Employee disengagement is becoming an increasingly critical issue for companies worldwide. With a staggering cost of over $8 trillion globally, the implications of a disengaged workforce are far-reaching. Amidst this landscape, the “Great Detachment” looms large, with younger employees, particularly Gen Z, leading a significant shift in workplace dynamics.

A recent study sheds light on a previously underexplored aspect of DEI training. While much focus has been placed on the facilitators, trainers and the content of DEI programs, this study examines how employees actually respond to the training. Published in Harvard Business Review, the research titled “4 Ways Employees Respond to DEI Initiatives” identifies four categories of employee reactions: excited supporters, calm compliers, torn shapers and discontented opponents. The study advocates, and we at SunShower Learning concur, that recognizing these diverse responses allows managers to tailor their approaches, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all model in DEI training and practices.

Inclusion without equity fails to address the systemic barriers that prevent equal opportunities and outcomes for all employees. Equity goes beyond treating everyone the same; it involves recognizing and addressing the unique challenges faced by different groups and providing the necessary support and resources to ensure fair treatment and opportunities for success. Without equity, inclusion efforts may still fall short, as underlying disparities and biases remain unaddressed.

In essence, the rebranding of DEI programs signifies a maturation of the diversity discourse. It’s a recognition that achieving meaningful change demands a multifaceted approach that transcends superficial symbolism. As organizations embrace this evolution, they must remain steadfast in their commitment to fostering truly inclusive cultures and advancing equity for all individuals, irrespective of background or identity.

With over two decades of experience in the educational sector, Hideko Akashi, founder and lead consultant at Liberation Consulting, has been a steadfast advocate for diversity, privilege, social justice, inclusion and equity.

While the challenges may seem daunting, there remains hope in collective action. As King admonished, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” That time is now.

Today, we are offering a way forward, through the turbulence, beyond and above the fray. Our aim is to empower you to not only engage in your DEI efforts but to take a leap into action with renewed vigor and determination! We are proud to announce the launch of a new eLearning training program, DEI LEAP: Fostering Inclusion and Building Humanity with Lisette Martinez, the Chief Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer at the National Audubon Society and one of SunShower’s distinguished experts.

The Color Blindness Trap: How a civil rights ideal got hijacked. Nikole Hannah-Jones is a domestic correspondent for The New York Times Magazine focusing on racial injustice. Her extensive reporting in both print and radio has earned a Pulitzer Prize, National Magazine Award, Peabody and a Polk Award. She is the creator of The 1619 Project and also teaches race and journalism at Howard University.

Have you ever come across that non-apology apology? You know, the one that goes, “I’m sorry if you were offended,” or its close cousin, “I’m sorry that you…” These non-apologies aren’t just weak; they can actually inflict more harm and exacerbate hurt feelings.

In an era where corporate social responsibility is no longer just a buzzword but a fundamental aspect of successful business strategies, McKinsey’s latest report, “Diversity Matters Even More: The Case for Holistic Impact,” underscores the undeniable link between leadership diversity and company performance.

In an era marred by politicized attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Shaun Harper, a distinguished DEI expert, sheds light on the perilous trend of business leaders adopting a “lay low” strategy.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”- The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King

Musk’s sweeping statements on social media, with over 3.3 million views, oversimplify a complex issue and fuel the fire of his personal agenda at the expense of addressing systemic inequalities that cause great harm in the workplace.

Many Black women express a sense of being ignored or dismissed by healthcare professionals. The repercussions of such experiences can be life-threatening for both mothers and babies. The New York Times has published a new article that takes a closer look at this issue. It’s entitled “How Unconscious Bias in Health Care Puts Pregnant Black Women at Higher Risk.”

Amidst the joy of the holiday—cherishing togetherness, celebrating with family and friends, and expressing gratitude— there’s a potential for discomfort as opinions are shared and points of view clash. As we gather around the table, the age-old dilemma surfaces: should I speak up or remain silent when confronted with derogatory remarks, offensive jokes, stereotypes, or divisive language?

