Education your employees on the value of diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) will help create an engaging workplace. DEI training fosters respect and tolerance for differences that result in a more productive workforce.
Studies show that companies that prioritize DEI experience increased profits. Employees also prefer working for organizations which place high importance on DEI.
Cornell University’s Diversity Works
The university provides online diversity and inclusion courses that can assist your team in creating an inclusive culture. Topics covered in these courses include unconscious bias, gender equity and cultural competency – not to mention you can take them from any location at any time – perfect for improving skills while making organizations more inclusive.
Cornell is home to a vibrant campus community comprised of students, faculty and staff with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. To foster this diversity and inclusion framework Belonging at Cornell focuses our collective efforts on making sure everyone thrives and contributes in ways that uphold our shared values.
Throughout this six-course certificate program, Cornell leadership will discuss the importance of creating an environment of inclusion, equity and belonging for their campus community. You’ll learn how to initiate change by reflecting upon your own viewpoints and practices as well as understanding how power, privilege and oppression manifest themselves in daily life. Finally, techniques will be offered on how to engage respectfully with colleagues who hold differing viewpoints as well as reporting bias incidents such as discrimination harassment hazing etc.
This self-paced program designed by French business and management school Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC for short) is tailored towards managers, HR professionals and owners of businesses. You can complete it at your own pace from any device; an average time commitment per week would be 3 – 5 hours.
Cornell and Diversity and Inclusion
In the wake of events in 2020, Cornell University launched several initiatives to deepen its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Some were already underway while others were created as responses to widespread racial injustices across the United States. Furthermore, training sessions have been expanded for employees on both campuses as well as off campus locations.
No matter your management experience level or field of endeavor, Cornell University provides resources that will ensure the success of your career. Cornell’s Diversity & Inclusion courses give you all of the tools needed to become a strong leader, no matter your background or industry.
The University of Virginia’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Teams and Organizations
The University of Virginia’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives aim to engage all School of Medicine stakeholders – students, Graduate Medical Education trainees, faculty, staff, patients and community members alike – within its School of Medicine community. Their efforts are guided by a strategic plan for diversity and inclusion which includes committees that make recommendations to senior leadership.
Diversity and inclusion are central tenets of modern society, as diverse individuals from a variety of backgrounds come together to develop innovative products and services, increasing competitive edge while simultaneously improving customer loyalty. Businesses with DEI initiatives are better prepared to respond in times of crises.
People often confuse diversity, equality and inclusion interchangeably. It is essential that they all are understood separately: diversity refers to differences present; equity refers to ensuring all individuals can take full part in society by accessing opportunities available; it means addressing discrimination, microaggressions and bias; while inclusion fosters belonging by fostering openness while confronting stereotypes, prejudice or racial profiling issues.
While diversity, equality, and inclusion offer numerous advantages, the key to their successful implementation lies in having an integrated approach. A winning strategy must align with business goals and objectives to ensure everyone feels welcome at work; doing so will increase employee retention, boost productivity, and attract the top candidates for open positions.
Workplaces that excel at diversity and inclusion are better equipped to navigate a global economy, hiring top talent, responding to changing consumer needs and addressing social injustice. Furthermore, such organizations build stronger relationships within their community while improving financial performance.
Enhancing diversity and inclusion can be a challenging but essential process for businesses. To realize results, businesses must commit themselves to making changes that create an inclusive workplace culture, such as offering training programs or other resources for employees so they become aware of their own biases and how best to deal with them.
The Diversity and Inclusion Certification Course
American Management Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Certification course can help individuals enhance their business leadership abilities. This introductory-level program is intended to foster freedom, openness, and innovation in the workplace by teaching participants how to avoid biases and better manage diverse teams. With self-paced modules, videos, supplemental readings, two quizzes, post course lessons on demand as well as additional post course lessons post completion; students can complete this AMA course within 12 hours.
Cornell University’s eCornell course is another effective solution, helping leaders of all levels build the necessary skills to foster inclusive workplace environments. Topics covered in the two-month course include recognising multidimensional aspects of identity, understanding unconscious biases and stereotypes on a deeper level, exploring behaviors that promote equity. Participants need to devote three to five hours per week for study time – or monthly payment options are also available for non-members.
The University of Virginia also offers a free seven-week course focused on encouraging diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. This online course, created by its Muma College of Business, covers essential business practices and initiatives designed to encourage diversity throughout all aspects of work life. Classes take place either afternoons or evenings and students may choose any combination of four courses from this series to earn a certificate; or individually take one.
Catalyst, an organization dedicated to empowering women in the workforce, also offers online courses focusing on diversity and inclusion. From general introductions to advanced management training programs, its selection of mini-courses ranges from general introductions to in-depth specialized offerings for managers. Inclusive Leadership mini-courses feature everything from accountability and courage through effective communication and listening as well as an introduction to key inclusive leadership skills with practical approaches for applying them in the workplace.
Karamo
Karamo Brown, best known as the culture expert on Netflix’s Queer Eye, has used his celebrity status to advocate for LGBTQ equality and mental health awareness. Additionally, he’s an author, podcast host and activist working tirelessly to empower people around the globe – and recently visited Chicago Booth University to give a keynote about mental health journeys and how vulnerability is the gateway to healing.
He spoke about how mental health stigma prevents some individuals from reaching out when they need assistance, the importance of recognizing your unique identities and how to use them as advocates for yourself or others, and having difficult discussions on this topic both with yourself and with others.
He hosted workshops, Q&As with students to address creating safe spaces in the workplace and ways of building inclusive and equitable cultures, with audiences finding his messages relatable and captivating.
At this event, another key topic discussed was diversity and inclusion in retail. EdApp has a training course called “Diversity in Retail,” designed to equip employees with skills for providing better service to all types of customers, recognize biases and stereotypes, and develop customer care that reflects an inclusive company’s values.
Implementing inclusive training into your workplace can increase employee engagement, retention rates and create a more positive work environment. Companies who invest in diversity and inclusion initiatives typically see significant returns on investment from these efforts. Whatever your budget, there are resources to make becoming a more diverse and inclusive organization easier – whether that means reducing discrimination or unconscious bias or building cultural sensitivity within your workforce, we have chosen 10 top options here for your consideration.