There is diminishing interest in the kind of ED&I training that has a tendency, through its somewhat ‘dictatorial’ or ‘preachy’ style, to
create divisions, rather than educate or change behaviours.
Many organisations are now looking for something a bit different from their diversity and inclusion programmes and initiatives. Something that focuses away from compliance and trendy media topics, and refocuses on what it really takes to include everyone. No easy task!
Conflict arising from the polarisation of views
Alongside polarising politics in many countries, a polarising period across the pandemic (masks, lockdowns, home working and jabs being the main points of contention), polarising views on the environment, we have added in somewhat polarising ED&I programmes. We clearly live in polarising times with conflict between individuals and groups seemingly at an all time high! Not ideal if we are wanting good employee morale and great relationships across our organisations
It doesn’t have to be this way though.
Here are a few ideas (taken from real life experience) about how to make your ED&I training actually inclusive…
- Foster Good Relationships:
- Encourage people to interact and build relationships to promote inclusion and reduce conflict.
- Nudging for Positive Behaviours:
- As a leader, act as a “chief nudger” to encourage the right behaviours and create an environment for open communication.
- Invest in Team Building:
- Allocate time for team-building activities to strengthen relationships and boost productivity.
- Taking a Break for Relationships:
- It’s essential to take a break from work to build strong team relationships for better results and happier employees.
- Define Inclusion:
- Inclusion means involving and considering as many people as possible without alienating others or negatively impacting the organization.
- Sustainable Inclusion:
- Sustainable inclusion includes everyone, even those with differing beliefs and views.
- Managing Expectations:
- Understand that perfection in inclusion is unattainable, so aim for steady improvement.
- Respect as a Foundation:
- Respect is the foundation of an inclusive workplace, with a focus on being heard, seen, and treated fairly.
- Respect Training:
- Training on respect covers various aspects, including the Equality Act, bias, harassment, language sensitivity, and learning to respect each other.