In the United States, racial segregation and discrimination have cast long and oppressive shadows over the lives of Black individuals. While we often discuss the many consequences of these systemic injustices, one aspect that deserves more attention is their impact on...

“Three short years after their collective response to massive protests over the police murder of George Floyd,
companies are reneging on their diversity pledges.”

After months of development, the new SunShower Learning learner app is now ready for prime time.

By Gina Miller ~ We all have moments in our lives that we look back on with regret, wishing we had acted differently. One such moment for me was the day I didn’t speak up in the face of discrimination and stereotypes. It’s a story I’ve carried with me, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up against injustice, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.

A new report by Kantar “finds that cutting DEI out of a company’s marketing strategy can result in major losses and may already be costing U.S. businesses $5.4 trillion. Kantar’s ‘Brand Inclusion Index’ found that not only is there a financial advantage to a strong DEI strategy, but that there is still plenty of room to stand out. Only six in 10 consumers can name the best inclusive brands unaided, according to the report.”

“Only 10% of training programs gave attendees strategies for reducing bias. Imagine a weight-loss program that told participants to step on a scale and left it at that.” – Harvard Business Review

"I’m not biased against gay people. I have a gay friend." "You don't sound Black," or "How long have you lived in this country?” Have you ever overheard or been on the receiving end of a comment like this? If so, did you know how to respond? Being prepared in advance...

Information is the death of emotion What do SunShower Learning courses have in common with Christopher McQuarrie’s famous films, including Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher? Well, when McQuarrie says, “Information is the death of emotion,” we know what he’s talking...

What happened when artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to imagine Barbie dolls in cultures around the world? Probably not what you'd expect for a brand that has gained a massive following for breaking down barriers and, more recently, advocating for social and...

SunShower Learning is proud to announce the launch of our vibrant new branding, marking a significant milestone in our company's evolution. This represents our unwavering commitment to our values and vision and the growth of our community of experts and...

A recent article in Human Resources Director highlights something that we’ve been hearing a lot about – diversity fatigue. It’s a term from the 90s, but it’s back now and the reasons require serious consideration.

Our nation’s schools have an incredible responsibility when it comes to honoring Black History Month. All too often, they use a “heroes and holidays” approach. While this may be well intended, it has the effect of making Black students feel othered, as though they exist outside of the actual curriculum. A better approach would be to incorporate Black stories and voices into the year-round curriculum – and to incorporate Black students into the everyday classroom.

In an age when faith in our institutions—academic, corporate and government—is at an all-time low, it behooves leaders to “do the right thing.” Paraphrasing Charlamagne, “Right action is better than knowledge, but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.” But how do we know what is right?

How Lisette Martinez creates an inclusive culture and a world of opportunity as Jefferson Health’s Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

Accessibility is typically about providing the ability to access a building, a vehicle or a service. In our world of online eLearning courses, accessibility means enabling all learners to engage with a course in the way they need and prefer in order to gain the insights and skills presented.

The Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA) has recognized The 21-Day Plan for Disarming Microaggressions as a 2022 Davey Awards Silver Winner in the category of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Today, we’re marking the passing of yet another technology – DVDs and USBs are obsolete. We are joining the modern age to say, long live online resources. And with that, we’re excited to announce a new era of choice and fulfillment: Choose the format that meets your training needs: A. Self-paced online eLearning or B. use our videos, slide decks and handouts to conduct your own instructor-led training – we call this the Do-it-Yourself Trainer’s Toolbox.

Humans have an innate need to belong. In fact, “love and belonging” are featured prominently in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This central model in psychology asserts that people are motivated by five basic categories of needs, and “belonging” (that is, the need to affiliate with and be accepted by members of a group) is right up there near things as fundamental as food and water.

“It’s hard to imagine an economy driven by Latino and Latina growth when leadership at the board level and in the C-suite is far less than 5% Latino and Latina. That gap – between the face of leadership and the face of the economy to come – is a vast strategic issue for corporations”.

By addressing our mistakes and remaining open to learning, we broaden our understanding, increase our empathy and build our capacity to do better the next time. Such is the case with microaggressions.

