How to Measure the Impact of Diversity Training

A lot of people that were hired to do DEI work since 2020 have struggled. And to be honest, that’s mostly by design. They weren’t hired to be change agents, but to *represent* change. They are only meant to be tokens, and thus have little support, resources, or accountability for their work. And I say this with all tenderness: those DEI certificates do not give me confidence that a person can do the job. But for those that are looking to bring change to organizations how do you know if your work is successful? What are the key performance indicators? I know I struggled with this early on, so I want to share a few that we use. Keep in mind, I work at a public university, have a strategic plan, and have had a 2-3 person team for years. But what we’re looking at for indicators of progress include: •Retention of employees from marginalized communities •Educational initiatives plus number of people engaged, their feedback, and competencies added •Equity in compensation studies and adjustments •Climate assessment results with disaggregated data, longitudinal analysis preferred •Measures on supplier diversity initiatives •Progress on the accessibility of physical and digital spaces •Verbal and financial support from leadership This is not an exhaustive list but I’m curious what other DEI professionals have been using to measure progress, comment below! #DEI #KPIs #DataDriven #MeasuringSuccess #UMNproud

5,800 course completions in 30 days 🥳 Amazing! But... What does that even mean? Did anyone actually learn anything? As an instructional designer, part of your role SHOULD be measuring impact. Did the learning solution you built matter? Did it help someone do their job better, quicker, with more efficiency, empathy, and enthusiasm? In this L&D world, there's endless talk about measuring success. Some say it's impossible... It's not. Enter the Impact Quadrant. With measureable data + time, you CAN track the success of your initiatives. But you've got to have a process in place to do it. Here are some ideas: 1. Quick Wins (Short-Term + Quantitative) → “Immediate Data Wins” How to track: ➡️ Course completion rates ➡️ Pre/post-test scores ➡️ Training attendance records ➡️ Immediate survey ratings (e.g., “Was this training helpful?”) 📣 Why it matters: Provides fast, measurable proof that the initiative is working. 2. Big Wins (Long-Term + Quantitative) → “Sustained Success” How to track: ➡️ Retention rates of trained employees via follow-up knowledge checks ➡️ Compliance scores over time ➡️ Reduction in errors/incidents ➡️ Job performance metrics (e.g., productivity increase, customer satisfaction) 📣 Why it matters: Demonstrates lasting impact with hard data. 3. Early Signals (Short-Term + Qualitative) → “Small Signs of Change” How to track: ➡️ Learner feedback (open-ended survey responses) ➡️ Documented manager observations ➡️ Engagement levels in discussions or forums ➡️ Behavioral changes noticed soon after training 📣 Why it matters: Captures immediate, anecdotal evidence of success. 4. Cultural Shift (Long-Term + Qualitative) → “Lasting Change” Tracking Methods: ➡️ Long-term learner sentiment surveys ➡️ Leadership feedback on workplace culture shifts ➡️ Self-reported confidence and behavior changes ➡️ Adoption of continuous learning mindset (e.g., employees seeking more training) 📣 Why it matters: Proves deep, lasting change that numbers alone can’t capture. If you’re only tracking one type of impact, you’re leaving insights—and results—on the table. The best instructional design hits all four quadrants: quick wins, sustained success, early signals, and lasting change. Which ones are you measuring? #PerformanceImprovement #InstructionalDesign #Data #Science #DataScience #LearningandDevelopment

Harassment training completion rates look good — until you see the number of employee relations claims. Now, executives are asking tougher questions. There’s a disconnect between how HR teams measure training success and how leadership evaluates its impact. How HR typically measures training: • Completion rates • Satisfaction scores • Training hours logged • Content quality ratings • Engagement metrics How executives actually measure training: • Reduction in employee relations claims • Lower attrition and hiring costs • Fewer compliance violations • Improved team productivity • Tangible risk mitigation tied to business performance This gap isn’t just about language. It fundamentally changes how workplace training needs to be designed, delivered, and reported. At Emtrain, every program is built around a business outcome. We aren’t asking, “Did employees complete the training?” We’re asking, “Can we predict where the next employee relations complaint is likely to happen—and prevent it before it escalates?” Communicating value to leadership requires a different mindset. It’s not: "We achieved 95% completion on harassment training." It’s: "Our targeted training approach reduced investigation costs by 12% this quarter." It’s not: "Employees rated our DEI program 4.8/5." It’s: "Teams that completed our inclusion program saw 18% lower turnover than comparable groups." If you want your programs to survive—and matter—start by asking yourself three hard questions: • Can you clearly articulate which business problems your training solves? • Are you measuring real outcomes, not just participation? • Can executives see a direct connection between your programs and the company's financial health? In this economic environment, HR initiatives that can’t prove business impact won’t just struggle for budget—they’ll be first on the chopping block. If you’re not already connecting your training strategy to business outcomes, now is the time to start.