate's name, educational background, or gender?

Do the candidates that have been shortlisted meet all of the required qualifications or do you just have a good feeling about them? 

Most importantly: If an employee tells you that something is offensive - whether it's a word, a behavior, or a situation, listen.

Understand how your employee feels and find a resolution that works for everyone.

Additional Resources

• 4 ways you might be displaying hidden bias in everyday life
• 5 Examples of Unconscious Bias We Take For Granted
• 5 Ways to Conquer Unconscious Bias in Diversity Hiring
• 6 Checklists to Perfect your New Employee Onboarding Process
• 6 Ways How Automation and Artificial Intelligence will Transform the HR Process
• 8 Free Templates to Improve Diversity in the Workplace
• 8 Office Management Checklists for Astounding Operational Efficiency
• 10 Metrics & Strategies to Increase Inclusivity in the Workplace
• 12 HR Management Tips to Run an Effective Business (and Prevent Total Chaos)
• American Psychological Association: Did you really just say that?
• An Incomplete Guide to Inclusive Language for Startups and Tech
• Bias Examples in Real Life
• Dear anti-racist allies: Here's how to respond to microaggressions
• Equality and Human Rights Commission: Protected Characteristics
• How to Use & Promote Inclusive Language at Your Organization
• HR Templates: The Perfect Pack For Company Success
• If You’re Not Sure What Workplace Microaggressions Look Like, Here Are 7 Examples
• The Diversity Movement: Say This, Not That: A Guide for Inclusive Language
• The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning: Microaggression and micro-affirmations
• The Science Behind Unconscious Bias - And How It Affects Hiring
• What is a microaggression? 14 things people think are fine to say at work — but are actually racist, sexist, or offensive
• What is Unconscious Bias? 5 Examples in Real-Life Scenarios
• What to know about microaggressions
• What Types of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training are Right for your Workplace?
• Why HRMS is Becoming a Must-Have & How to Get Started

Additional Workflows

• Code of Conduct Policy Adherence Process
• Diversity Hiring Process
• Diversity Initiatives Quarterly Improvement Process
• Diversity Management Monthly Audit
• Diversity Questions Survey
• Diversity Training Process
• Employee Complaint Procedure
• Unconscious Bias Training Guide