Why DEI Matters in eLearning—And How to Get There

Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization — Mahatma Gandhi

The modern workplace looks significantly different than it did 20 or 30 years ago, and in 10 to 20 years, it’s going to be even more reflective of the beautiful tapestry of the human landscape that is striving and struggling to be better, work better, and live better.

Diversity and inclusion are finally in the spotlight—prioritized more than ever before.

As we continually endeavor to educate a multi-generational, multicultural, multi-dimensional workforce, we must also endeavor to develop eLearning that is reflective of the modern multi-faceted workforce.

Here’s a small look at how much the workforce has changed over the years. 

9 Workforce Diversity Facts¹

1. Projected growth from Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial groups will turn traditionally underrepresented populations into majority groups by 2044.
2. By 2065, the U.S. will not have any single ethnic or racial majority.
3. 57% of employees think their company should be doing more to increase diversity.
4. Highly gender-diverse executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform on profitability.
5. Racially and ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to perform better.
6. Diverse teams are 87% better at making decisions.
7. Inclusive companies are 1.7x more innovative.
8. Companies that have a highly inclusive culture have 2.3x more cash flow per employee.
9. Inclusive companies are 120% more likely to hit financial goals.

eLearning Democratizes Training

Technology-based learning has made training more accessible than ever. And in addition to actually covering critical diversity and inclusion topics, eLearning levels the training playing field by providing a means for anyone to access learning from anywhere, at any time. 

According to the CDC, approximately 20% of Americans identify as having at least one disability. Vendors are recognizing this and constantly working to improve the tools and technology used to create accessible learning.
 

Web accessibility has evolved by leaps and bounds, and those with hearing or visual impairment are now able to leverage assistive technologies to experience online learning like never before. 

Instructional designers are spending more time creating interactive content that’s still accessible, and being thoughtful about language and visuals, following tips like the ones we’ll share later in this article.

And today’s globally dispersed learning populations are now able to leverage learning that is rapidly translated and deployed in native languages, via voiceovers and closed captioning. 

Accessible—And Engaging?

There’s a common misconception that if you’re creating accessible and inclusive learning you can’t do everything you want to do. But really, it’s giving you the opportunity to think differently and create something more unique.

The basics of developing accessible learning can be remembered using the “POUR” acronym: 
 
For more technical advice, some of the best places to find help on accessibility guidelines are:

●  Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview
●  How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference)
●  The Lectora Accessibility User Group

Remember Who You’re Serving

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
-Verna Myers, VP, Inclusion Strategy at Netflix 

While technology-based learning opens a world of opportunities for everyone, we know that to be effective, eLearning needs to be engaging and communicate concepts with clarity, while gaining buy-in so that learners want to – and will – apply what they’ve learned. All of this can be accomplished with inclusive practices. 

But what does “inclusive practices” really mean?  When developing eLearning, we need to be uber focused on ensuring that the learning is reflective of the modern workforce – or it will fall flat. To accomplish this, we need to keep the following in mind:
 

• Be aware of bias – What are the demographics of your audience? Your words should leverage bias-free communication. Avoid gendered terms and slang or idioms. Ask yourself, are you perpetuating stereotypes? Are you using ethnic or cultural cliches? Are you being patronizing particular groups? Don’t forget about age groups when you consider that. In addition, there are now 5 distinct generations of learners in the workforce, and they may have different learning preferences.  
• Vary your visuals – Select graphics and imagery that are reflective of the rich tapestry of your workforce.  Ask yourself what the imagery is saying about the company. Are you using all women for office staff?  Are you using all white males for leaders?  Will all groups feel represented?

   

• Use authentic audio – Even your vocal and voiceover talent needs to represent diversity. Does it showcase ethnic groups, age groups, gender groups, and dialects?  Over-exaggerated and/or fake accents are transparent and condescending. Going the extra mile and sourcing authentic vocal talent will pay off. 
• Ask for input – Some of your best resources to help ensure diversity and inclusion are your people. Leverage the unique insights and perspectives of the audience for whom you are developing the training in the first place. Does it appeal to them?  Do they feel represented?  Do they agree with and support the concepts?  Do they have any concerns?

Be the Change

A 2019 Glassdoor survey found about three in five (61 percent) U.S. employees have witnessed or experienced discrimination based on age, race, gender, or LGBTQ identity in the workplace.  

As Stephen Covey once said, “Strength lies in differences, not similarities.” Be the change you want to see and ensure your strongest corporate culture by developing learning supports the solution—instead of perpetuating the problem.

Source
^1. https://www.fundera.com/resources/diversity-in-the-workplace-statistics

Stephanie Ivec is the Content Marketing Manager at eLearning Brothers, and the primary contributor to the eLearning Brothers blog, where she provides training tips and covers eLearning trends. She's also a featured author in Learning Solutions Magazine, eLearningIndustry.com, and HR.com. Having written about eLearning for over 8 years, she has impacted the industry by motivating her readers to create engaging learning and make online training effective and enjoyable. Connect Stephanie Ivec