The 3 steps for creating an inclusive learning environment

Inclusive learning experiences ensure that employees feel seen and supported while upskilling. However, most L&D programs often fail to account for intersectionality, a key component in creating inclusivity at work.

Intersectionality, a term coined by scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, is a concept that describes how different aspects of a person's identity combine to create unique experiences, particularly related to discrimination or disadvantage.

In simpler terms, intersectionality recognizes that people aren't defined by just one aspect of who they are. We all have multiple identities that overlap and interact, like: Race and ethnicity, Gender and gender identity, Sexual orientation, Disability status, Age, Socioeconomic background, Religion, Educational background

Understanding intersectionality can help people leaders design course material that considers all of their employees’ identities. In doing so, they can ensure that everyone has equitable access to learning and learning outcomes (like promotions, upskilling, and more).

In essence, intersectionality acts as a lens through which we can understand differences in workplace learning, including:

• Perceptions: People's past experiences, for example, can influence their understanding of workplace learning.
• Preferences: Every individual employee might favor different learning formats, methods, and environments, which are often influenced by their unique intersectional identities and experiences.
• Participation: Social and structural barriers—such as limited access, low confidence, or lack of psychological safety—can prevent employees from fully engaging in learning opportunities.

Step 1: Assess your current L&D strategy

Before diving into the design of your learning materials, consider where your learning may be falling short in inclusivity. To do that, be sure to review:

• Materials: Assess whether your training materials include different types of people and situations.
• Training spaces: Determine whether everyone can access and use physical or digital spaces comfortably.
• Tools: Consider whether your tools are accessible and easy to use.
• Attendance: Track who attends training and who participates during sessions.
• Employee sentiment: Meet one-on-one, send surveys, or even form groups to ask where training is falling short.

Step 2: Set goals

Next, set realistic yet measurable goals for your learning initiatives. Instead of just saying “let's make our training and learning more inclusive,” be sure to:

• Define inclusivity for your organization: Consider who you're designing for, whose needs have historically been overlooked, and what success looks like for different groups across roles, identities, and access points.
• Determine qualitative and quantitative goals: Track attendance and completion metrics and survey employees to identify participation gaps across different demographic groups.
• Align learning goals with broader DEI and business objectives: Connect your inclusive training goals to company-wide DEI initiatives and measurable business outcomes like employee retention, promotion equity, and team performance metrics.

Here’s what an example goal might look like: Increase completion rates of mandatory leadership training by 25% among frontline women of color within the next 12 months by offering translated materials, flexible scheduling, and targeted support resources.

Step 3: Update learning content design, delivery, and support strategies

Based on your needs and goals, it’s time to revamp your learning initiatives. To do that, you’ll want to look at the content itself, the way you deliver it, and how you support employees in completing it.

Content design strategies

To be inclusive, your content should be:

• Reflective of your workforce: Review all materials to ensure they accurately represent diverse backgrounds, industries, and roles. Replace gendered language with neutral alternatives and ensure examples feature diverse protagonists.
• Accessible: Ensure all digital content meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards. Use sufficient color contrast, alt text for images, descriptive hyperlinks, and compatible formatting for screen readers.
• Expert-driven: Include diverse speakers and subject matter experts who represent various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Delivery strategies

To be inclusive, your team should:

• Provide multiple format options: Offer content in various formats (text, podcasts, micro learning modules) to accommodate different learning preferences and accessibility needs.
• Implement flexible timing options: Offer asynchronous alternatives to live sessions and provide recordings of all synchronous learning events.
• Create psychologically safe spaces for learning: Begin sessions with clear ground rules that emphasize respect and confidentiality and use icebreakers that don't require personal disclosure beyond comfort levels.
• Give employees choice: Partner with a content aggregator that offers personalized learning paths tailored to each employee's specific learning needs, preferences, goals, and roles.

Support strategies

To be inclusive, your team should:

• Use inclusive feedback mechanisms: Gather input through multiple channels (surveys, focus groups, one-on-one conversations) and ask specifically about inclusion perceptions and experiences.
• Develop learning cohorts or affinity groups: Create opportunities for employees with shared identities or experiences to learn together in spaces where they can speak freely.
• Establish mentorship connections: Pair employees with mentors who can provide contextual support for applying learning within their specific roles and experiences.
• Provide multiple demonstration options: Allow learners to demonstrate knowledge through various methods (written responses, presentations, practical applications, discussions) rather than standardized testing only.

With the right strategy and tools, your organization can make learning equitable and inclusive for everyone—allowing all employees to feel respected and supported in all of their learning goals.

With Go1, organizations can offer employees direct service access to hundreds of courses on virtually any subject matter—from emotional intelligence to digital literacy and more—in practically any format. From microlearning modules, podcasts, quizzes, and more, you can empower all your employees to learn in a way that suits them best.