The DE&I baseline eLearning – creating a baseline understanding for everyone

What did you want to achieve? 

We aim to create a culture of belonging by providing all employees with a shared understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). The DE&I Baseline eLearning educates employees, raises awareness of DE&I topics, and builds a common foundation of knowledge. Our goal was to make the training accessible to everyone, regardless of individual needs, setting a new standard for inclusivity and taking a major step towards a more inclusive work environment.

What did you do? 

We developed a four-module eLearning program to provide foundational knowledge on DE&I. It starts with an introduction where participants assess their current understanding through an entry quiz. The core content is split into three interactive sections, focusing on the role of DE&I for the company, the individual, and the team.

A standout feature of the eLearning is the inclusion of real-life stories from Telekom employees with diverse backgrounds. These personal experiences, shared through short films, bring an emotional and relatable aspect to the content. The eLearning also includes an audio-guided reflection exercise to highlight unconscious biases, as well as tools like a Self-Reflection Dial, quizzes, and additional resources. These elements promote a deeper understanding of DE&I and help employees apply these principles in their daily work, fostering a stronger sense of belonging within the company.

What are the results so far? 

The eLearning has received a strong acceptance rate of 4.5 out of 5, with positive feedback driven by employee involvement in its design, ensuring the topic is handled sensitively. All managers were assigned the training in June 2024, followed by all employees. Some country divisions have made it mandatory, reinforcing DE&I as a business priority for everyone. Moreover, the eLearning is integrated into the onboarding process of new leaders, as well as the onboarding of all new employees in selected countries, ensuring the same baseline understanding from the beginning.

What have you learned? 

Full accessibility requires specialized IT expertise, as it’s more complex than reducing barriers. Verifying audio descriptions and subtitles is time-consuming, especially across languages. Diversity related translations need expert handling to avoid errors or bias. Personal stories and a multimedia approach have proven highly impactful, while co-creation boosts engagement by making content relatable. Nevertheless, we learned to ensure anonymity for sensitive topics. Lastly, accessibility must be planned from the start, as retrofitting is much more difficult.