Compliance in Action

WORKPLACE HARASSMENT

Learning objectives: Identify unlawful workplace harassment, address workplace harassment when it occurs, and take steps to prevent harassment.

Instructional approaches: Scenario-based learning, scaffolding

My roles: Project manager, instructional designer, subject expert collaborator, vendor relationship manager, reviewer, and LMS tester

Problem: Sexual harassment – and workplace harassment more broadly – were identified by CWC member organizations as a major issue. Employees and managers reported that they often struggled to recognize unlawful harassment, making it difficult to effectively address and prevent it. For employers, harassment can create a hostile work environment, increase absenteeism and turnover, lead to significant legal and financial liabilities, and damage the organization’s reputation. For victims and non-victims, it can contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, reduced productivity, and social isolation.

Solution: The Workplace Harassment micro-learning course uses the analogy of a puzzle to illustrate the elements that define workplace harassment. It also includes scenarios that help learners practice identifying harassment. In addition, the course provides practical guidance on addressing harassment when it occurs and strategies for preventing it.

The process

Analysis

I collaborated with compliance attorneys (SMEs) to identify the key performance issues related to harassment and relevant content from previous classroom courses and webinars. We discussed the most effective ways of explaining harassment in the workplace and defined any legal terms in easy-to-understand language.

After identifying potential real-life scenarios to help reinforce key concepts and the objectives, we agreed to a high-level outline to provide a roadmap for sequencing the topics.

Design

I drafted the detailed script using existing content and the high-level outline as a guide. The primary SME reviewed the script for accuracy and tone, recommending any changes. Once finalized, I sent the script to the development vendor, who created draft mockups of screen templates and functional components. I reviewed the draft mockups and approved them after a few changes.

Key Takeaways

Feedback from customers about the micro-learning course was positive. They appreciated the easy-to-understand, practical message, as well as the course’s brevity. The course is a top-seller. CWC eventually developed 6 micro-learning courses explaining common workplace compliance topics.

About half of customers requested minor course customization before offering it to learners. The customization most often requested was to include organizations’ logo, substitution of some images to reflect their environment, and including links to their own harassment policies and procedures.

After viewing CWC’s microlearning courses, several clients asked the association to develop custom online courses for their employees and management staff, including more extensive anti-harassment courses for managers and supervisors and courses about other workplace compliance topics. Custom course development accounted for about thirty percent of annual education and training revenue for several years.

CWC has approved inclusion of this copyrighted course and associated material for display.

Development

Our vendor developed several drafts of the storyboard. Initial drafts required meetings to help the vendor, who did not have deep knowledge of this sensitive and complex topic, in selecting interactions and appropriate images. But once after a couple meetings, the vendor quickly developed and we finalized the storyboard.

The storyboard identifies screen template used, on-screen and voice-over text, on-screen images, interaction description, and technical instructions.

After approving the storyboard, the vendor developed the course in Adobe Captivate. I reviewed the first draft of the courseware to identify any deviations from the storyboard and ensure that the courseware functioned as expected. After making the changes, the vendor sent the second version of the courseware for final review. I included the primary SME and the association president for the final review. I also developed a job aid that could be downloaded from the course as a quick reference for learners.

Testing and Implementation

After approving the courseware, the development vendor tested the course on SCORM Cloud and I tested it on CWC’s LMS to troubleshoot potential implementation issues. Customers who purchased the course were responsible for implementing it on their LMS. If they encountered any issues, I worked with the vendor to resolve them. This happened only rarely and mostly with heavily-customized customer LMSs.