Two Types of Diversity Training That Really Work

by Alex Lindsey, Eden King, Ashley Membere and Ho Kwan Cheung

July 28, 2017

Summary.

One of the most common ways that companies attempt to address organizational diversity is through formal training. Yet research on the effectiveness of such programs has yielded mixed results: Some studies show that diversity training is effective, others show it’s ineffective, and still others show that it may actually lead to backlash. This has led to pessimism regarding diversity training, with some claiming it simply doesn’t work.

Alex Lindsey is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. His research examines individual and organizational strategies for reducing discrimination in the workplace and has been published in high quality outlets such as the Journal of Applied Psychology and the Journal of Business and Psychology.

Eden King is the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Rice University. She is pursuing a program of research that seeks to guide the equitable and effective management of diverse organizations. She has also partnered with organizations to improve diversity climate, increase fairness in selection systems, and to design and implement diversity training programs.

Ashley Membere is a Ph.D. candidate in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at George Mason University. Her program of research examines how the overlap of multiple identities and demographic characteristics can impact one’s experiences at work, with a specific focus on the intersection of race and gender.

Ho Kwan Cheung is a Ph.D. candidate in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at George Mason University. Her research strives to understand the consequences of discrimination in the workplace and organizational remediation strategies, with a specific focus on women and mothers.