How Learning About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Helps Employees

For modern organizations, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential pillars for fostering a healthy, productive, and innovative workplace. As companies strive to create inclusive cultures, the role of DEI education for employees is critical. Understanding the impact of DEI training can provide valuable insights into how such education benefits individuals and organizations.

DEI is one of the most important concepts for universities offering professional certificates focusing on leadership issues. Understanding the impact of DEI education can provide valuable insights for those curious about how DEI knowledge can help their organization and their careers.

DEI Education Enhances Cultural Competence 

One of the most immediate benefits of DEI education is the enhancement of cultural competence among employees. Cultural competence is the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures, backgrounds, and belief systems. It’s one of the areas professionals study in the Leveraging Diversity micro-credential from St. Catherine University. 

When employees are exposed to DEI principles, they gain a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives that shape the workplace. This understanding is crucial in today’s globalized world, where teams often comprise individuals from various nationalities, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds. 

Learning about DEI helps employees recognize and respect these differences, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts. It also equips them with the skills to communicate more effectively and collaborate harmoniously. 

Promoting Empathy and Emotional Intelligence 

DEI education plays a significant role in promoting empathy and emotional intelligence among employees. Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a cornerstone of effective teamwork and leadership. Emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and social skills, is equally crucial for successful workplace interactions. 

Through DEI training, employees learn to see the world from different perspectives, enhancing their ability to empathize with colleagues with different experiences or challenges. This heightened empathy leads to better teamwork, as employees are more likely to support each other and work together toward common goals. 

Strengthening Team Cohesion 

A diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives and experiences to the table. Still, it can also face challenges in achieving cohesion if members do not fully understand or appreciate these differences. DEI training helps bridge this gap by fostering a sense of belonging and unity among team members. 

When employees understand the importance of diversity and are equipped with the tools to engage inclusively, they are more likely to contribute to a positive team dynamic. This inclusive atmosphere encourages open dialogue, where all voices are heard and valued. As a result, teams can collaborate more effectively, leading to increased creativity, problem-solving, and innovation.  

Why DEI Is Important for an Organization 

Diversity is often touted as a critical driver of innovation and creativity, and for good reason. When employees from diverse backgrounds come together, they become more creative with problem-solving approaches. Promoting DEI leads not only to a more inclusive and diverse workforce but also to better practical outcomes. An oft-quoted McKinsey & Co. report found that organizations with more diverse workforces performed better financially than those without diverse workforces.  

Studies also show that DEI leads to better decision-making in all areas. According to research from decision-focused software company Cloverpop, teams outperform individual decision-makers 66% of the time. Decision success increases with team diversity. The most diverse teams outperform individual decision-makers 87% of the time. 

Assessing DEI research, Harvard Business Review stated: “Nonhomogenous teams are simply smarter. Working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance.” 

Research indicates that diverse teams focus more on facts, process those facts more carefully, and become more innovative than homogenous teams. 

While the benefits of DEI are well-known, much work remains to be done in this crucial area. A report from the Project Management Institute found that only 33% of project managers surveyed felt that their organization had culturally diverse leadership. 

Ideas for Incorporating DEI in the Workplace 

Writing in the Stanford Social Intervention Review, Emily Teitsworth, executive director of the nonprofit GirlVentures, advised nonprofit leaders on incorporating DEI ideas into their nonprofit organizations. They included the following: 

• Start with systems, not individuals. Evaluate programs, events, and the organization to determine what barriers keep people away or hinder individual progress. 

• Not every space is for everyone. Teitsworth cites examples of white people entering into social media chats or online meetings intended for people of color. 

• Use power and privilege to challenge bias. White people should not put the onus on assessing DEI on people of color because that needs to be done by the people in power, who are typically a majority of white people.  

• Collaborate. Nonprofits can adopt models that share power structures rather than relying on central control and command. 

• Words and images. Nonprofits must be careful about the words and images they use to ensure they do not send the wrong message to people of color. 

These and other DEI-related issues are part of what professionals learn in continuing education programs offered to professionals by St. Catherine University. Whatever industry a person works in, including nonprofits and public agencies, they benefit by expanding their knowledge of DEI and learning skills that benefit themselves and their organizations far into the future.