Diversity and inclusion training is crucial because it cultivates a work environment where employees from diverse backgrounds feel valued, respected, and included.
Your training materials provide resources for employees to learn and look back on and are an extension of your company values. Not only should they be fully brand-compliant, but they should also be engaging and include vital information.
By prioritizing the design and delivery of D&I training materials, organizations can create impactful learning experiences that foster engagement and motivate employees to bring their whole selves to work. We’ve gathered the diversity topics worth building a session around, some of our templates your teams can use for D&I, and some ways to inspire and educate teams on the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Diversity topics for your next presentation
A training session goes better when it’s built around one topic the room can really dig into. Here are ten diversity topics for a presentation, with a few notes on which session format fits.
- Unconscious bias. Show where quick judgments creep into résumé screens and performance reviews. Anonymized examples from your own process will do more than a stock slide, and the topic suits the small-group workshop format described below.
- Microaggressions. These are the offhand comments and habits that tell a colleague they don’t quite belong, usually without the speaker meaning it. Spend most of the session on how to respond in the moment, and let people rehearse it in pairs.
- Inclusive language. Cover the terms your company has agreed on and the reasoning behind them, in job postings and in the way a manager addresses the team. End with a one-slide glossary people can find again later.
- Inclusive meetings. Look at who speaks first, who gets interrupted, and how remote attendees get a word in. Ask each team to leave with two or three meeting habits they’ll change that week.
- Generations at work. A single team can span four generations, each with its own expectations about feedback and working hours. A storytelling session with a panel from different age groups keeps the discussion clear of stereotypes.
- Disability inclusion and accessibility. Talk about visible and invisible disabilities and how to request an accommodation, then cover the accessibility basics for documents and slides. The FAQ at the end covers how to make the presentation itself accessible.
- Neurodiversity. Explain what the term covers (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more) and which small changes help, like sending agendas before meetings or putting instructions in writing as well as saying them.
- Religious and cultural observances. Find out which holidays matter to your team and how to plan work and events around them. A shared calendar slide makes it easy to act on.
- Employee resource groups. Walk through what your ERGs do and how to start a new one. Hand part of the session to ERG leads so employees hear it from their peers.
- Inclusive leadership. Aim this session at managers. Cover fair one-on-ones and feedback that names specific work, and ask managers to notice who gets left out of decisions. Our post on presentation ideas for leadership teams has more formats for this audience.
Whichever topic you pick, the templates below give you a structure to build on.
Diversity and inclusion training presentation templates
Delivering effective DEI training requires more than just informative content, it demands engaging and visually appealing presentations to capture attention and drive understanding. Here are some of our templates to elevate your training sessions:
Training presentation template
Any diversity and inclusion training session isn’t complete without our training template. A good training presentation can provide structure to your meeting and deliver your message efficiently. With a topic as important as diversity and inclusion, you want to make sure your content sticks.
Our recommended slides provide a guideline for the progression of information you’re presenting in an engaging and fully designed way. Just input your company’s approved colors, fonts, and images, and you’ll have an on-brand DEI resource in minutes.
Company culture presentation template
As a template formatted to encourage employees and meet their needs and values, the company culture template becomes the perfect vehicle to showcase DEI policies or plans. With slides like company story, mission statement, core values, and future outlook, you can easily format this template to showcase your diversity and inclusion policies or updates.
New hire presentation template
What better time to showcase your diversity and inclusion training and policies than in a new hire presentation template? Make sure to include a slide with policy information as well as links to any required training or resources so new hires have that information from day one.
Employee handbook presentation template
Your employee handbook covers everything: the company’s history and values, essential policies, perks and benefits, expected employee behavior, who they can contact for help, and much more. This presentation template will ensure that your employee handbook is updated with DEI information and company branding.
Engage employees with diversity and inclusion presentation ideas
Now that we’ve gotten the templates out of the way, here are some ideas that can get active discussion going in your workplace about the importance of highlighting diverse perspectives. These training sessions are anything but lectures or meetings, they involve participation from the different groups that make up your workforce. Utilize the templates above as a guiding point, but allow your employees or employee resource groups to take the lead here.
1. Storytelling sessions
Stories have a unique power to evoke empathy and understanding. Invite individuals from diverse backgrounds within your organization to share their personal experiences. These sessions can have a theme, like career obstacles or growth opportunities, and highlight the value they bring to the workplace. Encourage open dialogue and active listening to foster a deeper understanding of your colleagues.
2. Interactive workshops
Break away from traditional lecture-style presentations and opt for an interactive workshop instead. Divide participants into small groups and facilitate discussions on topics like unconscious bias, microaggressions, and privilege. Use real-life scenarios and case studies to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. Incorporate activities like role-playing or scenario-based simulations to provide practical experience in handling diversity-related situations.
3. Cultural competency training
Enhance cultural competence by organizing training sessions that explore the customs, traditions, and communication styles of different cultural groups. Invite guest speakers or cultural experts to lead on topics such as cultural sensitivity, etiquette, and cross-cultural communication. Provide resources and tools to help employees navigate diverse cultural contexts effectively.
4. Allyship training sessions
Empower employees to become effective allies by offering allyship training sessions. Teach participants how to recognize and challenge bias, advocate for underrepresented groups in and out of the office, and create an inclusive environment. Provide practical strategies and resources for supporting colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Encourage ongoing dialogue and reflection to foster a culture of allyship with the organization.
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