Sensitivity training, also known as diversity training, is a type of program designed to help people of different genders, religions, ages, races, or sexual orientations respect each other. The specific procedures vary depending on the training’s leader, but they usually include lectures, discussions, and exercises to help participants understand and respect one another. The training can be used anywhere, but it is most commonly used in workplaces and educational settings.
One of the main focuses of training is usually participant discussion. An instructor will frequently begin sensitivity training asking participants to bring up any issues that they are concerned about at work or in school. The instructor generally encourages participants to share their perspectives and collaborate as a group to come up with new ways to resolve conflicts and improve communication. Participants can also participate in role-playing exercises, in which the instructor creates various conflict scenarios and has them act out the most effective ways to deal with various situations with various types of people without creating tension.
One of the main goals of sensitivity training is to help people from various backgrounds communicate more effectively so that they can work together more effectively and avoid misunderstandings. Participants can learn how their actions may be misinterpreted people with different beliefs or backgrounds as a result of the program. For example, a person may not realize that his or her words or actions offend someone of a different religion or gender, which can make it difficult for the two people to communicate and work together comfortably.
If people in a professional environment have completely opposing lifestyles or beliefs, sensitivity training can be used to teach tolerance and prevent animosity. An instructor can teach students how to treat others professionally while also preventing personal beliefs from being mistreated or causing conflicts. Employers may require their employees to participate in the training in order to assist them in dealing professionally with customers and to avoid legal action as a result of intolerant or offensive employee behavior.
If a person is accused of discrimination, sensitivity training may be used as a form of reform or punishment. One of the most common reasons for implementing the training is to prevent sexual harassment. Men and women can both benefit from learning what constitutes harassment and how to avoid it in the future.