These templates for diversity training that can help you design, implement, and evaluate effective sessions. These templates can be tailored to your organization's needs and cover topics like bias awareness, inclusive communication, and cultural competency.
Purpose: Outline the structure and content of a diversity training session.
| Time | Topic | Activity/Details | Facilitator |
|-----------------|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 9:00 AM | Welcome and Introductions | Icebreaker: “What does diversity mean to you?” | Trainer/HR Lead |
| 9:15 AM | Understanding Diversity | Presentation: Definition, benefits, and examples. | DEI Specialist |
| 9:45 AM | Unconscious Bias Awareness | Activity: Implicit bias test (e.g., Harvard IAT). | Trainer/DEI Expert |
| 10:15 AM | Break | Light refreshments | — |
| 10:30 AM | Inclusive Communication | Role-playing scenarios to practice inclusive language. | Facilitator |
| 11:15 AM | Cultural Competency | Group discussion: Navigating cultural differences. | Team Lead/Trainer |
| 11:45 AM | Action Plan | Participants write one personal commitment. | Trainer |
| 12:00 PM | Wrap-Up and Q&A | Closing remarks and feedback survey. | Trainer |
Purpose: Gauge employees’ awareness, attitudes, and expectations about diversity before training.
| Question | Response Options |
|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| How would you rate your understanding of diversity? | [Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor] |
| Have you ever received diversity training before? | [Yes / No] |
| Do you feel comfortable addressing diversity topics at work? | [Always / Sometimes / Rarely / Never] |
| What are your goals for this training? | [Open-ended response] |
| What areas of diversity would you like to learn more about? | [Gender / Race / Culture / Disability / Other]|
Purpose: Provide a visually engaging presentation for your diversity training session.
Add your company logo.
Slide 1: Objectives of the Training
List goals:
Slide 2: What is Diversity?
Use visuals like charts or graphics.
Slide 3: The Benefits of Diversity
Add examples of successful diverse companies.
Slide 4: Understanding Bias
Diagram: Types of bias (e.g., unconscious, confirmation, affinity).
Slide 5: Scenarios and Role-Play
Example: “How to handle microaggressions in the workplace.”
Slide 6: Action Steps for Employees
Encourage: Listen, speak up, and support inclusion.
Closing Slide:
Purpose: Start the session with a collaborative activity to set a positive tone.
Activity Name: “Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes”
| Steps | Materials Needed |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| 1. Ask participants to write a time they felt excluded or misunderstood (no names required). | Notecards, pens |
| 2. Collect and shuffle the notecards, then redistribute them anonymously. | Basket or box |
| 3. Each person reads a card aloud, and the group reflects on how the situation could have been handled inclusively. | — |
Purpose: Help employees practice handling real-world diversity challenges.
| Scenario | Discussion Questions |
|---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| A manager always assigns high-visibility projects to the same group of employees. | - How could this affect team morale?
- What steps could the manager take to distribute opportunities more fairly? |
| An employee makes a joke about someone's accent during a meeting. | - How should the team respond?
- What can leaders do to prevent this behavior? |
| A team member who wears a hijab feels excluded from after-work social events. | - What can the team do to make events more inclusive?
- How can leaders model inclusion? |
Purpose: Provide participants with a takeaway summary of the training content.
| Section | Details |
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| What is Diversity? | Diversity is the range of differences in people (e.g., gender, race, age). |
| Why is Diversity Important? | - Promotes innovation.
- Increases employee engagement.
- Attracts top talent. |
| Types of Bias: | - Unconscious Bias: Automatic judgments.
- Confirmation Bias: Seeking evidence to support assumptions. |
| Inclusive Practices: | - Use gender-neutral language.
- Value all perspectives in meetings.
- Advocate for equitable opportunities. |
| Steps to Reduce Bias: | - Self-reflect regularly.
- Interrupt biased behavior.
- Attend diversity workshops. |
| Contact Information: | List DEI department contact details for further questions. |
Purpose: Measure the training’s effectiveness and gather input for future improvements.
| Question | Response Options |
|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| How would you rate the overall effectiveness of this training? | [Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor] |
| Do you feel more confident addressing diversity issues after this training? | [Yes / No] |
| What was the most valuable part of this training? | [Open-ended response] |
| What areas could be improved? | [Open-ended response] |
| Would you recommend this training to others? | [Yes / No] |
Purpose: Teach employees how to use inclusive and respectful language.
| Category | Examples of Inclusive Language | Avoid |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Gender | Use “they/them” if unsure of pronouns. | Avoid assuming “he” or “she.” |
| Cultural References | Ask individuals how to pronounce their names and learn them. | Mispronouncing names repeatedly. |
| Disability | Say “person with a disability” instead of “disabled person.” | Avoid outdated terms like “handicapped.” |
| LGBTQ+ | Use “partner” instead of “husband/wife” unless specified. | Avoid assumptions about relationships. |
Purpose: Help participants create actionable steps for fostering diversity in their teams.
| Action | Steps to Achieve It | Timeline | Resources Needed |
|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|----------------|------------------------|
| Diversify recruitment | Partner with minority-focused job boards. | 3 months | HR team, budget |
| Increase inclusivity in meetings | Implement structured turn-taking for contributions. | 1 month | Meeting facilitators |
| Support cultural awareness | Host quarterly workshops on different cultures. | 6 months | DEI specialist |
Purpose: Analyze the impact of diversity training sessions over time.
| Metric | Baseline Data | Post-Training Data | Improvement |
|----------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| % of employees who feel included at work | 70% | 85% | +15% |
| % of employees confident addressing bias | 50% | 80% | +30% |
| Number of bias reports filed | 10/year | 3/year | -70% |