Measuring Training Impact

If you are a leader or practitioner of #diversity, #equity, or #inclusion, do you facilitate activities, or do you create impact? They're not the same thing. In conversation after conversation I've had with DEI teams in the last few months, a common theme is anxiety in the face of change. The language they've spent years using is being forced to change. The activities they've made into their bread and butter are being suspended or forced to adapt. Newer or less mature DEI teams tend to see their activities and their impact as one and the same. They reason that, if they provide event programming and support employee networks, their impact on the organization must be "event programming existing" and "employee networks feeling supported." In the face of change, they grieve not only the loss of the status quo, but the perceived loss of all impact they could make. More established or mature DEI teams see their activities as a means to achieve their desired impact. They're able to identify problems in the organization that need solving and develop activities that best utilize their resources to solve these problems. They reason that, because the organization fails to adequately create belonging for all of its employees due to inconsistent manager support and a company culture that doesn't value people, they can solve the problem by increasing managerial consistency and creating a more people-centric culture. In the face of change, they grieve the loss of their activities—but can quickly pivot to new ones that achieve the same goals. We can learn a lot from these teams. If you want to sustain your impact even through disruptions to your team's typical operations, you can start by doing the following: 🎯 Define the problem you're working to solve, in context. Data, both qualitative and quantitative, ensures that you can identify the biggest gaps in your organization's commitment to its values, understand what areas DON'T need fixing so you can conserve your effort, and can start strategizing about how to solve root causes. 🎯 Pull out the biggest contributors to unfairness and exclusion. It's one thing if a manager in Sales communicates disrespectfully. It's another thing altogether if the culture of the entire Sales team glorifies disrespect. Understanding the scale of the issues we face can help us prioritize solving the biggest issues affecting everyone, rather than chasing symptoms. 🎯 Design interventions, not activities. Too many practitioners create an initiative because that's what they've been asked to do. Think of them instead as interventions: carefully-designed attempts to shift the status quo from Point A to a more inclusive, more fair Point B, by solving real problems that hold your organization back. The more we shift our work toward real impact, the more effective we'll be—regardless of the sociopolitical climate, regardless of backlash. Let's hone our focus.

Why rely solely on surveys when you can uncover the true state of DEI through concrete metrics? This is a question that echoes in my mind each time I embark on a new journey with a client. Surveys can provide valuable opinions, but they often fall short of capturing real facts and the nuanced realities of individuals within an organization. 🔎 Here are 6 key DEI metrics that truly matter: 📍 Attrition Rates: Take a closer look at why employees are leaving, especially among different groups. This will help you understand if there are specific challenges or issues that need to be addressed to improve retention. 📍 Leadership Pipeline Diversity: Evaluate the diversity within your leadership team. Are there opportunities for underrepresented individuals to rise into leadership roles? Are they equally represented on all levels of leadership? 📍 Promotion and Advancement Rates: Assess if all employees, regardless of background, are getting equal opportunities to advance in their careers. By monitoring promotion and advancement rates, you can identify any biases and work towards creating a level playing field. 📍 Pay Equity: Ensure that everyone is paid fairly and equally for their work. Address any discrepancies in pay based on not only gender, but also race, age, ethnicity or other intersectional factors. 📍 Hiring Pipeline Diversity: Examine the diversity of candidates in your hiring process. Are you attracting a wide range of talent from different backgrounds? Tracking this metric helps you gauge the effectiveness of your recruitment efforts in creating a diverse workforce. 📍 Employee Engagement by Demographic: Measure the level of engagement and satisfaction among employees from various groups. Are there any disparities in engagement levels? Run the crossings of identity diversity and organizational one. By focusing on these 6 concrete metrics, you can gain real insights into your organization's DEI progress based on actionable data that drives progress. ________________________________________ Are you looking for more HR tips and DEI content like this?  📨 Join my free DEI Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dtgdB6XX

✋🏽While outputs are important, they don't tell the whole story. True impact is reflected in the changes that occur within your organisation and your broader community. This requires a strategic approach to KPI development and a variety of measurement techniques beyond what is current common practice (see link in the comments for more on this)👇🏽. 📏 What are you currently measuring in your organisation? Be honest! #diversityequityinclusion #measuringimpact #outcomes #KPIs #inclusionmetrics Image description: illustrated graphic on a pink background with blue, white and yellow text boxes displaying the text below. Title: Types of DEI Measurements. 1) Outputs measure activities: Number of leaders participating in inclusive leadership programmes, Number of employees participating in ERGs, Number of DEI-related external comms produced. 2) Outcomes measure results: Increase in engagement rates for employees from marginalised communities Increased retention rates for employees who are part of ERGs Social media engagement on DEI-related posts increases 3) Impact measures progress: e.g. Improved productivity across the organisation, Enhanced innovation metric, e.g., new patents, new products, Increased brand reputation from diverse communities.

