Evaluating the inclusiveness of employee training programmes: a research-practice partnership

Abstract

Neglecting inclusiveness in employee training risks perpetuating inequality. This study addresses the need of Learning & Development teams to better understand and enhance the inclusiveness of employee training. Grounded in critical socio-culturalism and critical learning evaluation, this research explored the potential of learner survey questions focused explicitly on the inclusiveness of training to provide insights and recommendations for more inclusive training. To this end, two scholar–practitioners developed a set of learner survey questions targeting different aspects of the inclusiveness of employee training, and a subsequent case study was conducted within a multinational corporation to pilot these questions. Data collection involved think-aloud interviews, where participants verbalised their thoughts while responding to the survey questions after completing a specific training programme. Data analysis spanned participants’ experiences with, and opportunities to improve, the inclusiveness of the training, and the relevance and completeness of the survey questions. The findings indicated that inclusive-learning survey questions could be an effective tool for understanding and enhancing the inclusiveness of employee training. In addition, opportunities for improving the survey questions were identified. Future research should continue to refine the inclusive-learning survey questions, extending their application to various contexts, including educational institutions.