Is DEI Training Effective? Let the Numbers Do The Talking
There’s a common pattern HR & DEI leaders find themselves repeating over and over agin. It goes something like this: Identify a problem, like low employee engagement scores. Generate a solution, like thinking of new professional development stipend ideas. Check the box. And then on to the next problem.
But there’s a major step missing. During this process, are you assessing if the program or stipends are actually effective? Are employees engaged with it? Is there any sort of measurable impact?
Too often, checkmarks can be the deathmarks of real action. They create a false sense of achievement. Just because you’ve provided an opportunity to your employees doesn’t mean that what you’ve launched is being utilized.
In the world of DEI employee engagement training, this is particularly common. DEI and HR professionals must challenge themselves to follow through and ensure actual integration of the training into the day-to-day operations of the business. To help you get started, we explore actionable steps for you to consider below.
Ask Yourself: Who is This For?
Understanding if DEI training is effective begins with a fundamental question: Who is the intended audience? Identifying the target groups is crucial, as it shapes the entire approach and objectives of the development program.
Too commonly, DEI initiatives are directed towards the ERG and DEI leaders within an organization who are already most familiar with the topics being covered. Instead, companies should be engaging with those leaders to help them broaden their impact, using their knowledge to cultivate something that’s geared toward a wider audience. This means inviting and educating those who may not see themselves as directly affected by DEI issues, but who are, in fact, essential to creating an inclusive environment.
In other words, engaging with everyone by reaching them where they are at.
Outline How Your DEI Training is Measured and Understand Your Goals
Including everyone is great, but we need to ground this step in reality. Similar to employee development programs, effective DEI training is strategic. To gauge success, create clear, measurable goals. These metrics look something like this:
Efficacy Assessment
Start by asking what success looks like. Is the goal to increase awareness, change behavior, or both? For example, for the majority demographic, the goal could be to raise awareness of biases and structural impediments. Success can then be measured through changes in attitudes.
Numerical Metrics
Attitudes are qualitative. Other outcomes can be quantified, such as tracking the number of promotions within your company. But, remember that promotions are often limited, so consider other forms of horizontal growth.
Tailored Metrics for Different Groups
Different demographic groups might have distinct needs and goals. For the majority demographic, DEI and development training might focus on growing competencies like empathy, how to be an ally, or cultural differences.
For minority talent, the emphasis might be on gaining access to resources, mentorship, and opportunities for growth.
Support and Growth for All of Your Talent
Minority talent benefits from support in navigating the unwritten rules of the workplace, peer support, and mentorship. Measuring the impact here could involve assessing changes in confidence, behavior, career progression, compensation, and intent to stay at your organization.
Reverse Mentoring and Lived Experiences
There’s power in the simple act of sharing. Without any pressure, provide employees of different backgrounds the opportunity to tell their experiences. This can help others understand diverse perspectives, which leads to a more inclusive workplace culture.
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Let It Grow: Don’t Limit Access and Foster the Future
Expanding access and nurturing growth are essential to making DEI training more than just a checkbox exercise. It’s about building a diverse talent pipeline where everyone, regardless of their background, can thrive and contribute.
For instance, your programs might create change agents. These are the individuals unafraid to advocate for active change and create an allyship-driven culture. When you mix change agents and peer support, you build mentorship, shared experiences, and community norms.
Then, as the culture grows, it’s widely recognized that DEI Talent Management initiatives improve the work environment for everyone, not just diverse talent. The key is to start with those who need it most, but ensure that the training is accessible to all.
Despite that desire, many lack advocates or friends in the workplace to help them make advancements. Focusing on effective DEI training means unlocking opportunities and broadening definitions of what a high-potential employees can look like.
Of course, when there’s more empathy, the work environment at large improves. Sometimes, work relationships even mature into personal friendships. Gallup found that having a “best friend at work” has become increasingly important over the last few years. It means your people have a peer they can call on, or develop friendships outside of their demographic.
The work you put into fostering an environment that embraces DEI training and its benefits can lead to truly transformative results – not just for your employees, but the business at large. Research shows that almost 63% of companies that significantly prioritize DEI initiatives saw retention rates of 60% or higher.
Beyond that, look at these statistics:
Via Gallup
Via Gallup
Is Your DEI Training Effective & Reaching Enough People?
The key question to reflect upon is the reach and inclusivity of your DEI training efforts. Are they truly impacting the entire organization or just scratching the surface?
Building a DEI Talent Management program focused on learning side by side means you can create more empathy and keep your high potential diverse employees around longer. Lived experiences show your employees the reality of what effective DEI training can offer.
PILOT is a virtual employee development program and a scalable, effective DEI training tool for leaders. Providing this type of tool for your employees means building a coalition that eventually finds its way into other parts of the organization.
It’s time to provide water for your employee’s environment. You’ll be surprised at what can grow.
