Organizations are increasingly recognizing the competitive advantage of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging strategies in the battle to attract and retain the best staff. It means that today, more than ever, DEIB training has become a priority.
But is the training being done in the most effective way to bring about lasting change? Or, is progress being held back by out-of-date training methods and beliefs? Embracing adult learning theory and the human story is vital for successful transformation. It’s no longer about checking the box — but redefining it.
So, what are the key things learning and development professionals need to bear in mind when it comes to successful DEIB training?
Start by challenging the motives behind your organization’s inclusion activities. Inclusive cultures require much more than isolated training — and, unless you take the time to consider how you will turn insight into action, your efforts could be doomed to failure. Focused and practical inclusion training, tied to a change agenda, will help employees consciously adopt new practices — both behavioral and organizational. But unless they see evidence of systemic change, their enthusiasm will soon disappear.
It is also time to change the way you think about compliance. All too often, training focuses on “gained compliance” — a check-box immunity for the coming year. Gaining compliance in DEIB suggests your work is done — when, actually, it should be the first step. True success needs to be measured in marked cultural change, not mere attendance. Instead of viewing compliance as a sign-off, think of it as a collection of check-in efforts throughout the year — a learning pathway of practical application, monitored and measured through the commitment of employees and the results of their invested time.
Treating DEIB training as a detached transfer of knowledge is a common mistake. Introducing emotions is crucial for motivation and effective change. Of course, logical and practical application is essential for behavioral change – but successful DEIB training hinges on emotional discomfort. It is natural to rebel against being told how to act or think, and emotions influence the effectiveness of learning. Acknowledge the emotional health required for DEIB change and understand that motivation must be intrinsically inspired.
A useful technique when it comes to DEIB training is flipping the classroom, in which the learning content is shared, via digital resources, prior to the training event. Additionally, trainers should think of themselves as facilitators rather than instructors. As a result, the classroom event is transformed from a two-hour knowledge download to an interactive opportunity to test new-found information, with learning from both the facilitator and peers in practical application. Flipped learning allows learners to experience the topic at their own pace and arrive at the classroom event prepared for practical and tangible discussions.
As modern DEIB delivery requires lived experiences or topical expertise — as well as the emotional intelligence to create a safe learning space — to truly elevate your offering, think beyond your immediate and traditional training delivery team. While your go-to delivery team may be effective, take the time to question the team’s depth of understanding when it comes to creating a safe environment and speaking with expertise pertaining to particular groups. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and use your internal subject matter experts, your employee resource group participants or your business champions — pulling together a faculty of facilitators with deep, researched or lived experience to speak with insight and authenticity. This will not only authenticate your experiences, but also provide great development opportunities and showcasing of diverse talent.
Enhancing all of the above is, of course, offering point-of-need learning opportunities. In a world of instant gratification, we have become used to expecting answers within minutes. And training has to be perceived as relevant if it is to succeed. Formal scheduled training events risk being squeezed out by the competing demands of busy workloads. A more successful approach is often to layer training events with digital resources that can be accessed when the employee needs them — when an interaction or event has caused them to question what they know. Make these “just in time” learning resources easy-to-use knowledge nuggets so that learners don’t have to wade through heaps of irrelevant information.
In a constantly evolving world of social justice movements such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, L&D professionals cannot rest on their laurels with outdated DEIB learning templates and the ever-present iceberg graphic. Diverse and inclusive companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform their competitors, according to research by McKinsey & Company. And diverse management teams lead to 19 percent higher revenue, a Boston Consulting Group study has found. It is time to truly embrace a new way of proceeding, using adult learning insights to ensure an impactful and transformational metamorphosis.
