Companies in the Des Moines business community have included a variety of programs designed to educate and develop their managers and employees about a diverse workforce. These efforts include providing annual or more frequent training to all employees focused on diversity; specialized training for managers and supervisor in fulfilling and maintaining the company’s diversity goals and policies; management mentoring programs to ensure that all new supervisors and managers have experienced guidance available to them and an equal opportunity for high performance and advancement; and providing external educational and development programs for all employees that enable and encourage advancement within the organization. Classroom Training
Coursework is typically created in-house on a variety of diversity topics:

• Fundamental Communication for Foreign Born Workers
• Accent Reduction
• Planning for Retirement
• English Grammar
• How to Buy a House in the U.S.
• Childcare in the U.S.
• Project Management with Multi-cultural Teams (ABC Virtual Communication)
• Effective Communication in Multi-cultural Teams (ABC Virtual Communication, Des Moines Public Schools)
• Spouses of foreign born employees can attend training classes if space is available (ABC Virtual Communication
• Human Relations (Des Moines Public Schools)
• Individualized, one-on-one training with role playing (Embassy Club)
• Spanish language classes in collaboration with Simpson College (Principal Financial Group)
• Gender Communication (Principal Financial Group)
• Diversity focus is part of new employee orientation (Principal Financial Group, R R Donnelley)
• Mandatory diversity training for employees and managers (Principal Financial Group, CitiGroup, R R Donnelley)
• Maintaining a Positive Workplace
• Building an Inclusive Environment (CIGNA)

Informal Training Opportunities

• Developing family trees for employees throughout the office to celebrate the diverse heritage (CH2M HILL)
• Bi-weekly cultural presentation (CH2M HILL)

Employee and Leader Competencies

• Competencies specifically identifying appropriate diversity skills established (CIGNA, Principal Financial Group, R R Donnelley, Wellmark)

Tutors

• Individual Language Tutors (ABC Virtual Communication)

Mentor Programs

• Mentors for new hires and cultural diverse employees (CH2M HILL, Principal Financial Group, CitiGroup)

Diversity Advocate

• A manager is assigned the role of a diversity advocate that will spend 25% of their time training others on diversity topics (CIGNA)

Diversity Conferences

• Annual diversity conference that is open to the public (Girl Scouts of Moingona Council)

Toolkits

• On-line diversity leader toolkit (Principal Financial Group)

In-house Library

• Library contains materials focused on diversity topics (R R Donnelley, Principal Financial Group

Website

• Websites feature educational articles, training opportunities, calendars, diversity links and other developmental resources (CH2M HILL, Principal Financial Group, CIGNA, Des Moines Public Schools, R R Donnelley)

General Communication

• Monthly communiqués on diversity topics (CH2M HILL)
• Diversity newsletters (CIGNA, CitiGroup)
• Diversity session as part of the Leadership Iowa Program (CIGNA)

Collaborative Training Events

• Host Howard University Insurance Week (CIGNA, Principal Financial Group)
• Twelve Hour from Tolerance to Acceptance of Diversity, an overnight diversity workshop at Brody Middle School for staff and students to recognize and celebrate diversity (Des Moines Public Schools)
• Wildcat Service Corporation’s program to assist primarily single mothers with children to transition from welfare to work (CitiGroup)