Drive Thought, Conversation, and Culture Change
Impact has developed and delivered hundreds of group and individual training programs for executives, managers, HR professionals and individual employees on appropriate workplace conduct, employment law compliance and HR best practices. Our customized, interactive, and engaging trainings are geared to reduce liability, maintain internal and external organizational reputations, improve employees’ workplace experience, and align expectations between managers and employees. We work with a wide range of organizations and industries, and tailor our trainings to meet the culture and objectives of each organization.
Employees and Organizations Reap Benefits
Historically, organizations sought workplace training for reasons like: meeting state legal or compliance requirements; response to a workplace incident that garnered negative internal or external attention; belief by investors, HR or senior leadership that it was the “right thing to do”; or because they felt the distress of a workplace investigation and wanted to avoid another problem in the future. While those reasons remain true, we are seeing more organizations seek training because it is obvious that:
Disrespectful workplaces damage the organization’s bottom line and force great employees to look elsewhere for work;
Well-trained managers and HR professionals create more efficient and effective workplaces that creates better work product; and
Live training helps organizations avoid lawsuits and negative social media attention – both of which cost money and cause reputational damage (impacting recruitment and maintenance of customers/clients/investors).
Real-World Perspectives
We are practicing employment lawyers who live and breathe workplace issues and are on the cutting edge of workplace change. We highlight trends before they hit the mainstream and know how to discuss critical workplace issues in a way that is informative and approachable, but still makes the necessary impact. We have spent many years counseling organizations as to how to address workplace issues after they have become problems, and we design our training to preempt those exact situations. Here’s how:
Our case study-based focus in our training sessions makes our content interactive, accessible, and digestible.
Our trainings are customized to your workplace. We consider the particular group of employees, their roles, their challenges and the organizational goals in creating case studies and delivering level-appropriate content. And each time we come back to your organization, we offer different content and a different approach, so the courses always stay engaging.
Participants enjoy our classes and are happy to attend! (Clients have told us that HR managers and COOs hear employees and managers talking about the case studies for months afterward.)
Our deep knowledge of the issues we teach comes from decades of employment law practice and employee relations experience – including workplace advice and internal investigations. Through our investigations work in particular, we speak directly with employees and hear their varying perspectives. This allows us to bring real-life anecdotes and experiences into the classroom and answer employee questions accurately and confidently.
We have trained in various industries – financial services, media companies, health care organizations, non-profits, religious organizations, arts organizations, professional and skilled services, retail, and publishing. We are eager to understand the nuance of each industry and workplace and make our audiences feel that we appreciate the particular challenges at issue in their organization.
Live and Virtual Trainings
We conduct “live” onsite training and “live-virtual” (Zoom) training for our clients. Our trainings are totally different from the pre-recorded online programs, during which employees are (realistically) only partially paying attention, multi-tasking, and are merely clicking “enter” when required.
It is time to do more than check a box. Our trainings will engage employees and have a positive impact on your organization in a way that online, asynchronous programs do not. Here’s why:
Adults learn best from interactive training – where they are called on to think and apply the teaching in real-time. It is much more likely for an employee to have an “aha” moment and understand something about their behavior or their bias or their communication style when we are speaking directly to them.
Both during in-person and live-virtual sessions, we use small-groups and breakout rooms to enable the participants to become active learners and require them to rely on each other to create a more meaningful learning process and develop a stronger workplace culture.
Live training allows for live Q&A. Employees will have questions, and this is how you get them answers.
After listening to the comments and questions of employees and managers, we flag potential issues of strengths or concerns within the organization and can share our perspectives and experience to help resolve potential problems.
We have personally taught in person and live-virtual classes hundreds of times, both through Cornell ILR’s Scheinman Institute and in our own practices. We have led groups with just a handful of employees and sessions with hundreds of participants – each with employee participation. We know how to hold a room and manage difficult questions (and questioning employees). We continuously reflect on the design and implementation of our programs, considering the different learning styles of adult-learners and how to meet employees where they are.
When considering the importance of reducing employment-based liability, maintaining organizational reputation amongst investors, customers and potential employees, and improving employees’ workplace experience and commitment to the organization – how can you not go with live training? Spending an hour or two with colleagues, away from other responsibilities, will easily demonstrate a high return on investment.
Testimonials
“Tracey and Gayle’s harassment prevention training was not only comprehensive and thoughtful, but also the most engaging training of this type we have ever held. The relevant case studies used in the training were especially informative. Many of our employees personally thanked us for bringing them in. We cannot wait to work with them again in the future!”
— Global Head of Human Resources, Media Company
“Tracey Levy did a fantastic job. She was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Her workshops were engaging, informative, and thought-provoking.”
— General Counsel, New York Not-for-Profit
“Gayle’s trainings are enjoyable, engaging, and instructive, and immensely helpful. She encourages employees to think about how to interact as a team in an effective and respectful manner. …There is not one person at our firm who doesn’t learn from Gayle’s training and who doesn’t enjoy working with her.”
—CEO, Financial Services Firm
“We got very positive feedback – everyone remarked on how thought-provoking the case-studies were, and how well the presentation and the case-studies weaved together.”
— Global Chief Compliance Officer, Financial Information Firm
“It’s such a pleasure working with Tracey and Gayle and the feedback is always positive. They are our go-to partners for harassment/discrimination prevention training.”
— VP, Human Resources – Productions, Global Media Company
