Posted on August 4, 2006 4:27 AM by
Shanti Atkins
Two of the biggest harassment scandals in recent months have come from Boeing (married CEO has affair with female subordinate and is forced to resign) and Toyota (North American CEO’s improper sexual conduct results in $190-million claim, and subsequent high profile settlement.)
What both cases have in common is the role of training in remedial efforts.
On Tuesday, Boeing chairman and CEO James McNerney apologized for the recent series of scandals that have forced out two of his predecessors and led the company to pay a record $615 million settlement to the Justice Department. Boeing’s ethics code will be woven “into the fabric” at all levels of the company. The company has announced beefed up ethics training and will now requires employees to sign a code of conduct and participate in an annual “ethics recommitment” session.
As part of the Toyota settlement announced today, the company will boost harassment-awareness training. It will also set up a panel (led by former U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman) to critique its workplace policies.
These remedial measures are designed to prevent similar conduct (and explosive damages) in the future. My vote? If they’re taken seriously, and managed properly, they’ll be successful. That’s a lesson for all employers looking to avoid these kinds of problems in their organizations – and a reason to embrace training.
But the key is to deploy training that works -- training that actually speaks to employees, and puts your policies into an understandable, and memorable experience. It’s why at ELT we believe so strongly in high production value, story-based training.
Employees are sophisticated consumers of technology, and knowledgeable about harassment and discrimination, which permeates the daily media. These are learners who will roll their eyes at a poor quality, text driven experience. Ditto for cutesy cartoons, rudimentary graphics or schlocky stock photos. Providing a low-end, “check the box” experience may actually increase risk and send the message the employer doesn’t really take discrimination prevention seriously.
Whether you’re building a program, or buying one, step out of your role as a legal, HR or ethics expert, and ask yourself how you would perceive the program. Is it interesting? Helpful? Realistic? Would you recognize and appreciate the value of taking time out of your busy day to take the training?
The answer to all of these questions should be a resounding “yes” – otherwise, you may be wasting your efforts.