Following the Great Resignation in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic where employees voluntarily resign from their jobs for reasons such as long-lasting job dissatisfaction, discrimination, wage stagnation, and more – companies are channelling greater efforts to include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into their recruiting, hiring, and promoting processes. Taking it further, companies are also finding ways to entrench DEI into their company culture and organisational structure through L&D strategies.
So, how can organisations weave DEI efforts with their L&D strategies to engage employees?
L&D in the Workplace
L&D – also known as Learning and Development, is a function within an organisation that manages the development of employees’ knowledge, skills, and capabilities through a series of learning strategies such as classroom training, workshops, on-the-job training, and mentoring. Through L&D programmes, employees can adapt to the business environment or company culture, improve job performance, and drive better business results.
By redesigning the organisation’s L&D strategy to include DEI, DEI transcends beyond recruiting, hiring, and promoting processes, and it becomes a day-to-day practice for employees to learn, unlearn, and relearn about DEI through the ongoing L&D programmes.
Impact of L&D on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DEI)
With L&D being an ongoing and constant process that employees undergo, it can have a significant and lasting impact on DEI in the workplace. Hence, organisations should re-evaluate their L&D programmes and redesign them to integrate DEI – enabling the following:
1) Increased awareness and understanding: L&D programmes can help employees recognise their own biases and assumptions, and become aware of the diverse experiences each individual can have that are different from them. This increases the awareness and understanding of DEI among employees.
2) Skill-building: DEI-focused L&D workshops such as cultural competence, effective communication, and inclusive leadership can empower individuals with DEI knowledge and skills to navigate a complex workplace with colleagues from different background and create a more inclusive workplace.
3) Career development: Employees from underrepresented communities can also undergo DEI-focused L&D programmes to develop the knowledge and skills required to develop a stronger voice and address issues of representation, integrate into the workplace, and advance in their careers while promoting diverse leadership.
Are you wondering if these L&D efforts are worthwhile? Engage Diversely to track across six elements of diversity and automate DEI reporting to measure your DEI goals!
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