It’s crucial to navigate the often overwhelming discourse surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with clarity and purpose. The first step is to establish clear, measurable objectives for your DEI initiatives. This involves setting specific goals, such as increasing representation of underrepresented groups in leadership roles or improving employee engagement scores. By having well-defined targets, you can focus your efforts and measure progress effectively, cutting through the noise and demonstrating tangible results. Another key strategy is to leverage data to inform your DEI efforts. Collecting and analysing data on workforce demographics, employee experiences, and the impact of DEI programs allows you to identify areas for improvement and track the success of your initiatives. Data-driven approaches help to ground your DEI strategies in evidence, making it easier to communicate the importance and effectiveness of these efforts to stakeholders. This not only helps in addressing misconceptions but also in building a strong case for continued investment in DEI. Finally, fostering an inclusive culture requires active and visible leadership. Leaders must model inclusive behaviors, such as actively seeking diverse perspectives and addressing unconscious biases. Providing regular training and creating platforms for open dialogue can help in building a more inclusive environment. Additionally, involving employees at all levels in DEI initiatives, through resource groups or feedback sessions, ensures that everyone feels a sense of ownership and commitment to these goals. By maintaining a continuous focus on improvement and staying informed about best practices, everyone can effectively cut through the cacophony and drive meaningful change within their organizations. #diversity #equity #inclusion #belonging

🌍 DE&I Initiatives: Tokenism vs. True Impact DE&I as a brand has been associated with too many tick-box exercises. Inclusion is more than just a box to tick—it’s a culture to build. Too often, DE&I initiatives fall into the trap of looking good on the surface without creating real change. Here’s a look at 5 tokenistic DE&I measures vs. 5 impactful strategies that drive meaningful transformation. 👇🏾 Tokenistic DE&I Measures 🚫 One-Time Diversity Training – A single, isolated training often doesn’t lead to lasting behavioral change or deeper understanding. Public Statements Without Action – Leadership statements on diversity are valuable, but they need tangible actions to back them up. Unfunded ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) – Forming ERGs without budget, leadership support, or influence can make them feel tokenistic and sidelined. Hiring Quotas Without Inclusion Efforts – Bringing in diverse talent without creating an inclusive culture leads to high turnover and disengagement. Celebratory Events Without Systemic Change – Cultural events are great, but without addressing structural inequities, they risk being surface-level gestures. Measures That Make Real Impact 💡 Ongoing Education & Training – Embed regular, in-depth DE&I training across all levels, with follow-ups and reinforcement to encourage sustainable change. Accountability & Action Plans – Move beyond statements by setting measurable DE&I goals, tracking progress, and holding leaders accountable. Empowered, Supported ERGs – Fund ERGs and give them a voice in decision-making, showing that diverse perspectives shape the organization’s direction. Inclusive Culture Building – Train managers to foster a culture where all voices are valued, and diverse employees feel they truly belong and can grow. Systemic Change Initiatives – Address equity in areas like pay, promotion, and representation in leadership to tackle root issues beyond symbolic gestures. True inclusion requires more than optics; it’s about creating spaces where everyone feels they can be themselves, contribute, and thrive. Let’s commit to the kind of DE&I work that goes beyond tokenism and creates genuine, lasting change. 🌱 #DEI #InclusiveLeadership #CultureChange #Diversityandinclusion #Leadership

