A Future for Organizational Diversity Training: Mobilizing Diversity Science to Improve Effectiveness

In recent decades, diversity training has become a frequently used tool in efforts to reduce bias and increase inclusion in organizations. However, the effectiveness of diversity training has been called into question. The content and methods of diversity training programs vary widely, making it difficult to scientifically evaluate their effectiveness. Using a database of programs marketed to human resource professionals, we analyze advertised descriptions of 163 organizational diversity training programs and characterize their described content and methodologies. Our analysis generated themes about the ways training programs are designed to intervene (e.g., combating bias and stereotypes, fostering positive intergroup relations, reaping benefits from diversity), the goals they purport to achieve (e.g., bias reduction, cultural competence, increased productivity, employee satisfaction), and the forms the programs take (e.g., individual self-paced e-learning, live group training). Based on our analysis of what training providers promise and what research tells us such training can do, we discuss three key challenges to these programs' effectiveness in addressing organizational inequalities and to our ability to assess their effectiveness. We conclude by offering five recommendations to better align diversity training with the outcomes that providers and organizational leaders expect it to achieve.