7 Ways to Celebrate Diversity Month: Ideas & Activities
Diversity is absolutely essential for a thriving business. When we welcome different perspectives in the workplace, we further enhance our collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation skills, which pave the way for better customer satisfaction and higher productivity in the long run.
But diversity in the workplace doesn't just happen by itself — it needs to be actively celebrated, embraced, and nurtured all year round. Every April marks National Diversity Month in the United States; this is an important time for companies to come together and remind each other why recognizing various cultures enriches us all.
That’s why we’ve compiled our favorite 7 activities that promote inclusion & engagement so you can ensure your company is doing its best when celebrating diversity month this year. Let’s take a look!
1. Host an International Food Day
One of the best (and tastiest) ways to appreciate other cultures is through delicious food. That's why hosting a company-wide international food day is a great way to bring employees together and promote diversity.
Order catering from local restaurants with different cultural backgrounds to expand your team's palates while supporting minority businesses. Or, host a potluck where each employee brings their favorite dish from their heritage to foster deeper connections. Both will create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that celebrates different foods and flavors.
To make the event as engaging as possible, we suggest having teams taste each other’s dishes in blindfolded competitions. Guessing the country or culture of origin can add an extra layer of fun to your event. Bon appetite!
2. Host a Virtual Fiesta
Hosting a virtual fiesta during Diversity Month is a fun way to embrace our differences. Get together with your team for a virtual Mingle activity - whether solo or in small groups, find images that reflect diversity and showcase unique cultures. Then, turn it into a Mingle fiesta by dressing up and bringing cultural drinks.
Start your team fun early with a 2-week free Mingle trial.
Diversity Month Team Activity
Find diverse images solo or in teams, and bring cultural drinks for a true Mingle fiesta! 🎉
3. Visit an Art Exhibition
Art has been a form of cultural expression for thousands of years, and it's the perfect invitation to explore cultures and histories that are different from our own. By scheduling a visit to an art exhibition featuring the works of a regional artist or by visiting a museum dedicated to specific cultural practices and history, your team can experience firsthand the diversity of other cultures in a visually stimulating way.
These visits should be tailored to the interests of your team, so consider collecting suggestions or ideas from your workforce on which exhibitions they would like to visit. Guided tours are an excellent way to learn more about specific pieces of art or cultural objects, as well as provide context to the history behind them.
If you have a remote team, consider virtual visits to art exhibitions or museums, as many of these have adapted their services to accommodate visitors who cannot visit in person. It's a great way for your team to experience the magic of culture and art without having to physically be there.
4. Plan a Company Retreat
What better way to celebrate diversity than to travel abroad and discover a new culture together? A company retreat is a great opportunity to bond with one another and learn something new. By immersing yourself in the destination's culture, you will gain insight into how people live differently than you do.
From spending time learning their customs and language to eating their food and visiting historical landmarks, there are numerous ways your team can benefit from the experience. You can plan group activities such as cooking classes, guided tours through cities, and local workshops aimed at teaching your team about the culture.
However, planning a team retreat can be a lot of hard work. Happied’s, retreat planning tool, Convene, creates effective and effortless off-sites, taking all of the work off of you to plan. Happied save companies money with our bulk per-person pricing at some of the best locations in the world. Learn more about how we help teams Convene HERE.
5. Throw a Dance Party
Get your groove on by throwing a company-wide dance party celebrating different cultural dances. You and your team can visit a local dance studio or schedule a virtual dance lesson on Zoom to learn dance styles from around the world.
Whether it's "The Samba" from Brazil, "Adumu" from Kenya, "Bharatnatyam" from India, or "Flamenco" from Spain, there are many different styles that'll get your team moving, learning, and having fun! Having a dance instructor will ensure everyone learns the correct steps and posture, so you can feel confident to show off your moves.
No matter which dance(s) you choose, it'll be an excellent way for you and the team to get out of your comfort zone and discover something new. Plus, it's a great way for the team to bond and get creative together!
6. Attend a Multicultural Film Festival
Let's go to the movies! A multicultural or foreign film movie night is a fantastic way for your team to immerse themselves in different cultural perspectives that don't typically hit the big screen.
From Bollywood, LatinX, German, Nigerian, and Chinese films — there's something for everyone to learn from and enjoy. After the film, open up dialogue around how different cultures would view the same themes. Encourage your team to share their own stories and thoughts as they relate, building on one another's understanding of other cultures.
Your staff can bring their families and friends along for the movie night, so everyone can benefit from exploring different cultures together. And don't forget the snacks! Popcorn, soft drinks, and international desserts make the experience even sweeter.
7. Organize a Sports Tournament
Bring out your team's competitive side with a company-wide sports tournament inspired by the Olympics! Dividing your employees into different teams and assigning each a country to represent can nurture camaraderie, collaboration, creative problem-solving, and international cultural appreciation.
For smaller teams, you can host a friendly game of a localized sport like Kubb, lacrosse, cricket, or pétanque to expose your team to new sports and cultures they may not have encountered before. Not only will your employees have a blast playing the game, but they’ll also learn enough to teach and share what they’ve learned with others.
Organizing a lighthearted sporting event is an unforgettable way to boost morale, build relationships between co-workers, and celebrate diverse cultures worldwide. Win or lose, everyone will appreciate the fun and excitement of competing in a company sports tournament!
Diversity Drives Innovation
Companies that invest the time and energy into creating an inclusive and supportive culture for their employees are rewarded with a positive work environment, stronger relationships between colleagues, better ideas, creative solutions, and greater efficiency.
This diversity month, show your employees that you value the power of different cultures and backgrounds that help define success. An exciting corporate event is a great way to cultivate this spirit of collaboration by providing each employee with a meaningful experience that celebrates our shared human connections.
At Happied, our expert planners make creating the perfect offsite suited to your industry and needs easy. From customized team-building activities to virtual celebrations, we have unique ideas tailored to promote collaboration and inspire respect within the workplace.
Are you ready? Let’s come together in honor of Diversity Month by realizing the unique potential within every individual around us.
