by Tova Sherman
Your team needs to repeat training on inclusion. But at the same time, you cannot simply repeat inclusion training.
Confused? Stay with me, I promise both statements are accurate.
Whether as a HR leader in your organization or someone involved in providing training within the workplace, ensuring a content refresh in your learning material is not just a task to check off your list – it’s a strategic initiative that positions your organization for sustained success.
If you are like most HR folks and/or small to medium size businesses owners, you are responsible to manage training for staff at all levels. It can be daunting and quickly reduce to a one off & check a box if we are not diligent.
As trainers have 2 responsibilities to our teams:
1. To provide competency training in, for example; disability confidence regularly (annually or bi-annually). We simply cannot treat this kind of training like a one and done – but must offer it regularly in order to ensure uptake from new staff and old, and to ensure the entire team understands the importance of this subject to leadership.
2. We must update content regularly in order to combat knowledge decay, keep employees up-to-date with industry changes and next practices, reduce mistakes, improve productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, and boost employee confidence and motivation. Updated inclusion training is a valuable tool required to reinforce previously learned skills and knowledge, ensure continuous learning, safety, and sustained competence within your organization.
The fact is, especially in Diversity & Inclusion Training, people naturally forget information over time, a phenomenon known as the forgetting curve. Refresher courses provide necessary reinforcement to prevent decline in commitment and ensure critical knowledge is retained.
The start of fall offers a perfect opportunity to reassess and revitalize training content. As organizations are setting goals and teams are gearing up for fresh challenges, it’s important to align training materials with these new objectives.The workplace is rapidly evolving as are the folks we are welcoming – which is why refresher training in welcoming diversity at work is so important to ensure employees stay current with the latest standards, developments, and next practices.
In fact, studies show that by keeping knowledge fresh (not the same old inclusion training), the likelihood of errors and accidents decreases significantly and fosters a more positive work culture overall. It also demonstrates commitment; providing refresher courses shows employees that the organization values their professional growth and success and ensures all understand that inclusion of diverse populations is important. In fact, just this month new national standards for accessibility were released. Brushing-off old training material will do nothing to address rapidly evolving standards.
The bottom line: outdated information leads to reduced productivity and potential mistakes, while refreshed content supports ongoing learning and aligns training with evolving industry standards and business goals.
By refreshing content for employee training, you are ensuring inclusion skills are current, maintaining engagement, ensuring compliance with new regulations, improving job performance, and boosting employee confidence and retention.
By presenting annually vs a 1-off you are providing the tools necessary to truly ensure everyone is welcome- you are making a measurable difference in your workplace.
Check out our latest course offerings at www.disabilityeducation.ca
