Top 5 Solutions to Make Your Global Diversity Training Less U.S. Centric
Global companies founded in the U.S. have traditionally exported U.S. approaches to project management, team design, and communication to their locations outside of the U.S. Has the same approach been applied to diversity training?
Today’s global diversity leaders are versed in the concepts of respect and inclusion, yet global diversity training too often disproportionately emphasizes race and gender, to the point of excluding other forms of diversity. The association of diversity training with race and gender has led to the international perception of diversity as a U.S. issue stemming from equal opportunity laws that may not be relevant in other countries. In cultures where race and gender aren’t the dominant diversity issues, the U.S.-centric positioning of diversity training leads to statements like, “Why are we offering this training here – we have no diversity issues in our country!”
For diversity and inclusion to be recognized as globally relevant, diversity training must extend beyond gender and race. When we at IBIS, a diversity & inclusion consulting company, conduct surveys with global companies to assess diversity and inclusion needs, we find that race is not a central diversity challenge for relatively homogenous countries such as the Nordics, Japan, and Korea. In these countries, national identity, which varies by region and country depending on openness to immigration, integration, and citizenship, is a more relevant diversity challenge.
Our surveys show gender as a relevant topic in every country, but the historical and social aspects of gender diversity vary greatly by region. Responses to our surveys and work with regional experts indicate that diversity training becomes more engaging when focused on diversity issues that are regionally specific. Examples include class and educational background in APAC, generational issues in India, religious issues in Europe, social class in Latin America and India, and disability in most regions.
U.S.-Centric Implementation Challenges
Diversity training must also extend beyond a U.S.-centric implementation. Typically, U.S.-based cases and scenarios are used, and training is delivered in English by U.S. facilitators. Literal translations and non-customized instructional techniques lack sensitivity to cultural and regional differences. Training often discusses diversity in polarizing terms, focusing on the challenges rather than on the advantages of working within a diverse team.
Five Training Solutions for Global Diversity Training
Translating diversity training into a globally relevant service requires progressive steps away from these U.S.-centric practices. In IBIS’s experience partnering with and assessing the diversity training needs for U.S.-based global corporations, we have developed the following five training solutions to make global diversity training truly “global”:
Focus on Common Diversity Issues Globally Relevant: Focus on issues that are universal, such as gender, age, thinking styles, work-life balance, disability, and cultural differences. For example, in the Middle East, focusing on sexual orientation can limit the success of the diversity training effort entirely. It will be more effective to focus on universal skills required to effectively work across any kind of difference.
Tool Example: The FLEX model designed by IBIS addresses cultural biases and promotes inclusion. View the FLEX model here.
Use a Variety of Modalities and Instructional Techniques: Implement different teaching modalities to engage and maximize the potential of different learning styles. These modalities include e-learning, webinars, instructor-led training, and theater-based training, where employees watch professional actors perform and then participate in a follow-up discussion.
Case in Point: U.S. facilitators in global locations realized they needed to modify instructional techniques based on the region. In APAC, facilitators adjusted their approach by providing the content for group discussions and acting out role-play skits themselves, which was culturally appropriate.
Connect Diversity Training to Specific Company Goals: Develop a strategy to communicate how the training will ultimately help with company innovation, productivity, and engagement. Do not frame diversity as a stand-alone issue.
Example: A business leader in India positioned his company’s diversity training under team productivity and effectiveness, reducing resistance from employees.
Conduct Region-Specific Train-the-Trainer Programs: Partner with local trainers in each international region to equip them with knowledge and tools to facilitate follow-up dialogue that is region-specific.
Case in Point: In EMEA, regional consultants advised including religion as a primary dimension of the training program. In China, focusing on the urban-rural/North-South aspect proved critical when discussing diversity.
Do Not Ignore the “Local Diversity Story”: Diversity issues in each region are different, and each region has its own specific history and legal and social perspectives that need to be highlighted.
Case in Point: Not understanding the local story pertaining to the Kashmir region led to financial repercussions during a product launch for a global technology company. A lack of local knowledge caused a product to be banned in India.
It is important that employees hear and recognize their “local diversity story” – familiar scenarios, faces, terms, and locations to which they can relate. A global diversity training initiative must be culturally sensitive to be engaging or compelling. A U.S.-centric approach may inadvertently subvert the intended message of global inclusion.