“I can’t say anything anymore”.

That was the complaint from a participant in an online workshop on microaggressions.

​The “Great Resignation” continues along its historic path with 47.8 million workers quitting their jobs in 2021, which represented a record-setting average of nearly 4 million each month.

Diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces are the goal more often than the reality. One inhibitor may be that employees underestimate the importance of active allyship in driving meaningful change.

I’m delighted to announce that The 21-Day Plan for Disarming Microaggressions has won the Interactive Media Awards (IMA) Best in Class Award in two categories, “Advocacy” and “Training”. The Best in Class Award is the highest honor bestowed by IMA and represents the...

The 21-Day Plan for Disarming Microaggressions with Dr. Derald Wing Sue has been selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts to be recognized as a Communicator Award winner!  It’s a wonderful honor and we’re thrilled that this online,...

There are articles every day about software programs that have embedded biases. How does this happen? It shouldn’t be a surprise when the teams that write the code are mainly white men. Unless those teams are working to disrupt their unconscious bias and include...

I came across an article in Fast Company (LINK) by Melinda Briana Epler, the author of How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier, Workplace. Melinda makes many excellent points about microaggressions and non-verbal bullying. She writes about the...

I just discovered a new online encyclopedia of microaggressions. It lists specific examples of microaggressions and debriefs why they are harmful. Check out Micropedia here. I found it to be very interesting and useful. Micropedia lists microaggressions pertaining to...

As a director, I’m most comfortable behind the camera. I enjoy interviewing people, asking questions and drawing out their stories. So, it was with a good deal of anxiety that I accepted the invitation to be interviewed on the Learning Unlocked podcast, sponsored by...

BuzzFeed asked its readers to share stories of racial microaggressions when they were in school. The response is published in the article, People Of Color Are Sharing Their Experiences With Racial Microaggressions In School, And Honestly, None Of These Stories Should...

The other day I was speaking with a client about the training courses that SunShower offers. I heard myself say, “but training is just a terrible word, isn’t it?” She laughed and agreed. We joked that training is for dogs and maybe some cats. It was funny, and, as I...

If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for the next great show. Well, look no further than Colin in Black and White, the Netflix limited series. Ava DuVernay has woven together the inspiring and emotional story of how young Colin Kaepernick not only became a...

In our work with organizations and especially in our Workshops Via Zoom, we always suggest strategies, skills and concrete actions that people can use to counter any automatic judgments or biases that come up. Because of how our brains categorize people and...

Netflix is out with a new show on Colin Kaepernick’s early life, produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay. She explains what motivated her to do a story about a famous person, which is, in her own words, “not my thing”. She discusses how she got...

You don’t have to be a keen observer of culture to notice that certain words and descriptions have become code-words to criticize and marginalize women and dismiss their ideas. To monitor how your own unconscious biases may be at play in your communications, you’ll...

In a Congressional hearing to confirm President Biden’s nominee to the 9th US Circuit of Appeals, US Senator Grassley welcomed the Honorable Lucy H. Koh by saying, “If I’ve learned anything from Korean people, it’s a hard work ethic. And how you can make a lot out of...

"Remember to look for opportunities to be an upstander or ally.” You’ll often hear words like this at the end of a diversity workshop. In fact, I’ve emphasized the importance of being an ally in many of the courses I’ve produced.  Dr. Derald Wing Sue, in Disarming...

These days, organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit, hire and retain employees. The pandemic has shifted the goalposts for millions of people, if not relocated them to entirely new playing fields (sorry to stretch the metaphors). That’s why...

When I talk about our unconscious bias Workshops via Zoom or Defeating Unconscious Bias, our online e-Learning course, I always emphasize that our approach starts with raising awareness and then adds skills that everyone can practice to interrupt bias. So it was...

What are the historical roots of microaggressions against Asian Americans? In this important article, published in “Health Matters,” psychiatrist Dr. Warren Ng lays out what microaggressions are and what its history is. The article is, unfortunately, timely because...

