Hi there,

This is your monthly roundup of Spot product updates and DEI-related content.

Getting to Know You

What’s your favorite HR or culture tool and why?

New from Spot

Bystander intervention training!!!

Preview bystander intervention training

Yes, we talked about this last month, but it’s a big addition to your training arsenal. If you already use Spot’s sexual harassment prevention training, this new 1-hour training is available in your Spot dashboard. Please reach out if you’re interested and don’t yet have access.

*If you have employees in Chicago, Illinois, bystander training may be required for anti-harassment compliance.*

Training Features
You asked, we answered: Employee reminders and self-signup links are now available for both the anti-harassment and bystander courses.

Spot sends out automatic reminders once an employee has been assigned a training course. If you want to manually send additional reminders, you can now do so for both courses. In the Spot dashboard, go to DEI Training > Assign Trainings and use the Actions dropdown to send reminders.

If you’d like to allow employees to sign up for training on their own rather than adding them via CSV file or HRIS sync, you can send out a self-signup link. Find links for both courses in the Spot dashboard under DEI Training > Communication Resources.

This Bears Repeating

A 2019 Spot study of over 1,000 participants found that 79% had witnessed an incident of harassment or discrimination within the past five years. 77% of those witnesses (vs 75% of victims) said they never reported the harassment to HR, but most did talk to friends, family, or colleagues about what they witnessed.

Although they may be better positioned to speak up, bystanders report even less frequently than people who experience misconduct.

You can read the full Spot witness report here. Or, browse the takeaways.

Links Roundup

Half the battle? As of July 2022, all Fortune 100 companies have made a public commitment to DEI, with initiatives outlined on their websites. (HR Dive)

Meanwhile, in the US courts: In July 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released new guidance on LGBTQ workplace discrimination protections. The guidance “stated that workers have the right to use a bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity and the right to be free of harassment, including intentional and repeated use of the wrong pronouns.” Last month, a Texas district court struck down the guidance, along with recent US Dept of Health and Human Services guidance for health care providers stating that gender reassignment surgery could not be lawfully denied. (SHRM)

The hard questions: DEI efforts are too often superficial rather than structural, creating the “illusion of inclusion.”  A few questions to ask yourself about your organization’s DEI commitments: Is there equitable access to professional development? Has the organization made a public commitment, and prepared for backlash? Is there a plan to measure progress (or determine failure)? External partners and outside requirements are often the most effective catalyst for “better, faster change.” (Harvard Business Review)