Educating team members in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) can be daunting, especially for leaders who feel in the dark themselves on these concepts. With so much chatter surrounding the topic, it can be a challenge to tune out the noise and get back to the basics that are so fundamental to an effective DEI training program.

Kari Mayfield, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Ping Identity, shares her perspective on the core values of DEI, why training is important, and how security leaders can effectively implement it.

What is DEI?

Mayfield explains, “Diversity encompasses a broad range of different traits and attributes. This can include gender identity, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and identity, and age. It can also include thinking styles, experience levels, backgrounds, geographic areas, and socio-economic status. So, when it comes to DEI, diversity is the mix of different people, inclusion is about bringing the mix together to work well together, and equity is fulfilling the promise of equal access and opportunity to rewards and support that are available to everyone.”

Why is DEI training important?

“I truly believe it is fundamental that we educate, lean in and really try to understand what DEI means,” Mayfield states.

DEI training can promote a sense of connection between individuals within the wider team, which is crucial for any workforce. Not everyone has experienced being bothered due to their identity, and that lack of experience may make it difficult for one employee to understand what another is going through. DEI training can provide clarity and promote healthy workplace connections.

“If you haven’t been put into a situation in which you feel different, then you might not be able to understand the feelings of team members who have been made to feel like outsiders at times,” Mayfield says. “Training is the cornerstone for every individual to develop skills, knowledge and competencies in the DEI space. Training is essential to understanding how we can create more inclusive workspaces and to better understand, from an individual perspective, what key behaviors and actions are needed to cultivate an environment where every employee feels like they belong.”

If DEI education is not already a facet of an organization’s training program, its absence may cause leaders to miss opportunities to foster a better team culture.

“It’s up to us to create the culture we want to live in. Culture is not a spectator sport, and if we want to live in a culture that is welcoming to all, then it is up to every individual to contribute to that culture,” Mayfield says.

Benefits of DEI training

Helping employees to better understand each other can come with innumerable benefits. Mayfield focuses on two key benefits: value for the individual and value for the institution.

Individual Value

DEI training helps promote a culture of mutual respect, which makes the workplace a healthier environment for employees.

It’s up to us to create the culture we want to live in. Culture is not a spectator sport, and if we want to live in a culture that is welcoming to all, then it is up to every individual to contribute to that culture.

“By building an inclusive culture — and making sure the culture is considerate — helps individuals to feel respected. They feel that they’re being listened to and valued,” Mayfield states. “Not only that, individuals receiving DEI training learn to recognize and address unconscious bias, helping to mitigate that bias in the workplace.”

Institutional Value

Individual employees are not the only ones who see benefits of DEI training in the workplace. The entire workplace benefits from DEI training, as it encourages organizations to diversify talent recruitment pools.

Diversity on a team can promote innovation and creativity, as individuals with unique backgrounds provide fresh perspectives to tackle challenges. However, hiring diverse candidates is only the first step.

Mayfield says, “As the diversity of a workplace increases, leaders should ask, ‘We’ve brought these employees in the door — but how do we retain them?’”

A leader’s responsibility to DEI

Employees are not the only ones who need to be mindful of DEI — leaders need to as well, perhaps even more so than other employees. Leaders are in an excellent position to promote a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere within their team. But how can leaders take the first step toward fostering an inviting environment?

When it comes to enacting inclusive practices within the workplace, leaders are encouraged to do what they do best: lead.

“Leaders can support DEI initiatives by using their voices and platforms to advocate for others on their team,” Mayfield explains. “Leaders should also promote an open-door policy to encourage communication about questions, mistakes and learning. This can help employees feel welcomed and respected.”

Best practices for DEI training

It Starts with Onboarding

“Make sure DEI training is embedded in the onboarding process, because you really want every new hire coming in the door to understand that inclusivity is important to the company culture.”

Establish and Inform Employees of Resource Groups

“As a leader, make sure employees know about Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). They’re a great way for individuals to know there is a community for them if they are looking for it.”

Engage middle leaders

“DEI training for managers is essential. If you’ve got executive support and grassroots support, that’s fantastic; but without the middle leaders engaged, you won’t go very far. You may be able to get training done, but you won’t make much impact in terms of cultivating a sustainable culture of inclusivity.”

Intentionality is key to success

To ensure DEI training is effective, Mayfield recommends practicing daily intentionality.

Mayfield asserts, “Intentionality is really important. The work around inclusion has to be top of mind every day. It isn’t like most training programs where you roll them out and they’re one and done. It’s the actions that are taken outside of DEI training situations that will actually create the welcoming culture you’re looking for.”

DEI training doesn’t need to be daunting. Everyone is learning something new each day about how to best make their team members feel welcomed and appreciated — DEI training simply provides a framework for it.

“We all have opportunities to learn and grow,” Mayfield says.