You’re not alone if you’ve noticed that, despite the time and resources invested, the DEI training programs in your organization aren’t delivering the impact you expected. The reality is, success isn’t just determined by the commitment of the participants —it’s heavily influenced also by how the program is structured and delivered. There are key signs to watch for that may suggest your DEI program is like a broken ladder, making it difficult for employees to climb toward meaningful change Here are 8 common pitfalls to watch out for, and what you can do to ensure the DEI trainings in your organization make a lasting impact: ❌ Single-session workshops ✅ Effective DEI programs involve spaced learning, delivered over time to allow for deeper understanding and lasting impact ❌ Same content for people in different roles  ✅ Does the training feel generic, like it’s meant for everyone but relevant to no one? A good DEI program should be tailored to specific roles and the needs of your group. ❌ Focusing on compliance and what not to do ✅ The focus should be on modeling inclusive behaviors and showing what to do in real situations and how to incorporate them into daily work ❌ Copy-pasting training content from global DEI programs ✅ If it feels like the examples or exercises don’t really apply to your workplace, the content may have been copy-pasted from global programs. Check how the material has been adjusted to reflect your specific organization’s culture and challenges. ❌ Run by passionate DEI advocates with no facilitation experience ✅ A passionate facilitator is great, but they should also know how to manage group dynamics and keep discussions productive. Pay attention to whether the facilitator is able to navigate complex conversations and make the space feel safe for everyone. ❌ Raising awareness without driving behavioral change ✅ DEI training should focus on translating awareness into concrete actions that people can start practicing immediately. ❌ Ignoring pushback and concerns ✅ A DEI training that shies away from tough conversations might miss real issues. Good training fosters open dialogue, allowing participants to voice concerns and discuss challenges openly. ❌ No follow-up or next steps ✅ A truly impactful program provides follow-up phases for implementation, ensuring the lessons learned are integrated and built upon. By paying attention to these aspects, you can transform the DEI training program into one that delivers meaningful, lasting change. Do any of these issues resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

At Indus Training and Research Institute, one of the most powerful aspects of teacher training that we do is guiding teachers to discover their why - the deeper purpose that drives their teaching. Teaching is more than delivering content; it is an act of shaping minds, fostering curiosity, and nurturing perspectives. But to do this effectively, teachers need to reflect on why they teach in the first place. They need to ask questions like: Why does this subject matter? Why should children learn it? What kind of impact do they want their teaching to have? What’s the deeper motive behind teaching a concept? Finding these answers requires deep introspection and often, unlearning. Many teachers enter the profession thinking their job is to "cover the syllabus" or "prepare students for exams." But when they take the time to reflect, they realize that education is far more than content delivery. It’s about the values and ideas they want to instill, the curiosity they want to spark, and the lasting impressions they want to leave. Let me give the example of a biology teacher in our program. As she engaged in this reflective process, she uncovered her deeper why: sustainability. She wanted to create a world where all life forms could thrive, and she saw biology as the key to inspiring that mindset in students. This realization transformed the way she approached her teaching. Sustainability became the hidden curriculum in her lessons. Her assignments encouraged students to think critically about ecological balance, biodiversity, and conservation. Classroom discussions went beyond definitions and formulas; they became conversations about responsibility, ethics, and human impact on the environment. And the most remarkable part? Her students felt it. When she submitted her students' work as evidence, I could see her teaching philosophy being reflected. They began to look at the world through the lens of sustainability. They questioned how human actions affected different ecosystems, discussed ways to reduce waste, and even initiated small sustainability projects. What started as a teacher’s why became a ripple effect, influencing how her students saw their role in the world. In my last post, I talked about Social-Emotional Learning. Often, SEL is associated with subjects like language, humanities, or special programs. But here’s an example of how a science teacher is doing SEL. It's the hidden curriculum. Every teacher is an SEL teacher. When teachers find their why, they don’t just teach subjects - they shape mindsets. Education is never just about what we teach. It’s about why we teach. And when teachers discover their deeper why, the impact lasts far beyond the classroom! #education #sustainability #biology #sel #priyankeducator