It seems like there are new articles everyday announcing an organizations’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. You can see the statements on their websites. “We stand for….” or “Our commitment is to…”Many believe that creating a more diverse and inclusive...

A recent article at Business Insider uses recent news from Salesforce to highlight the microaggressions that so many American workers face everyday.  “In less than one more, two employees have publicly resigned from Salesforce, citing discrimination and a culture of...

  SunShower’s latest e-Learning course, Disarming Microaggressions, is based on Dr. Sue’s work. You can preview it by filling out the form here. When he reviewed the course, Dr. Sue wrote, “Joel Lesko and SunShower Learning have produced the gold standard of...

If I step on your toe, even if it was unintentional, it still hurts. This is a key point as we consider the challenge of microaggressions. Intention is only part of the story, and it’s not the most important part - impact is where we need to look. "When you’re an...

Training Magazine has published Dr. Sue’s article, Disarming Workplace Microaggressions through Microinterventions. READ HERE. In the article, Dr. Sue defines microaggressions as the everyday slights, put-downs, insults and indignities that marginalized group members...

In these COVID-19 pandemic times, we are facing a new area of concern with regard to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion—the remote learning environment. With so many children out of their physical classrooms and engaging in classes via online learning, many parents are...

Here’s an excellent article in the LA Times that features Dr. Derald Wing Sue and his tactics for disarming and dismantling microaggressions. The article draws on the experiences of a US Olympic figure skater, a Vietnamese-American medical student and a Punjabi Sikh...

As SunShower launches our new course, Disarming Microaggressions with Derald Wing Sue Ph.D., we’re grateful to see microaggressions gaining wider attention in the media. Michelle Singletary explores common misconceptions about race and inequality in her 10-part series...

On this January 18, 2021, as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday since 1986, it feels even more important to reflect on Dr. King's life and what he continues to stand for. For SunShower Learning, diversity, equity and inclusion is more than a...

Filter bubble is a new term for the internet age. It was coined by internet activist Eli Pariser to describe a state of intellectual isolation that can result from internet searches that are personalized for you based on, for example, a Google algorithm that guesses...

Inclusivity and High Performance Begins with Psychological Safety "A workplace where employees believe they can speak up candidly with ideas, questions, and concerns, and even make mistakes without fear of reprisal or adverse repercussions, contributes to inclusivity...

The Trump Administration has issued a flawed and racist executive order that is not in alignment with SunShower Learning’s core values. We stand for equity and inclusion, acknowledging and learning from what history and current research shows us, and working together...

Over the years, here at SunShower, we've focused on important topics with a narrow scope, with courses designed to help people practice speaking up against stereotypes, use tools to uncover and then disrupt unconscious biases. In the last few months, we've released a...

Can unconscious bias influence your decisions? Uh, yeah. And it's something you are choice whether to take action on. Good article in Forbes from their Expert Panel listing some strategies for managers to be conscious during their decision-making. Some of the...

Rhodes Perry, in his book, "Belonging At Work" outlines everyday actions you can take to cultivate an inclusive organization. He writes, "An inclusive leader communicates the feeling of belonging by offering their stakeholders a sense of purpose. They have the ability...

With all the changes brought by COVID-19, employees that have implemented remote work policies are scrambling to ensure employees feel engaged. Jenna Eastman, head of customer success at Beekeeper, shares her top tips for digital workplaces that want to create a more...

Ben Hecht has posted an excellent article in HBR. "As anti-racism protests sweep the United States, it’s clear that returning to “business as usual” will not be good for business. And yet while it’s clear current corporate diversity efforts are lacking, business...

"At RingCentral we understand the importance of conducting regular unconscious bias training and offer such training regularly as part of our Learning and Development initiatives." The article, posted on LinkedIn regarding the creation of inclusion culture, continues...

The 2020 Telly Awards have recognized SunShower Learning's newest program, Within Our Power, with the Silver Telly, in the category of Corporate Training. Within Our Power: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment Together is a breakthrough program that outlines...

