Diversity, equity and inclusion training: 4 questions to ask yourself

As you already know, training your team in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a crucial step in fostering an inclusive culture within your organization, but how to make the most of your chances of training having an impact is another story!

We’ve taken the four questions we’re most often asked by our customers who want to offer DEI training to their staff, and given you our opinion. Here are the 4 questions to ask yourself to ensure the success of your equity, diversity and inclusion training!

1- Should diversity, equity and inclusion training be mandatory for all employees?

To answer this question, first ask yourself what you want the training to achieve. Then, at what level do you want to take your organization in terms of equity, diversity and inclusion? By this we mean the level of knowledge and action you wish to undertake in DEI. These answers will help you determine whether your training courses should be mandatory or not.

Making it compulsory could create two opposing feelings on the part of your team: your employees could be either receptive and inclined to participate, or resistant and arrive at the training with the feeling that they’re being forced to hear something they don’t want to. That’s why it’s important to emphasize the positive benefits of DEI for your employees and for the organization as a whole. Remind them that there is a mission and objectives behind this action. You might, for example, mention that the importance of creating an inclusive culture benefits everyone, and that the starting point begins with training.

If, however, you decide not to make training compulsory, make sure you create interest around the activity so as to solicit contributions from a large number of people, not just the regulars. Take the time to set up a genuine self-promotional campaign.

A good example

That’s what Miovision did when they launched their diversity and inclusion program. From the outset, it was clear that not all employees were thrilled to embark on such an initiative. To turn things around, here’s what they decided to do:

• Question their employees on the subject of DEI via an anonymous platform in order to “create safe spaces where all points of view can be expressed.”
• Invite members of senior management to share their personal experiences, to let their employees know that no subject is taboo (source: BDC).

2- Is customized training better than generic training?

Before going any further, let’s take a moment to define these two types of training:

Customized training: This is training tailored to your needs, where the approach is oriented towards your organizational reality. This gives you an experience that’s rooted in your company’s culture, and provides you with concrete examples that reflect your own. At URelles, we favor this approach!

Generic training: This is a training course that tackles a DEI theme in a fairly general way, providing an introduction to the subject. It’s the ideal format for introducing the principles and foundations of an equity, diversity and inclusion topic to a diverse audience from different companies and realities (SME, NPO, unionized environment, etc.), for example.

To make your choice between the two, we come back (again) to questions:

• Are there any known internal issues that your employees should be made aware of?
• Do you consider your staff to be starting from scratch? On the contrary, is it a topic on which they already have some basic knowledge?
• Would you like to offer an introduction to DEI, or do you really want to push the DEI envelope within your organization?

3- What type of training is best? E-learning or with a trainer?

E-learning takes place online, enabling participants to learn from a distance. It offers continuous access to content (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) wherever they are. This means they can progress at their own pace. In general, this format is adapted to the realities of large companies. They often have a lot of employees to train in a short space of time. Everyone can develop their knowledge of equity, diversity and inclusion in a short space of time.

Training with a trainer provides a completely different dynamic. This format encourages interaction and exchange between participants and the trainer. It allows questions to be asked and discussion to take place. For an SME, it’s a good way to focus on sharing the experiences of each team member. According to an ISTF study, companies consider face-to-face training to be 84% more effective than other formats.

With this in mind, you need to ask yourself what kind of experience you want to offer your team?

4- Virtual or face-to-face training: which is better?

One of your objectives is probably to get as many employees as possible to take the training. So you need to maximize the chances of them saying yes, especially if you’ve chosen not to make it mandatory. The choice between virtual or face-to-face training will depend on the context of your organization. How do you work with your teams on a day-to-day basis?

If you work 100% from home, or if your team is located in different parts of the world, it’s clear that virtual training is better suited to your needs. Virtual solutions also address issues of mobility and work-life balance. That said, if logistics allow, this training could be an opportunity to bring the whole team together at the office, and not only offer a moment of training but also of team building.

If you’re regularly in the office or in a hybrid format, you’ve got your answer. With face-to-face training, you offer the opportunity to:

• Create a direct link between participants and trainer;
• Evaluate team enthusiasm more easily, and enable the trainer to adapt accordingly;
• Facilitate confidences: participants may want to talk to the trainer after the hour spent together;

Bonus question: What’s it like to take diversity, equity and inclusion training with URelles?

At URelles, we help you ask the right questions in advance of training, so that we can offer you personalized training tailored to your organization. Are you interested? Schedule a meeting with us!