Implement ADDT Using Microlearning In 3 Steps
Modern workplaces consist of employees hailing from various cultures, races, religions, backgrounds and having different sexual orientations. In this age of rampant political correctness, it is important for all employees working in an organization to understand the individual experiences and viewpoints of their colleagues so that they do not exhibit unconscious bias or say something insensitive which might hurt the sentiments of another colleague. An employee who feels slighted, disrespected, misunderstood, or discriminated against might suffer mentally, which might affect their productivity, even leading to them quitting their job or even filing a lawsuit against their organization. To avoid all of that, it is better for organizations to have an anti-discrimination and diversity training program.
As L&D has evolved, and digital learning methodologies are best suited to the modern workforce of today, microlearning seems like the best option for such a training program. We’ll discuss more reasons why microlearning is the best option for such a training, but let us first discuss why this training is equally relevant for small businesses, and not just large corporations.
Why Anti-Discrimination And Diversity Training Is Important For Small Businesses
Anti-discrimination and diversity training (ADDT) is important for small businesses for all the same reasons it is important for larger organizations, but even more so because large corporations may endure hefty lawsuits from slighted employees, but a small business may not survive. A lawsuit causes damage to a business’s reputation as well as financial damage. It is better to implement training than risk such a complication. Instead of considering it as an additional cost, small businesses should consider ADDT as an advantage they could provide their employees, as well as organization, such as an improved opinion of the company, improved employee retention, improved morale, and of course, reduced discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Now, let us see how ADDT can be implemented using microlearning, in a step-by-step manner.
1. Collect Data
As with any sort of training, but especially so before implementing ADDT, you need to collect employee demographic data. This will help the organization understand how the employees can be divided on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, family status, gender, gender identity or expression, language, position in the organization, physical characteristics, race, religion, belief, and sexual orientation. Collecting this data, which can be done through a simple survey, will help you curate content and topics for your ADDT microlearning program.
2. Identify Problematic Areas
Once you’ve compiled the data, you need to identify the areas of concern in your organization. Which are the minority demographics in your organization? Are they being discriminated against? How do they feel about working in the organization? Are they being underrepresented in the organization? Identifying problematic areas in the organization will help you identify the topics you need to focus on in your ADDT microlearning program, as well as target employees who feel averse to or disconnected from a certain minority demographic.
3. Create Your ADDT Microlearning Program
After collecting all the required data and underlining problematic areas, you can begin designing and developing your microlearning program. It is important that you get a designer with previous experience in creating microlearning, and if such a person isn’t available, ask the designer to thoroughly research and practice creating microlearning. Each microlearning bit or unit must focus on only one learning objective, must not take more than 5 minutes to consume, and must use modern engagement strategies such as video-based learning, gamification, branching scenarios, simulations, interactive PDFs, and infographics. All of the individual microlearning bits must join together to encapsulate the business objectives achieved by creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Conclusion
Having an ADDT microlearning program in your organization is a great initiative to create a more inclusive, diverse environment devoid of discrimination in the workplace, however, it isn’t everything you can do to achieve that. You could have monthly counseling or seminars to explain to employees the importance of diversity and inclusivity and give them tips on how to be anti-discrimination. You could also create quotas for minority demographics in your organization, and share articles with your employees to ensure that they are up-to-date on changing trends and political views of the minority demographic. When employees are aware of their responsibility to treat other employees equally and with respect, it creates a positive and productive atmosphere in the workplace, as it should be.