As you know, I enjoy using this blog to point to articles that align with our values here at SunShower. This article deserves special note. Written by Elias Torres, the co-founder of the innovative company, Drift, for Fast Co. Magazine. (PS - I use Drift on my website...

Excellent article regarding kinds  of organizational bias by Ernie Smith in Associations Now Leaders should keep a close eye on the subtle ways that they—or their employees—might be introducing biases to the way they approach remote calls. Lots of different behaviors...

The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion During Uncertain Times And what leaders should do about it. Excellent article by Alissa Carpenter in Entrepreneur Magazine. Her excellent suggestions make me think of our Defeating Unconscious Bias program that actually...

Excellent article in Harvard Business Review by Ruchika Tulshyan. Leaders are under extraordinary pressure right now. They are expected to make decisions quickly with incomplete and rapidly evolving information. And unfortunately, being in crisis mode can cause even...

Listen to the new Hennessy Report podcast with Dawn Frazier-Bohnert, Senior Vice President and Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer @LibertyMutual. In this podcast, Dawn discusses the Inclusion in Action eLearning video series that Liberty developed with the goal...

Excellent podcast with Dawn Frazier-Bohnert, Chief Diversity & Inclusion officer at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Dawn talks about the development of Inclusion in Action, the eLearning training that we here at SunShower collaborated on. Whatever your aims, be they...

Excellent read, especially #3.For those looking for the best way to emphasize D&I, as the heading suggests, try our new eLearning. Inclusion in Action, developed with Liberty Mutual Insurance, has been field-tested by more than 35,000 people with excellent...

HOW CAN COMPANIES TARGET TALENT OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND BUILD MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES? HERE ARE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM A RECENT PANEL. Here are five takeaways from the panel. 1. RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT 2. INCLUDE EXISTING EMPLOYEES IN THE...

Excellent article in Insurance Business. Not a magazine I usually read (!) but the interview with Ms. Frazier-Bohnert is important. “An inclusive work environment isn’t built through awareness alone. It’s something that needs continuous nurturing and support.” Those...

THE BIG BUSINESS OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS Companies want to avoid racism, sexism and misgendering. Consultants are standing by. NYT article: “Institutions and businesses are trying to correct power imbalances, which means a growing need for experts who can help address and...

BOSTON (Nov. 19, 2019) – Liberty Mutual Insurance today announced the availability of the Inclusion in Action eLearning Video Series for businesses and organizations of all sizes to help build more inclusive workplaces. Based on nine skills for employee communication...

I was going to announce this in January, but this NYT article has forced my hand…. Interesting article that gets into the production of sexual harassment films. This was published in the New York Times on November 14, just one week after I filmed SunShower’s first...

Excellent article from Charlesworth and Banaji. “Our new research shows, for the first time, that the implicit attitudes of a society can and do change durably over time —although at different rates and in different directions depending on the issue. Drawing on data...

Nearly nine in 10 millennials like when a brand appeals to more than one person. This is really interesting research reported by Lindsay Stein. It echoes our experience that the next step in D&I work has to focus on inclusion and inclusivity as a leadership skill....

SUPER ARTICLE WRITTEN BY ANGELA HOOD HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED BY FAST COMPANY. “Slow to embrace diversity in the workplace? It’s probably affecting business. If you’re unwilling to embrace diversity for diversity’s sake, do it because it’s better business.” Angela...

A great example of COMMON GROUND. One of the important strategies for disrupting unconscious bias that we highlight in Defeating Unconscious Bias. But, on with the story! In the England dressing room, it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you believe in, if...

As I often say, great article here on new research that provides “compelling evidence that diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth—a finding that should intensify efforts to ensure that executive ranks both embody and embrace the power of differences.”...

Aline Santos Here’s an example of a corporation putting its spending where its values are. Congratulations to Aline Santos and Unilever. Unilever’s pledge to remove harmful stereotypes from its ads goes way beyond lip service, according to top marketer Aline Santos....

Important story from Thomas Frank. Read the whole article here. Dorian Wanzer travels frequently for work. And almost every time she steps out of an airport body scanner, security screeners pull her aside and run their fingers through her hair. It’s called a hair...

