April 17, 2025
Written by UJJI Team
One of the most positive shifts we’ve seen in recent years is how companies are embracing inclusivity at work. More organizations now recognize the value of diversity, and many even celebrate equality as a part of their core culture.
In fact, 93% of workers say DEI is personally important to them, not just in the workplace (Workable, 2021). And according to Pew Research (2023), over half of U.S. employees support more focus on DEI at work.
To build a culture of respect and fairness, many companies rely on DEI training. These programs help teams learn about diversity, practice equity, and create more inclusive spaces.
So, what exactly is DEI training? And how can you create a training plan that really works? In this article, we’ll break it all down—and show you how to get started.
DEI training refers to educational programs designed to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. It helps employees understand and challenge biases, create fair opportunities, and foster an environment where everyone feels valued. Unlike traditional workplace training, DEI programs focus on changing behaviors, attitudes, and workplace policies to foster long-term inclusivity.
DEI training is based on three pillars. These are:
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Organizations that have DEI training as a part of their employee training program have all experienced improved employee retention, stronger workplace culture and an increase in financial performance. Let’s take a look at why DEI training is important.
A well-structured DEI training program encourages open discussions about diversity and inclusion, helping employees understand different perspectives and work collaboratively. It nurtures an environment where every employee feels heard, respected, and valued, reducing feelings of isolation and creating a stronger sense of belonging across teams.
Unconscious biases can influence hiring decisions, promotions, performance reviews, and everyday workplace interactions. DEI training helps employees identify these hidden biases and equips them with practical tools to challenge assumptions, make fair decisions, and promote equity in both leadership and peer relationships.
DEI training helps businesses comply with workplace discrimination laws, reducing the risk of lawsuits and penalties. It ensures employees understand their rights and responsibilities under regulations like Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and anti-harassment laws, while helping organizations demonstrate due diligence and a proactive approach to workplace equity.
Employees who feel included and valued are more engaged, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. DEI training promotes a culture where diverse voices are welcomed, fostering psychological safety and empowering individuals to perform at their best without fear of bias or exclusion.
Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. A culture of inclusion ensures everyone contributes their best ideas, encouraging collaboration across backgrounds, experiences, and thinking styles. DEI training helps build trust among team members and creates an environment that celebrates diverse problem-solving approaches.
Studies show that companies with strong DEI initiatives outperform competitors in revenue growth and market expansion. Inclusive organizations attract top talent, retain high-performing employees, and make better strategic decisions, resulting in measurable improvements to business performance and long-term profitability.
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DEI training can be broadly divided into eight different types of training, as shown below:
1. Unconscious Bias Training: Focuses on helping employees recognize and mitigate hidden biases in decision-making.
2. Allyship Training: Teaches employees how to support and advocate for underrepresented colleagues.
3. Bystander Intervention Training: Equips employees with skills to intervene when witnessing discrimination or harassment.
4. Cultural Competency Training: Improves cross-cultural awareness and reduces workplace misunderstandings.
5. Inclusive Leadership Training: Guides managers in fostering diverse and inclusive teams.
6. Microaggressions Training: Raises awareness about subtle, often unintentional discriminatory comments or actions.
7. Anti-Racism Training: Educates employees on systemic racism and proactive steps to combat it.
8. Legal and Compliance Training: Covers workplace discrimination laws and how to ensure compliance.
While DEI training is all about inclusivity and equality, a one-size-fits-all approach will not work while creating a DEI training plan. Here’s a step-by-step representation of how to create an effective DEI training plan.
Start by evaluating your current workplace culture and identifying gaps in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Conduct employee surveys, focus groups, and DEI audits. Analyze HR data on hiring practices, promotion rates, pay equity, and employee experiences to uncover patterns of inequality and areas for improvement.
Leadership support is critical for the success of DEI initiatives. Engage executives and managers early by presenting data on the business impact of DEI. Show how inclusive workplaces lead to better performance, higher retention, and improved innovation. Encourage leaders to model inclusive behaviors and champion the training efforts.
One-size-fits-all training often falls short. Design DEI programs that are relevant to your workforce’s specific needs, challenges, and roles. Offer flexible training formats, such as in-person workshops, virtual learning modules, and self-paced courses, to ensure accessibility and engagement across the organization.
To make DEI training effective, it must go beyond theory. Use real-world scenarios, case studies, and interactive exercises like role-playing and storytelling to drive participation and learning. Encourage open dialogue and psychological safety so employees feel comfortable sharing and reflecting. With UJJI’s gamified microlearning, employees stay engaged and retain more.
DEI is not a one-time initiative, it’s an ongoing journey. Reinforce learning through continuous education, follow-up sessions, and practical application. Support the creation of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, and informal learning spaces to keep the momentum going.
Track the impact of your training using measurable metrics such as employee engagement, retention, inclusion survey results, and diversity representation across teams. Gather feedback after training sessions and continuously refine your strategy to meet evolving organizational needs.
Also Read: Employee Training Programs: A How-To Guide
While DEI training has shown irrefutable positive results, organizations do often face challenges while implementing it. Here are the most commonly faced challenges, and how to overcome them.
As is often the case, people may find DEI training to be boring. Others may be skeptical to accept the values or may get defensive when their own views are challenged.
This can be dealt with by making training sessions interactive, using gamification and showcasing real-life situations to drive home the positive impact of inclusivity in the workplace.
A lot of businesses find it hard to commit to DEI training as an ongoing process and not a one-time thing.
However, true progress comes only when DEI learning becomes a part of daily operations. Organizations ought to also offer ongoing education opportunities, and create a culture of continuous improvement.
Inclusivity becomes useless unless it is actively practiced. For DEI training to not lose momentum, managers need to implement inclusive practices into daily operations, ensuring that progress is driven by the leadership.
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Implementing DEI training offers organizations tangible benefits. Let’s take a look at what these are.
Inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging, leading to greater job satisfaction and lower employee turnover. When people feel valued, they’re more likely to stay and contribute long-term.
Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives and problem-solving approaches, often leading to faster, more effective outcomes and improved team performance.
Top candidates seek out organizations that value diversity and inclusion. A visible DEI commitment strengthens your employer brand and helps attract high-quality talent.
Inclusive companies are more agile and innovative. Different backgrounds and ideas fuel creativity, helping businesses adapt quickly and compete effectively in diverse markets.
Studies consistently show that diverse organizations outperform their peers financially. For example, companies with a diverse board are 27% more likely to financially outperform their peers who lack the diversity. DEI initiatives contribute to stronger decision-making, customer satisfaction, and overall business profitability.
Also Read: A Handy Guide to Measuring ROI From Training
Building an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace takes more than just intention. It requires the right tools, strategies, and continuous learning. While creating and delivering DEI training can be complex, UJJI makes the process simpler, smarter, and more impactful.
With UJJI’s AI-powered documentation capabilities, organizations can easily generate engaging, tailored DEI training collateral, all while cutting down manual effort and ensuring consistency as well as clarity across all content. Whether you're building training modules, assessments, or internal guides, UJJI helps streamline your documentation workflows.
Even more, UJJI’s gamified microlearning pathways, driven by behavioral science and AI personalization, are the perfect way to deliver DEI training in a format employees actually enjoy and retain. Bite-sized, interactive, and engaging, this is DEI learning designed for the modern workplace.
Partner with UJJI today, and create the training collateral you need to drive change, build an inclusive culture and empower your teams.
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