Making Inclusion Stick: How to Use E-Learning to Create Lasting Culture Change

As organisations face increased pressure to show results from their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, many are beginning to question whether one-off training sessions are enough. In our recent LinkedIn Live, Natalie Wilkins explored how e-learning can be used as part of a larger learning journey to drive real, lasting culture change.

Why this topic matters

DEI fatigue is real. Many employees are attending multiple trainings without a clear sense of how to turn learning into action. We’re seeing a pattern where training becomes performative - with little to no change in behaviour or culture. That’s a missed opportunity.

DEI isn’t about ticking a box. It’s about embedding inclusion into the core of your culture, and that takes more than a webinar.

Key takeaways

1. From performative to practical

Without reinforcement, DEI training is like giving someone one piano lesson and expecting a concert six months later. We need clear behavioural targets, follow-up, and a journey mapped out for real change to happen.

2. Set clear behavioural expectations

Saying you value inclusion is not enough. Employees need a shared language and understanding of what inclusion looks like in practice. If people can’t describe the expected behaviours, they won’t be able to do them.

3. Start with what you can control

Waiting for a company-wide strategy can delay action. Empower departments and teams to take initiative. One team that piloted inclusive meeting practices saw measurable improvements in trust within six months.

4. Use the "me–we–us" competency model

Thriving Talent’s DEI competency model helps organisations define what inclusive behaviours look like at the individual (me), team (we), and organisational (us) levels. This model supports mapping learning journeys with clarity and purpose.

5. Recognise developmental stages

DEI competencies aren’t binary. Individuals move through stages of development: from awareness to understanding, then applying, performing, coaching, and finally leading and transforming. Training should support this growth.

6. Why e-learning works

E-learning offers:

• Scalability across locations and roles

• Flexibility to meet learners where they are

• Personalisation for different learning styles

• Cost-effective training with measurable impact

But it’s not a silver bullet. It must be combined with social learning, coaching, policy change, and leadership buy-in.

7. Make it practical and bite-sized

E-learning should be no longer than 30-60 minutes, focused on one or two key topics, and include realistic scenarios. This increases engagement and confidence to apply what’s learned.

8. Match training to DEI maturity

Choose topics that align with where your organisation is on its DEI journey. For example:

• Early stage: Unconscious bias or inclusive hiring

• Intermediate stage: Allyship or intersectionality

9. Follow up with nudges and peer learning

Support e-learning with real-world applications like simulations, peer conversations, inclusion experiments, and learning circles. This keeps learning alive beyond the screen.

Final thoughts

Inclusion isn’t a side dish. It has to be baked into the main course - embedded into your business priorities, systems, and people practices. When done well, e-learning is a powerful ingredient in that recipe.

As you plan your DEI strategy for the second half of the year, consider how scalable, targeted learning can move your organisation from awareness to action and beyond.

Have questions or want help designing your DEI learning journey? Get in touch — we’d love to support you.