Interesting article about a study at Yale. They found that Americans think our society is much fairer in terms of how wealth and income are shared across racial groups than what the numbers indicate. These overly optimistic perceptions may help explain why the wealth...

Microsoft is overhauling how it investigates HR disputes Excellent posting by Dave Gershgorn, at Quartz. “Microsoft employees have been telling executives in recent weeks how workplace harassment and discrimination has pervaded unchecked throughout the company.  In a...

I know that, as a white man, I have to hold my fellow white men accountable. We all have to hold each other accountable. Powerful article written by NBA basketball player, Kyle Korber.   I’m trying to ask myself what I should actually do. How can I — as a white man,...

This is an interesting article about unconscious bias training and lawyers. “Cindy-Ann Thomas, co-chair of Littler Mendelson’s employment and diversity practice, has been giving unconscious bias trainings to clients for nearly two decades. This year, she’s training...

Are some men so insecure that many women have to throttle back their power? This is a funny book because it’s true. And it’s also more than a little painful that it is true.How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings  a new book from Sarah Cooper. Are some men...

Hey you, yes you in the black crew neck shirt. Time to get to work for inclusion. This article calls out men, white men, to step up for inclusion. Diversity’s happening. The US population, and the workplace, is diversifying. The challenge is inclusion and the dominant...

Diversity and Inclusion is more than an HR concern - it’s about leadership. (Yes!) Because we can’t emphasize this enough. I will keep posting articles that talk about D&I as the most important leadership skill and the key to innovation. This from Jane Claire...

Why do organizations lump Diversity in with Inclusion? Questions that are on my mind today:Why do organizations lump Diversity in with Inclusion? Okay, I do understand…. But does it serve an organization to lump them together? I often hear people talk about diversity...

Common mistake #1: increasing diversity means you’re increasing inclusion.Common mistake #2: Diversity & Inclusion are kind of the same thing This article sets the record straight:”True inclusion must take into consideration context to determine whether it is...

Great article about Implicit Bias from the National Initiative for Building Community. In the context of criminal justice and community safety, implicit bias has been shown to have a significant influence on the outcomes of interactions between police and citizens....

MIT grad student Joy Buolamwini was working with facial analysis software when she noticed a problem: the software didn't detect her face -- because the people who coded the algorithm hadn't taught it to identify a broad range of skin tones and facial structures. Now...

If you’re tuning out because someone speaks with an accent, it’s a good opportunity to explore if you have an implicit bias influencing your actions. Accent Bias: How Can We Minimize Discrimination In The Workplace? Dr. Pragya Agarwal Contributor to ForbesResearch has...

Important article about how Starbucks is responding to the incident at their cafe in Philadelphia. The white Starbucks manager who called 911 on two African American men last week is no longer with the company, with Starbucks’s executive chairman saying the manager...

Bias in hiring is still an issue as many hiring managers continue to eliminate qualified candidates based on stereotypical assumptions. Conscious and unconscious bias prevents candidates of particular races and those who lack certain characteristics from getting...

Ouch! That Stereotypes Hurts was used in a training at Iowa State University. Here's the link to the article in the local paper “It was very good,” said Center Associates therapist Kevin Duncan. “It raises the level of awareness for how I can stereotype.” “It’s up to...

Read my article in Training Magazine! The office location was prepped. The crew was ready, the actors knew their lines, and we were all set to start shooting at 6 a.m. the next day. But as I reviewed the shooting script for the hundredth time, I started to have a...

Starbucks is turning to a type of workplace training that 'really took off after Ferguson Starbucks, battling an uproar over two black men who were arrested while waiting at one of the coffee chain's stores last week, said Tuesday it would close more than 8,000 of its...

THE GREATEST OBSTACLES TO DEFEATING UNCONSCIOUS BIAS by Sondra Thiederman, Ph.D. A few weeks ago, I surveyed my contacts around the question: What do you see as the biggest single obstacle to defeating unconscious bias? About 100 of you responded and here are the...