How to Make Individual Sensitivity Training Work

We discussed in our previous blog that “soft skills” like communication, empathy, civility, kindness and respect are critical in fostering a supportive environment, reducing resources spent on addressing complaints and improving patient satisfaction and outcomes.  The challenge is that learning these skills are often not part of formal healthcare education, but there are programs available to help train stakeholders on these “soft skills”.  One of the key programs for the healthcare sector is sensitivity training.

Individual sensitivity training comes at a tough moment—for the participant, for the regulator or employer involved, and for the workplace culture. But done well, it can be one of the most meaningful interventions you can make to drive positive behaviour change and prevent future complaints.

Training is often ordered after an investigation has uncovered serious disrespectful behaviour that has harmed colleagues or patients. Other times, it’s recommended when such allegations are made but before they’re confirmed. Either way, the individual involved, already reeling from the allegations against them, may resist the training or attend only grudgingly. If the training’s not effective, it risks deepening their resentment and turning resistance into outright backlash.

Instead, here’s how to approach sensitivity training so it actually sticks.

Set Realistic Goals

One-on-one sensitivity training isn’t about overhauling someone’s personality or worldview. That’s not just unrealistic—it’s unnecessary.

The real goal is behavioural compliance: helping the person understand how their actions are impacting others (and potentially putting their career at risk), and guiding them to behave in ways that align with professional and organizational values. The good news? When people change their behaviour, their attitudes often follow naturally.

Understand and Overcome Resistance

If a training participant seems defensive or skeptical, it’s not personal. Resistance is baked into how humans react to change. Here are a few of the most common sources of resistance, and how we can overcome them.

• Reactance: No one likes being told what to do. When we push, people instinctively push back. Instead, guide participants to reach their own conclusions in line with professional and organizational values.
• Status quo bias: Change feels risky. Even when someone’s behaviour is problematic, sticking with the familiar can feel safer than venturing into new territory. Help participants see the even greater cost of not changing.
• Psychological distance: If the behaviour shift you’re asking for feels too far from their reality, they’ll reject it. Meet them where they are, and move in small steps.
• Uncertainty: Change feels threatening when we don’t know what the outcome will be. Reduce this threat by encouraging participants to “try out” new behaviours before committing. They just might find their colleagues and patients respond better to them.

Make the First Session About Discovery, Not Discipline

The most effective sensitivity training doesn’t start with a lecture. It starts with listening. The first session should focus on:

• Building trust
• Understanding the participant’s point of view
• Exploring their values and career goals
• Identifying the key disconnects between their behaviour and professional or organizational expectations

By taking on a coaching role and framing the session as a conversation, you can create space for honesty, reflection, and growth.

Use Empathy

Empathy is about understanding where someone is coming from and putting yourself into their shoes, even when you disagree. Showing empathy can help lower defenses and open the door to meaningful dialogue.

Even something as simple as, “It sounds like you felt misunderstood,” followed by a pause, can give someone space to reflect and feel heard. And when they feel heard, they’re more likely to hear you in return.

The Second Session: Focus on Action

Once trust has been built, it’s time to talk about change. The second session is your opportunity to educate the participant and address some of the knowledge and perception gaps that you discovered in the first session. But this session should still focus on solutions, not blame.

• What new behaviours will they try?
• How will they respond differently in the future?
• What strategies can they use when they feel triggered or defensive?

It’s also helpful to work together on a simple written plan they can refer back to: a roadmap for success that reinforces accountability without being punitive.

One Person at a Time

Sensitivity training isn’t a quick fix. But when done well, it’s an incredibly effective tool for creating safer, more respectful work environments, especially in fields like healthcare where trust and professionalism are non-negotiable. Through thoughtful, empathetic approaches, you can reduce defensiveness and truly engage individuals in meaningful behaviour change that will advance their careers along with your professional and organizational values.

Please contact The Bernardi Centre at bernardicentre@hrlawyers.ca to learn more about the above programs and/or subscribe to our newsletter where we share related insights, trends and events for the healthcare industry.

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