Xcel Energy has been providing diversity training to employees since 2009.  As our workforce has evolved and has become more generationally and culturally diverse and as more social issues have come to the forefront of our society, we identified a need for revisions to our original training and the addition of Micro Inequities and Unconscious Bias training, which launched in 2017. This is a critical tool to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and diverse perspectives are heard and considered into the decision making process.

In 2009, Xcel Energy hired two experts in diversity and inclusion to develop and teach diversity and inclusion classes.  The course consisted of three modules:

• Constructivist Listening – Effective listening is at the heart of any effective working relationship. Practice a technique to deepen listening and improve understanding of others.
• Core Identity Group Exercise: Discover specifics of the different experiences, strengths and approaches that diverse people bring work and learn to draw on those differences for greater team creativity, productivity and satisfaction.
• Dignity & Respect: Introduces the concept of treating people with dignity, promoting our culture of diversity and inclusion.

In 2017, we revised the previous modules and added two additional modules:

• Micro Inequities & Unconscious Biases: To gain better awareness of our own biases these modules help alter or change behaviors to increase our ability to start Micro Affirmations.   

• Our goal is to have 90% of the workforce attend the newly revised training within the next 1-3 years.

Baird McKevitt, Director – Inclusion and Diversity