Editor’s note: This article was originally published June 16, 2010.

Here at Legacy Business Cultures we often receive inquiries from managers requesting sensitivity training for their employees. Typically, there has been an ‘incident’ – someone has called someone else a derogatory name or otherwise been disrespectful toward other employees. In some cases, this leads to an EEOC investigation and required intervention.

At this point, a manager, HR Director, or C-level staff member seeks out a solution – possibly some form of ‘sensitivity training’ to remedy the situation.

But is sensitivity training really what your organization needs?

I did some quick research on the term sensitivity training and was surprised by the results. According to Wikipedia, sensitivity training is attributed to Kurt Lewin, a German-American psychologist from the early 20th century. Lewin’s change experiments for the Connecticut State Interracial Commission in 1946 are believed to be the founding for what we now know as sensitivity training.

Today, when most people hear the words sensitivity training they imagine sitting around in a group and exposing their biases to colleagues while they learn how to be more aware of other people’s feelings.

Is there a better approach than traditional sensitivity training?

Since the original notion of sensitivity training, the concept has gone through several incarnations, first shifting to multicultural training, then to diversity training and, most recently, inclusivity training. We are now in the era of respectful workplace training.

Respectful Workplace training is different than its predecessors in that it doesn’t assume that you are broken and need to be fixed – or that you need to be ridded of all of your prejudices. It allows you to be you, but with a different lens to look through.

Most people know how it feels to be respected and know how to show respect. They also understand the opposite. Respect has nothing specifically to do with how you look or where you were born. It is more about understanding what it means to be a human being at work (and in society). For business, the impact is clear: most employees are likely to consistently give their best effort when their work experience includes the feeling of respect.

Think about the possibilities of that in the workplace.

As more employees (including leaders) become committed to creating the experience of respect for one another, then we won’t have to worry about someone calling someone else a derogatory name, because they won’t – as often. We won’t have to worry about employees acting with hostility towards each other, because they won’t – at least not as frequently.

The path towards a respectful workplace isn’t easy. It’s a journey. It’s not a one time class or training session. Considering the average cost to replace an employee is well over several thousand dollars, the business benefits of a respectful workplace are significant.

So, does your organization need sensitivity training or respectful workplace training?

You tell us!