Are your programs making the impact you envision or are they costing more than they give back? A few years ago, I worked with an organization grappling with a tough question: Which programs should we keep, grow, or let go? They felt stretched thin, with some initiatives thriving and others barely holding on. It was clear they needed a clearer strategy to align their programs with their long-term goals. We introduced a tool that breaks programs into four categories: Heart, Star, Stop Sign, and Money Tree each with its strategic path. -Heart: These programs deliver immense value but come with high costs. The team asked, Can we achieve the same impact with a leaner approach? They restructured staffing and reduced overhead, preserving the program's impact while cutting costs by 15%. -Star: High impact and high revenue programs that beg for investment. The team explored expanding partnerships for a standout program and saw a 30% increase in revenue within two years. -Stop Sign: Programs that drain resources without delivering results. One initiative had consistently low engagement. They gave it a six-month review period but ultimately decided to phase it out, freeing resources for more promising efforts. -Money Tree: The revenue generating champions. Here, the focus was on growth investing in marketing and improving operations to double their margin within a year. This structured approach led to more confident decision-making and, most importantly, brought them closer to their goal of sustainable success. According to a report by Bain & Company, organizations that regularly assess program performance against strategic priorities see a 40% increase in efficiency and long-term viability. Yet, many teams shy away from the hard conversations this requires. The lesson? Every program doesn’t need to stay. Evaluating them through a thoughtful lens of impact and profitability ensures you’re investing where it matters most. What’s a program in your organization that could benefit from this kind of review?

IMPROVING SPRINT MECHANICS FOR HAMSTRING INJURY PREVENTION‼️(field research) Myself and Chris Bramah have collaborated to design and deliver tailored individualised programming consisting of sprint running mechanics and gym based drills and exercises. The aim was to determine the impact of specific interventions on sprint running mechanics and hamstring injury rates. WHAT WE DID: S-MAS screening was performed 10 weeks apart. Each movement category was assigned 3 different run mechanics drills and gym based supplementary work was included as part of their physical programme. The incorporation of this work across the training model consisted of pre training prep, on field warm ups, prior to speed exposure, and within gym based physical development sessions. RESULTS 📊 Movement quality improved: Across the group we demonstrated average group level decrease in S-MAS by 1.7 ⬇️ Previous research in this area demonstrated an S-MAS score increase by 1 was associated with 33% increase in incidence risk of hamstring injury. Across our group, the improvements have been impactful and contributed to improvements in player availability and injury incidence⬇️ - 0 hamstring injuries within intervention period - 100% player availability within intervention group - 51% reduction in days missed to soft tissue injury compared to same stage of previous season KEY MESSAGES - Average completion rate was 65% throughout the intervention period. Elite football poses chaotic schedules. This places a real challenge to determine when this work can be conducted, and places a paramount on the art of selecting certain training modalities. Listen to the athlete, work along continuums, adapt where necessary while not losing sight of long term objectives. - When looking to develop mechanics, you may not change how the athlete moves completely. Instead look to shift within bandwidths to optimise strategy and improve movement quality. - It may not directly improve how the player moves in matchplay. However, it subsequently develops the structure and capacities of the tissues in practice. Potentially reducing mechanical strain when performing high speed running/sprinting. - Assessing strategy can allow you to determine clear priorities to develop the required tissue capacity. - The use of this model addresses inadequate prescription of running mechanics. Moving to an individualised approach utilising various run mechanics drills and gym based exercises. - The model prescribed sits within a holistic approach for injury prevention strategies. While working through this process, we have been able to identify further methods that can be drawn upon to have physical transfer and develop movement in each of the three sub categories. Happy to discuss and share ideas with anyone who has done similar work in this area. Looking forward to more work in this space 🙌🏻

Can Sprinting prevent Hamstring injuries? Title: If You Want to Prevent Hamstring Injuries in Soccer, Run Fast: A Narrative Review about Practical Considerations of Sprint Training Authors: Pedro Gómez-Piqueras & Pedro E. Alcaraz Published in: Sports, May, 2024 Key Points: Hamstring injuries (HSIs) are the most common in professional soccer, significantly affecting performance and causing economic loss. Sprinting plays a dual role in performance and injury prevention by activating the long head of the biceps femoris (BFlh). Regular and well-structured sprint training can reduce HSI risk. A multifactorial prevention approach, including proper load management and sprint mechanics, is essential. Recommendations: Incorporate Sprint Training: Regular, progressive sprint sessions in training schedules. Monitor Training Loads: Adjust loads to prevent overtraining and optimize recovery. Personalized Training Plans: Develop individualized training strategies tailored to each player's needs and responses. Conclusion: Effective sprint training is crucial for preventing HSIs while enhancing performance in soccer. Coaches should adopt evidence-based methods and continuously adapt training strategies for optimal results. Read the full study for detailed insights and practical recommendations! - https://lnkd.in/eFa7HQ6Z #soccer #football #sprinting #hamstring #injury #injuryprevention #periodization #sprint