Lately there has been criticism raised that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training is ineffective. There are a wide variety of learning opportunities that fall under the umbrella of DEI training. Defining the needs a training program will address and determining how to assess whether these needs have been met is key. But how can you do this effectively? What pitfalls might you find along the way? And how can you build programs that make a true difference? Let’s consider these factors in more detail.

Setting Realistic Goals

The first step in building effective DEI training is to set realistic goals. If you are expecting DEI training to root out implicit biases and make employees and never discriminate, that is a tall order to expect from any training, whether the duration of the session is 60 minutes or eight hours. We cannot expect a single training session to make a participant unlearn everything they’ve been taught throughout their entire lifetime about different groups of people — beliefs they may not even be conscious of.

The goal isn’t to ignore differences but to appreciate them while recognizing that talent and capability are not determined by how someone looks, acts or speaks. Every individual’s ideas deserve to be heard and considered with equal weight.

Perhaps the goal of your training is to keep your organization from getting sued for discrimination or to avoid having your reputation damaged by offensive social media posts.

It’s important to be clear about what your goals are for the training and how you will measure the extent to which those goals have been met before designing the training and determining the length and number of sessions needed. Many meaningful DEI goals cannot be met in a one-hour session, and many cannot be met in a single session of any length.

Pitfalls to Avoid — and How to Avoid Them

Other reasons DEI training sessions fail include:

• Getting so focused on inclusive language that you don’t get around to action.

Language is an easy, tangible thing to change, so people love talking about it and policing other peoples’ language. However, language is constantly evolving and there is rarely agreement from everyone of a particular identity as to what language they prefer. Even if everyone uses “perfect” language in the workplace, that will do little to improve inequitable practices.

When the inclusive language conversation comes up, give some basic tips and emphasize the importance of listening to people about how they want to be referenced, then focus on the importance of substantive actions. Obviously, harmful and offensive language should not be tolerated in the workplace and should be addressed, but it’s crucial to keep the focus on the overarching goals of the training. Facilitators can acknowledge these conversations while gently steering participants back to the core purpose to ensure the session remains impactful and productive.

• Some employees may initially approach these conversations with hesitation or defensiveness.

People who are required to attend DEI trainings will rarely be open-minded or willing to learn. Make these learning opportunities optional and ensure that other training courses in workplace skills include skills promoting equity and inclusion. Being a strong leader, contributor to a team, or designer, for example, is difficult without having knowledge or skills related to making people feel included, listening, and creating content and communications with all potential audience members or participants with different backgrounds and abilities in mind. Research has shown time and again that business decisions made with diverse input are more profitable. Therefore, these skills are relevant in every workplace training.

Also, share examples of allies and people who have made positive change in DEI — and who also share identities with the people in the training. Make sure learners can see how they can make a difference in DEI work and also how they benefit from it. Creating a space that emphasizes shared learning, and mutual growth can help foster openness and understanding.

• Facilitators are not prepared to manage harmful statements or participants that take over the conversation.

Set community expectations at the beginning of the session with the help of participants. Guidelines should ensure space for all voices and can be referred to as needed, especially if someone is taking up too much space. Be sure that the guidelines also address intent vs. impact. Then if someone says something harmful, you can use that to remind participants that the intent may have been positive, but the impact was negative, so there needs to be some repairing of harm.

• If leaders are not actively participating in equitable and inclusive behaviors and holding themselves and others accountable for these efforts, change will not occur.

DEI considerations should be part of all hiring, training and evaluation — every part of every employee’s lifecycle. Equitable practices and inclusive behaviors should be part of how managers and other employees are evaluated and part of how raises, promotions and layoffs are determined.

Extra Tips for Effective Trainings

You can also make DEI training more effective by:

• Customizing the training to reflect the specific challenges, culture and goals of the organization. Incorporate real-life scenarios and case studies relevant to the participants’ roles, making the training feel practical and directly applicable. This helps participants see the immediate value of DEI principles in their everyday work environment, fostering greater buy-in and engagement.
• Implementing follow-up sessions, such as group discussions using actual situations participants have encountered since the initial training. This encourages participants to process and apply what they’ve learned over time. Providing space for reflection helps participants engage deeply with the material and allows facilitators to address lingering questions, misconceptions or resistance in a constructive way.

Effective DEI training isn’t about quick fixes or one-time sessions; successful implementation requires thoughtful design, clear goals and sustained effort. By integrating key principles of DEI into everyday workplace practices, ensuring leadership accountability, and creating opportunities for continued learning, organizations can foster meaningful change. When done well, DEI training can be a powerful tool for building a more inclusive and equitable workplace culture — and a more successful organization.