With Reach, OutSystems Proves Ongoing DEI Learning Can Drive Organizational Impact

For more than two decades, OutSystems, a high-performance low code development platform, has been giving organizations the ability to build websites, applications, and tech solutions for the future. As they’ve grown around the world – with offices in Portugal, the U.S., Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Netherlands, and the U.K., to name a few – OutSystems knew it was important to create and execute a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program.

With employees and customers around the world, OutSystems wanted to better connect with a global and diverse customer base while nurturing an inclusive workplace for employees from various identities, nationalities, and geographical locations.

As part of their long-term commitment to DEI, OutSystems wanted to start with awareness and training. They also recognized they needed something that could scale: according to Teresa Sousa, OutSystems’ Senior People Development & Experience Specialist, “With 1,700 employees and growing, we really needed a partner that could help us with a solution that would reach everyone within the company.”

85% company-wide completion rate of the course in just two months

88% employees would recommend a course to a colleague

Building The Foundation for Impactful DEI Learning

In 2021, after researching a number of DEI training providers, OutSystems found Paradigm Reach. With Reach’s blended learning offering, OutSystems could deliver training to any employee, anywhere, at anytime. They decided to start with one course on a foundational DEI concept: managing unconscious bias. In July 2021, OutSystems’ People Team, DEI champions, and DEI executive sponsors trialed the course.

After receiving great feedback, OutSystems delivered the course to their entire 1,700-person team. “We had the opportunity to launch training at a Company All Hands where our CEO and the senior leadership team provided first-hand experience and positive feedback on the Reach Managing Unconscious Bias course,” said Sousa. “It created great momentum and got a lot of people involved with the course and topic. The adoption was very good from the start and we saw the numbers increasing day by day.”

The rollout of the initial course was a success:

• 85% company-wide completion rate the course in just two months
• There was a 21 point increase in learners understanding of unconscious bias (from 77% pre-course to 98% post-course)
• 88% of employees would recommend the course to a colleague

Creating A Roadmap for Ongoing DEI Learning Journeys

Because the first Reach course was so successful, OutSystems was eager to expand their DEI training efforts in 2022. They began by creating a DEI roadmap for the year, which combined DEI training, internal communications, employee Q&As and discussions, recognizing key DEI dates, and auditing people processes like hiring that impact DEI.

As they planned out the year, OutSystems decided to build its programming around Reach’s expansive DEI library to support many of their initiatives. Reach allows organizations to deliver all Reach content through their own Learning Management System (LMS). According to Alves, “Upgrading made sense because we can use the digital courses we want and also have open access to utilize the downloadable resources and microlearnings when we want to use them.”

With full access to all of Reach’s resources, OutSystems moved into the next phase of its DEI learning journey in March 2022. They’ve focused on fostering a more inclusive culture, starting with rolling out the Reach Inclusive Culture course to 1,400+ employees and the Inclusive Leadership course to 240+ leaders within the company. In the following months, they reinforced the key pillars of the course with microlearnings and downloadable resources on voice, growth, belonging, and objectivity.

“We’ve been able to keep the communication loop open with our employees and it’s keeping the dialogue alive,” said Alves. “We continue to send them messages and nudges with tips, ask them for feedback, and engage regularly. It has become a constant in our daily activities.”

Tailored Learning for Key Employee Audiences

More than a tool to drive knowledge and awareness across the organization, Reach has been critical for embedding DEI into OutSystems’ key people processes. In recent months, OutSystems has rolled out Inclusive Hiring training to their global Talent Acquisition team and the Inclusive Performance Management course to all People Managers to drive a more objective year-end evaluation process.

Finally, taking a fully blended approach, OutSystems brought in Paradigm experts for live trainings designed to empower key OutSystems employees to scale DEI training efforts. With Train the Trainer, Paradigm experts upskilled a group of OutSystems employees to facilitate internal group discussion on key DEI topics. In addition, the People team underwent DEI Champions training, which helps them incorporate DEI into all facets of their roles.

With the help of robust, impactful blended DEI learning journeys tailored to different employee audiences and delivered through Paradigm Reach, OutSystems is ready to expand their DEI efforts in 2023 and beyond.