A work environment that encourages creative freedom and authentic self-expression increases the bottom line and keeps employees engaged.
While there are many ways to achieve this, here we’ll focus on one of the biggest ones: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
With the proper training — combined with the implementation of key principles and practices —you can transform the organizational culture and achieve a positive, productive work environment.
Here are the 15 top DEI courses for growing and maximizing your team’s potential, plus some additional insights on selecting the right courses for your organization.
Why Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Are So Important
Cultivating a diverse and inclusive workspace that welcomes professionals from all walks of life is one of the leading ways to increase innovation and productivity, as well as boost the bottom line.
Employees who feel free to be themselves are much happier and more motivated.
DEI is not about making anyone feel bad about who they are. Rather, it’s an expansion of points of view and lived experience. It’s also an education about how some “old” ways of doing things have held groups of people back by limiting their options and resources.
The more this is addressed and rectified, the easier it becomes to affect change.
Learn more: 8 Reasons Why DEI is Essential for Your Business
How to Select the Right DEI Courses for Your Organization
Before booking speakers or buying courses, it’s important to consider what you’re hoping to learn. What are the specific issues or areas you’d like to address and learn more about?
Choose the Right Curriculum
Identify current DEI challenges within your organization. These can be blind spots (areas vulnerable to bias) or departments or operations where diversity seems to be lacking. Perhaps you want to educate the team on microaggressions or find ways to build more inclusive leadership.
Select the Right Course
Some businesses hire an expert to provide an in-person DEI training seminar. Others use self-paced independent study modules, complete with quizzes, that they’ve purchased online.
Without disrupting the workflow too much, choose a course that addresses the organization’s needs from an educational and practical standpoint. Each course has different pricing options if you’re working within a budget.
Consider the Initiative’s Goals
Are you hoping to further your employees’ education through courses, or are you hoping to use DEI training as part of a larger culture overhaul?
For those serious about buckling down and implementing change, becoming an Obsidi® partner is an excellent way to diversify your pipeline.
Obsidi® partners get their business in front of one of the fastest-growing groups of Black tech professionals: over 100,000 and counting.
For those looking to establish a partnership with an organization that promotes a diverse workforce, Obsidi® is the way to go.
Once you’re clear about the goals, curriculum, and method in which you’d like the course taught to your employees, it’s much easier to cross off the training that doesn’t meet your objectives and focus on the ones that do.
The 15 Best Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Courses
In no particular order, here are 15 of the best DEI courses available. Along with the general details of each, we’re including a brief description of who they’re for and why we think they’re great.
1. Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace by Coursera
What it is: This 4-module course (approximately 10 hours) helps learners understand the paradox and dynamics of diversity. It addresses how to create a workplace that maximizes the potential of diversity to increase performance and innovation overall. This is one of many DEI-related courses provided through the Coursera certificate program.
Who it’s for: This course is recommended for leadership and management.
Why we love it: It’s a self-paced course that covers the foundational components of DEI and provides guidance on how to apply them in the workplace. This course is a must for anyone looking to expand their perspective; the principles are clear and easily translate to the modern work environment.
2. Allyship in the Workplace by Paradigm
What it is: This course allows learners to choose between in-person or online training. Allyship’s goal is to increase awareness about lived experiences and perspectives. The course equips employees with the knowledge and understanding of what it means to be an ally and how they can support others.
Who it’s for: This course is ideal for all employees at every level of the organization.
Why we love it: It’s flexible. The course can be adjusted to address specific company requirements and increase DEI initiatives through employee education and action.
3. Counteracting Unconscious Bias by eCornell
What it is: eCornell’s two-week course takes about 3 to 5 hours to complete each week. It is an online instructor-led program designed to help organizations identify the dimensions of diversity that matter the most, uncover biases, and identify and provide interventions to override bias-related judgment errors in decision-making.
Who it’s for: It’s highly recommended for executives, managers, supervisors, and anyone interested in an inclusive and equitable work environment.
Why we love it: The course is instructor-led, allowing participants to interact directly with them. Students can have their questions answered and gain a deeper understanding of the material presented.
4. Anti-Racism Training by CultureAlly
What it is: CultureAlly offers a variety of courses that focus on anti-racism. Their training options are virtual or in-person, and the different classes are on topics such as “Becoming an Anti-Racist Leader: Strategies and Action Steps for a More Inclusive Workplace” or “Anti-Racism for White People: Walking the Walk.” There are also customized training options.
Who it’s for: CultureAlly has courses appropriate for everyone within the organization.
Why we love it: The customized approach combined with the variety of anti-racism courses provides the opportunity to undergo training relevant to your organization’s needs. That, coupled with their DEI audits and targeted assistance, helps every participating organization apply the newfound knowledge to their work environment.
5. Rolling Out a Diversity and Inclusion Training Program in Your Company by LinkedIn Learning
What it is: This LinkedIn Learning course covers the fundamentals of rolling out a diversity, equity, and belonging course specifically tailored to your company’s needs. It includes sections on asking the right questions and identifying the right partners to help support the program’s initiatives.
Who it’s for: This course is ideal for management and human resources.
