Nearly every organisation is working to develop and implement diversity policies aimed at creating an empowering culture.

Inclusion training programmes geared towards your unique organisational requirements help your employees to work better with others from different backgrounds, cultures and abilities. Such training programmes can increase self-awareness of unconscious bias and teach employees to respect and accept each other’s differences.

Online diversity training programmes help counter the risks of harassment and discrimination and equip leaders with inclusive skills necessary to treat all employees fairly. In addition to combating exclusion, equality and diversity training offers a host of other benefits such as increased productivity, improved employee morale and better team cohesion.

Workplace policies and procedures can determine how your employees feel about working for your organisation. It's essential to review these policies regularly and amend them whenever required. Company culture needs to evolve with changing demands of diverse workforces; otherwise, the organisation may lose out to more progressive competitors.

What Topics Does Inclusion Training Cover?

Inclusion training programmes may cover some or more of the topics described below. They can also be tailored to your company’s values, goals and mission.

• Unconscious bias: What it is and how to become more self-aware of assumptions and skewed decision-making

• Awareness and sensitivity training concerning cultural differences and stereotyping

• How value systems differ based on cultural beliefs

• Cultural identities, competencies and potential sources of conflict

• How to incorporate inclusive practices in the company

• Conflict management, bullying and harassment training

• Invisible exclusion practices that may potentially impact teamwork

These topics represent just a small cross-section of the issues that inclusion training may cover. As a leading diversity and inclusion firm in Australia, Symmetra offers a range of online leadership training programmes to organisations across industries. Please contact us for customised inclusion training.

Best Strategies to Implement Inclusion Training

Hiring diverse employees and creating a multicultural workforce is only one side of the picture. Without developing the necessary skills to work with different employees, you will be unable to leverage the benefits of diversity.

How do we implement inclusion training for maximum advantage?

Consider explaining the potential effects in terms of personal, ethical, and business benefits.

2. The training should address and explain relevant issues in the context of the current world. Inclusion training should be designed in an interactive, interesting manner to make it exciting and fun.

3. The commitment towards implementing inclusion training should come from the top. Leaders should be role models and establish clear expectations from their employees. Diversity training initiatives provide leaders with a reliable platform to address and re-structure existing norms and traditions.

4. To reinforce the benefits of inclusion training, organisations should consider using performance metrics to measure inclusion. Without clear strategies to track progress, the employees may revert to old ways of thinking and doing.

Once training is complete, reliable metrics help identify problem areas, set objectives, assign accountability and measure the overall impact of diversity initiatives. Inclusion training makes employees feel welcome, valued and appreciated. Once they feel comfortable bringing their ‘whole selves’ to work, they are likely to be more motivated and more willing to offer their best.

Employees are also more likely to enjoy equal opportunities for career advancement based on merit rather than personal bias. All these benefits require direct, proactive and consistent intervention .