It’s no secret that today, effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are imperative when it comes to both employee engagement and overall customer satisfaction. Organizations that embrace DEI principles are proven to lead in the market, while creating a culture where everyone feels valued. However, the success of DEI efforts hinges on the organization’s unique culture and challenges. 

We know that many organizations fall into the trap of implementing generic, one-size-fits-all DEI programs that fail to address the needs and nuances of individual organizations. When your organization is considering investing in a custom DEI training, what should you be thinking about and prioritizing? 

We explore four tips for organizations to consider before getting started on their custom DEI training program below. 

Custom DEI Training Tips

1. Training Should Resonate with Your Organization’s Specific Culture

Custom DEI training adapts its content to reflect your organization’s specific values and language. For example, a retail company may prioritize what DEI looks like for employees across corporate, manufacturing, and individual stores within its DEI curriculum, reinforcing specific employee experiences. This alignment fosters genuine buy-in from employees, making the training feel intrinsic to the company culture. 

We’ve also seen that recognizing individual employee experiences can mean understanding the varying levels of awareness within your organization. We know that for new hires, this might look like more basic training on DEI principles, while senior staff could engage in advanced workshops on allyship and unconscious bias. This tiered strategy ensures all employees receive relevant training that encourages continuous growth.

2. Offer Tailored Examples to Enhance Relevance 

A key advantage of custom DEI training is the use of business-specific examples that resonate with employees’ daily experiences. So, how can you make sure when employees leave the training, they have tangible things to apply?  

If we think about what a custom DEI training might look in a pharma setting, for instance, it might include case studies on patient interactions, emphasizing the importance of cultural competency and sensitivity, or thinking about what equity looks like in clinical trials. This approach helps life sciences professionals understand how DEI directly influences patient outcomes and workplace dynamics, making the content more relevant and easier to internalize. If employees see realistic examples that they can immediately apply in their roles, it helps take the training out of the theoretical and integrates it into everyday practices. 

3. Boost Understanding and Inclusion with an Empathy-Driven Approach

We also know that an empathy-driven approach is vital for effective DEI training, as it creates a space where employees feel comfortable sharing their experiences and being vulnerable without fear of judgment. Custom DEI training tends to more easily create these types of spaces, as they’re more likely to build trust with participants than a one-size-fits-all approach. This in turn can help foster more honest conversations and help colleagues talk about issues on a personal level. 

By encouraging empathy, custom DEI training helps employees challenge their own biases and advocate for inclusive practices. This deeper understanding is crucial for building a truly inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected. 

4. Connect Training to Overall Organizational Action

One of the most common criticisms of generic DEI training that we hear is the feeling that it was done in a vacuum and doesn’t necessarily tie into the organization’s overarching goals.  

With custom DEI training, employees are better able to pull the thread of what their organization is doing in terms of action when it comes to DEI. Employees can more clearly make that connection and think about what their organization is doing to move the needle, whether that’s engaging senior leadership from the start or setting goals, measuring them, and creating accountability for the results.  

How Clarkston Can Help 

At Clarkston, our custom DEI training follows a four-step methodology: 

1. Align: We begin by understanding your organization’s specific DEI goals and aligning them with the training objectives to ensure relevance and effectiveness. 
2. Design: We then develop a custom curriculum that reflects your organizational culture and directly addresses your DEI challenges. 
3. Deliver: Our training is delivered by our experienced DEI consultants, who provide an engaging, interactive format that blends lectures, discussions, activities, and real-world examples. 
4. Support: After training is complete, we offer ongoing support to integrate DEI principles into your practices, ensuring sustainable success and continuous improvement. 

By tailoring DEI training to the specific needs of your organization, you can empower your workforce and create a strong culture of DEI. 

Going Forward 

In 2025, we know that organizations prioritizing custom DEI training are setting themselves up for success long-term. If your company is ready to build an inclusive culture that empowers all employees, let’s discuss how we can tailor a DEI training program that fits your unique needs. Click here to start the conversation.