Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 63

and minimizing bias. In addition to
these reflective techniques, Roinisalo
says that the training is about " how to
create safe spaces for collaborative
learning. " L&D can play a major role in
fostering safe learning environments by
establishing norms and expectations to
hold people accountable, encourage
constructive feedback and regularly
provide learners with up-to-date
resources. Team leaders discuss and
reflect on challenge topics in meetings.
The experience also incorporates
elements of gamification, with raffles
and giveaways, including a grand prize
of two round-trip tickets to anywhere in
the continental United States.
To make the training more accessible,
additional learning was designed to
" give participants room to integrate
learning in their work at their own
pace, " Roinisalo says. Their goal was to
meet learners where they are in their
personal journeys toward inclusion
and equity skills. Denny's survey data
indicates that they were successful.
Approximately 73% of participants
agreed that Go Beyond helped them
grow as individuals and 74% would
recommend Denny's as an employer,
in large part because of initiatives
like this.
The Denny's DEI Council, led by April
Kelly-Drummond, vice president of
diversity, equity and inclusion, together
with the Denny's business resource
groups (BRGs), champions the Go
Beyond Challenge.
TRAINING FOR LEADERSHIP
" Developing leaders and change
makers across the organization is
an essential part of this upskilling
strategy, " Peterson says. The L&D team
created the Championing Humanity
program, aimed at Denny's leaders,
culture carriers and change makers -
starting with the executive leadership
team. Championing Humanity intends
to upskill leaders with active allyship
skills that they can carry over into
their
interactions
with people at
all
levels of the organization. Skills like
designing for equity, active allyship and
sharing power are essential to ensure
organizational leaders are equipped to
champion a successful DEI initiative.
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DEI
Improving the DEI and well-being of
Denny's employees has proved not
just to be a moral imperative, but also
a strategic one. " Beyond creating an
inclusive and welcoming workplace,
investing in DEI will improve employee
engagement, reduce absenteeism
and turnover and increase innovation,
all of which positively impacts overall
financial performance, " Roinisalo says.
Improving employee well-being skills
also contributes to measurable business
outcomes, lowering health care costs,
increasing productivity and improving
overall financial outcomes. The training
is essential not just for the way it
enables front-line workers to interact
with guests, but also for the way it helps
team members establish a community
where everyone feels valued
and empowered.
" With the current working world
marked by unprecedented cultural
shifts, Denny's L&D is at the forefront
of navigating new complexities. We're
faced with immense challenges of
fostering a learning environment that
resonates with employees across
generations and diverse identities,
as well as enabling them to advocate
for and protect their own well-being.
Denny's journey through a multi-year
strategy can serve as an example
on how to create organization-wide
change, " Peterson says.
From foundational expectations
communicated through webinars
and eLearning for front-line staff to
corporate-level programs like the Go
Beyond Challenge and the Championing
Humanity initiative, Denny's' approach is
holistic and impactful.
Roinisalo and Peterson's programming
demonstrates a positive impact on
employee engagement and is a
testament to the fact that investing
in creating an inclusive workplace
through L&D can lead to real,
measurable business outcomes. By
embracing comprehensive, ongoing
and substantive DEI and well-being
efforts that go beyond the surface,
Denny's has been able to foster a
workplace where everyone feels
valued and empowered.
Mike Allen, CPTM, is an editor at
Training Industry.
focus include B2B marketing for the
corporate training sector and editing
Training Industry Magazine. Email
the author.
Mike's areas of
4 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
DENNY'S GO BEYOND CHALLENGE
1. Change starts at the top: DEI strategy and culture work is successful
when it's visibly led by the CEO. Additionally, get full buy-in from all
key executives as culture movement makers.
2. Assess your current culture: Understand the culture you are
starting with and envision the future state. Without a clear idea of
where you stand now, it's much harder to define the skills you'll
need to progress.
3. Leaders must have the right skills: Establishing trust and
psychological safety for employees is led and built by leaders
who care.
4. Be mindful of your employees: Respect where they are in their
lives and work, and make sure they understand the personal and
business benefits of the training.
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