Why we love it: The course provides an excellent foundation. It covers the basics of implementing DEI and equips learners with actionable steps they can apply to their organization.
6. Outsmarting Implicit Bias by Harvard Online
What it is: This Harvard Online course delves into the science behind implicit bias, uncovering the latest research into the human brain. Participants in this three-week course (one hour per week) receive comprehensive insight into how the mind works. They also learn strategies they can actively employ to identify and counteract implicit bias.
Who it’s for: Designed for both individuals and teams
Why we love it: It’s always empowering to understand the why behind some of the more complex subconscious workings of the brain. This course provides that foundation — plus strategies you can readily employ to counteract some of those mental processes.
7. Inclusive and Ethical Leadership Certificate by Academia Central
What it is: Essentially a compilation of 40 TED talks given by expert speakers from around the world, this course covers the fundamentals of leading a diverse workforce. Participants spend a total of 20 hours in a self-paced learning format to complete the program and earn a certificate.
Who it’s for: Leadership, management, and company executives
Why we love it: This course is free, self-paced, and uses a well-rounded approach. Topics include emotional intelligence, communication, conflict management, and more. It is an excellent adjunct to other DEI initiatives.
8. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essentials by Udemy
What it is: Offered through the online course purveyor Udemy, this class covers the foundations of DEI and how to put these principles into practice. Modules include how to cultivate and nurture DEI elements in the workplace, as well as how to include them in the customer experience. This is one of many DEI-related classes provided by Udemy.
Who it’s for: Anyone eager to learn the foundations of DEI and promote them within the workplace
Why we love it: An excellent and thorough self-paced introduction. Participants can use this as their foundation, and explore some of the other DEI-related topics offered by Udemy.
9. An Introduction to LGBTIQ+ Community and Allyship by Udemy
What it is: Another Udemy offering, this course is geared towards cultivating an inclusive environment for LGBTIQ+ individuals. It covers unique facets and life experiences that straight people may never even consider. The class also provides participants with information on how to be an ally.
Who it’s for: Everyone within an organization benefits from participating in this course.
Why we love it: This (and other Udemy courses like it) is an excellent way to get your team to learn about the nuances of DEI by deep-diving into one of the targeted demographics.
10. Engaging the Tension of Diversity by Artesian Collaborative
What it is: This is an incredible course emphasizing one of the critical aspects we need to squash to effectively make change. The class highlights the discomfort many experience around diversity — from openly discussing it to developing an understanding of people who are somehow “different.” There are in-person sessions, online options, and self-paced studies available. This course challenges participants to show up and authentically engage.
Who it’s for: This course is ideal for everyone.
Why we love it: The more people learn to have uncomfortable conversations to reach a deeper understanding of each other, the better this world will become.
11. Diversity and Inclusion Certification Course by HR University
What it is: This training covers everything needed to build an effective DEI program in the workplace. It is intended for human resources professionals and is self-paced, typically taking a week to complete.
Who it’s for: The HR department within an organization
Why we love it: This course invites you to identify and challenge current beliefs, and clearly outlines the foundation necessary to create a robust DEI initiative within your business.
12. Leading in a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Culture by the American Management Association
What it is: A course designed for leadership that examines what’s required in order to effectively lead a diverse team and yield exceptional results. Participants learn through self-assessment, case studies, and hands-on experience. This course takes two days and offers in-person or webinar learning opportunities.
Who it’s for: Management and leadership
Why we love it: The sessions provide a fantastic opportunity for leaders to grow.
13. Cultural Intelligence by The Cultural Intelligence Center
What it is: This course explains how to work best in culturally diverse situations and covers everything related to cultural intelligence. A key aspect necessary for innovation and growth, learning how to harness the power of a diverse team is critical for any business.
Who it’s for: The Cultural Intelligence Center offers a variety of courses on the topic; choose the one for management or the company-wide version.
Why we love it: This is such an important aspect of business and a topic that everyone who wants to succeed should learn more about.
14. Anti-Racism Training, Privilege & Allyship by EW Group
What it is: This course covers how to be an anti-racist, specifically with ways you can structure the workplace culture to uphold anti-racist principles. It uses a proactive positive approach to help everyone within the organization to first find the “why” behind mental blocks that may lead to resistance, while uncovering and challenging workplace discrimination that may still exist.
Who it’s for: Every employee benefits from this training.
Why we love it: The positive, proactive approach makes addressing a difficult topic easier.
15. Advancing Racial Justice by CHUBB
What it is: Chubb provides anti-racism training for the workplace. Their courses cover building empathy and awareness, inclusive hiring and recruiting, and interactive bystander training where participants learn to stand up to bias.
Who it’s for: There are courses for everyone.
Why we love it: The classes address challenging topics by providing real-life training and examples of how to stand up against bias when it occurs, and be an effective ally.
Conclusion
From sexual orientation to cultural competence and advocacy for different ethnicities, these training courses cover a myriad of topics related to social justice.
Make a list of the ones that you’d like to enroll your team in, and reap the benefits from expanding your company’s professional development in a fair and equitable way.
Ready to elevate your team based on your DEI training? Start using Obsidi® Recruit today to hire the best Black talent in tech.
