We’ve all heard about being inclusive in an HR context, but how can this practice be adopted in and Learning & Development framework?
A culture of inclusive learning and teaching recognises all employees’ entitlement to a learning experience that respects diversity, enables participation and removes barriers. Businesses delivering inclusive learning strategies are best placed to attract a wide pool of talent and positively support the career progression and job satisfaction of their teams.
Here are our top tips for designing more inclusive learning and development programmes.
Start as you mean to go on
It’s important to introduce an inclusive approach to learning from the start. By carefully considering the design and delivery of teaching, learning and assessment methods you enable all staff to engage meaningfully with their jobs and reach their full potential.
Channels such as social media and internal networks should be used to get the message out and make information easily accessible. Visuals work well too, such as posters around the office showing how employee training has made a real difference.
It’s important to remember opportunities for development should not just be when someone is due a promotion. You need to encourage a learning culture across all levels and tailor it to different career stages.
Do your research
Job descriptions are a tool for recruiting, establishing titles and creating employee goals and objectives. So, HR teams should ensure they have an accurate understanding of all employees’ job duties and responsibilities, regardless of whether they are at the beginning, middle or end of their careers.
A good way to check training success is to consult and engage with staff for feedback. This could involve an interview process with specific task-related questions, which are sure to change as roles in the business progress.
You can conduct staff surveys and introduce internal focus groups and employee forums too. Providing a degree of anonymity to some of these options can be effective, as you are more likely to receive honest feedback from teams.
Be tailored and targeted
Those in charge of learning and development should take into account all learner preferences to create more effective learning interventions.
We all have certain environments and ways of being taught that we are more receptive to – from listening to a podcast, watching video tutorials or sharing ideas in a traditional offline environment – it’s clear a ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ to learning doesn’t really exist.
Make it easy
While companies should examine the amount of effort and resources put into training, such as employee time and funding used to conduct activities, this should not be the only focus or reason why some training does or does not take place in your business.
Giving people the tools to shape their own learning experiences helps widen the skills pool of the entire company. Failure to deliver learning to accommodate all individuals can even be counterproductive, as employees won’t have the most up-to-date skills to thrive in their roles.
For those who are particularly time-poor or have additional responsibilities outside work, online learning might offer more flexibility. Being able to log in on any device enables learners to study at a time, place and speed that suits them, making them more likely to persevere and complete a programme.
However, it is key the human element isn’t lost in the rise of online technology. Excellent courses should still allow learners to engage with individual experts, who bring their own experiences and insights, making each course diverse and bespoke.
By offering learners diversity and flexibility in the way they learn, you can make sure internal training is inclusive and provides the skills they need to excel, as well as delivering true ROI for your business.