Cultural diversity in the workplace is a difficult subject to translate into an eLearning environment. So instead of starting from scratch, why not buy an off-the-shelf app that does the job for you and build cultural diversity into your LMS?
The Cultural Competency Program is an app created by Australia’s SBS (Special Broadcasting Service), which devotes itself to culturally diverse radio and television programming in different languages. The broadcaster’s cultural competency program features more than sixty videos, animated graphics and interactive activities.
The three-hour course covers nine modules that are designed to make employees aware of cultural sensitivities so they don’t put their feet in mouths when talking to fellow employees of different cultural backgrounds. In a promotion video for the course, SBS news presenter Lee Lin Chin uses pointed humour to illustrate the point of a clueless cultural diversity officer who manages to insult everyone she speaks with.
Here is a link to the transcript if you want to get an idea of how the writers used wit to illustrate their point.
Although you have to pay for this app, it does present an opportunity to focus on other parts of your training, which may involve a more technical approach to your product or service.
You may also want to make a list of all the mandatory compliance training that needs to be covered in your organization. That may include health and safety, regulatory compliance, company policy, etc. Some may be specific to your organization, but others may be generic enough where you don’t have to re-invent the wheel.
Sexual harassment is one such area that is commanding more attention these days with the #MeToo movement, which is empowering women to take charge of sexual harassment in the workplace, share their stories and out the people who do it. Again, this is an “awareness”resource that may be included in your LMS at no charge.
There are plenty of vendors who sell off-the-shelf generic training, including My Learning Space through its partner program with Totara. If you do decide to go down the off-the-shelf app to build cultural diversity into your LMS, it pays to drill into the topics covered in the training to make sure they match your organisation’s requirements. Download the app and test drive it before making your decision. In the long run it could save you a great deal of time and money.