To read more on the subject of training:
Self-promotion training in a diversity and inclusion context: make your voice heard!
Equity diversity and inclusion training: 4 questions to ask yourself
9 training courses to become a DEI consultant
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You’ve probably heard it said (or thought it yourself): “We’ve given DEI training this year, it’s done! The box is ticked! Everyone can get back to what they were doing.” Does this mean that the organizational culture has magically transformed? Not really, no.
DEI training is often the first reflex of organizations interested in diversity and inclusion. And that’s a good thing! We inform ourselves, we learn, we become aware of our blind spots. But, unfortunately, training alone is not enough to create an inclusive culture. In fact, if it’s poorly thought out or disconnected from practices, internal processes and realities on the ground, it can even become an irritant.
Because training courses are designed as one-off interventions, not as a process
Many organizations approach DEI as a project to be delivered, with a beginning, an end, and a box to be ticked. You do the training… and that’s it! We think the job is done. This reflex stems from a misunderstanding of the nature of the changes to be made: we’re looking for a quick fix to what is, in reality, in-depth, long-term work.
The result? Little concrete impact. The content was forgotten, behaviors didn’t change, and the people who needed the training most resisted it. In short, we trained, but didn’t really transform.
Yet, according to a review of studies that used multi-session training, 85.7% reported significant improvements in one or more measured outcomes, compared with 62.5% for training studies that used one-off sessions.
When investing in a workshop or conference, the role of leadership is also central: it’s not enough to approve a DEI activity, leaders must clearly communicate their vision, integrate it into their daily practices and make it a visible priority. When employees understand why DEI is being talked about, how it fits in with collective objectives and what is concretely expected, buy-in becomes more natural. Conversely, if training is carried out in isolation, with no follow-up, and without alignment with internal policies or strategic decisions, it runs the risk of being perceived as a vague obligation with no real impact.
Because training is not in tune with reality
One of the challenges of “traditional” training is the gap between training content and the day-to-day reality of teams. We talk about unconscious bias, fairness and microaggressions, but how do these concepts translate into a tense team meeting, an inappropriate comment at the coffee machine, or a badly run hiring process?
For example, classic training will define microaggression as a remark or behavior, often unintentional, that communicates prejudice or a form of exclusion towards a marginalized person. It’s useful, but abstract.
On the other hand, a more experiential approach will propose scenarios that are closer to employees’ realities. For example: “Sam says to Sophie, who has just returned from parental leave: ‘Have you been on leave again? You’re away a lot!” Is this a microaggression? Why or why not?
It gives employees concrete, personalized reference points. Examples rooted in their own experience. Tools to help them react without fear of saying the wrong thing. And above all, they want to be able to talk about it, guilt-free, so that when the situation arises in their real working life, they can identify the microaggression and react.
Because the learning experience is too passive
Many DEI training courses are designed around the classic model: one trainer speaking, dense PowerPoint, silent participants, closed cameras, limited questions. The hope is that the information will stick in the brain. But learning DEI isn’t like listening to a TED Talk.
Why is this? Because DEI is not just cognitive knowledge, it’s relational, emotional and behavioral knowledge. You don’t become more inclusive by passively listening to a lecture: you have to experience situations, feel discomfort and practice your interventions.
Let’s take a simple example: we can spend 20 minutes explaining the importance of not assuming a person’s gender… or we can put you through a situation where you have to welcome a non-binary colleague, with uncertainties about which pronouns to use, and reflect on your spontaneous reactions. This second format generates much deeper and more lasting awareness.
According to a Quebec study, approaches combining presentations, interactive exercises, group discussions, readings and role-playing increased the ability to work inclusively, especially with LGBTQ+ people. This is where learning becomes a shared moment, not a simple transmission of information.
Because follow-up is often non-existent
Even high-quality training loses its impact if it isn’t followed by concrete action. Yet in many organizations, DEI training remains an isolated event, with no structured follow-up. It’s a bit like sowing a seed and never watering it. It won’t grow!
For example, a company organizes training on recruitment bias for its HR team. Everyone takes it… then continues to use the same evaluation grids, the same subjective interview questions, without any change in recruitment practices. In this case, training becomes a showcase: it gives the illusion of action, but leaves the structure untouched.
On the other hand, an organization that wants to anchor what it has learned will have a follow-up plan in place: opportunities for colleagues to exchange views, a reminder of key concepts, a revised policy or tool, managers equipped to put inclusive principles into practice on a daily basis. It’s this consistency that transforms a training program into a lever for change, not its mere existence.
For example, two studies have shown that approaches combining monthly readings with regular training sessions including various presentations, activities and discussions over a 4-month period would encourage practices that strengthen the sense of culture and self-expression of diverse employees.
Learning, yes, but above all practice
One of the major challenges in DEI is that learning cannot remain theoretical. You don’t become more inclusive by attending just one conference (however inspiring it may be). You have to repeat, adjust, discuss and try again. DEI is a muscle that develops through practice.
What really works? It’s the regular team discussions, the frequent practice sessions, the times when we ask each other questions:
- “What could we have done differently in this situation?”
- “How do we make sure this person feels listened to?”
At URelles, we’ve chosen to take action in the face of these different challenges to traditional training and explore a different path: playful learning.
This is what led us to create the DEI card game “Let’s say that…”, a tool designed to help teams have authentic conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion, based on concrete situations and fictional characters.
The principle is simple: discover different characters from diverse backgrounds, reflect on their obstacles in different situations, share, debate and discover other perspectives.
The game makes it possible:
- To anchor DEI issues in realistic work situations;
- To stimulate discussion without making people defensive;
- To create a safe space for learning together;
- To encourage repetition, reflection and awareness.
It doesn’t necessarily replace structured training, but extends and reinforces it, bringing it to life. It becomes a concrete tool that teams can use independently, at their own pace, to put inclusive principles into practice on a daily basis.
In our next article, we’ll explain the science behind the fact that the brain assimilates better through playful learning!
