Equality and Diversity Training

Equality and diversity training has been developed over the years to stop discrimination, with varying degrees of success. The most successful diversity training helps people to develop their thinking and understanding, and instil a desire to be fair. Although current legislation helps, no law can truly get under the skin of how people feel and behave. To do that we must focus on people's attitudes, feelings and perspectives on equality. We need to take a look at our own prejudices and stereotypes; and see how prejudice translates into active discrimination. True understanding of equality and diversity means that who a person is, is far more important than what they are.

With the introduction of various directives from the European Union it is now important that companies examine their attitudes and policies on gender, race, disability, sexuality, age and religion. Given this, we believe that an understanding of the legislation and its effect on company policies is important for all employees.

Having said this, we tend to do things differently, when we think about equality and diversity issues we don’t offer standard “off the shelf” equal opportunities training. Our experience is that with this type of workshop people can attend a fairly standard one-day event covering the legislation and company policy and leave with the feeling that the work was “bolt-on” and irrelevant to them. The organisation feels it has done what is required but little really changes back in the workplace.

In our equality and diversity workshops of course we cover legislation and each company’s own policies, but our focus is on examining people's perspectives on difference, diversity, change and the attitudes and feelings that are sometimes difficult for people around equal opportunities programmes.

If people feel unable to engage with the realities of working within a diverse, multi-cultural organisation the training isn’t doing its job properly.