Foodservice Training Portal to launch Anti-Bias eStart to address this pervasive issue in foodservice and hospitality
Foodservice Training Portal, a leading provider of cloud-based learning tools for foodservice, hospitality, grocery, retail and institutional feeders is pleased to announce the release of Anti-Bias eStart, a comprehensive online training tool to educate on implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion and reduce exposure to discrimination-based liability.
Overcoming attitudes and stereotypes based on characteristics such as race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion or appearance takes a conscious effort by individuals- specifically in the foodservice and retail industries where client-facing interactions and team-based service are the norm. This type of internal assessment is crucial as a Harvard University/Project Implicit study found that over 70% of foodservice employees surveyed exhibited some form of unconscious bias. Further, Marshall Consultancy concluded that profitability in operations with some type of diversity or bias training can be up to 30% higher than businesses where no diversity/inclusion training is provided.
With Anti-Bias eStart, employees are challenged to examine the motivations behind their language and decisions, provoked to engage in self-examination and guided to ensure they are expressing the company’s values to all co-workers and customers. Content is divided into three lessons:
- Defining & Understanding Bias
- How to Identify and Eliminate Bias and
- Creating a Bias-Free Workplace
The course concludes with a final assessment and provides a Certificate of Completion with successful passage. Whether deployed by an independent location or a large franchise operation, Anti-Bias eStart sends a top-down message to employees through heightened awareness and actionable advice that can help to combat both conscious and unconscious bias in the workplace.
In an industry rife with headlines of racial bias and gender bias, operators can deliver a consistent, bias-free message with Anti-Bias eStart. Developed based on client requests and inquiries, Foodservice Training Portal created Anti-Bias eStart as an opportunity for foodservice and hospitality companies to implement an immediate beneficial solution and prevent negative headlines. And while classic training taught, “The customer is always right,” it is important to note employers also have an obligation to make sure their workers don’t encounter a hostile or unsafe work environment, which includes mistreatment based on factors like gender, age, national origin or race from customers. Ultimately, the course provides an opportunity to positively influence employee behaviors, establish a dialogue within the operation regarding bias and prevent possible missteps before they occur.
“While bias-related incidents have likely occurred throughout the years, the emergence of the viral video allows for a business to experience an immediate negative public relations impact with a potential financial impact to follow when related to a bias-based incident,” noted Eric Webster, Managing Director of Foodservice Training Portal. “With Anti-Bias eStart, operators have the chance to affect real change within their companies and assist their employees in recognizing and analyzing biases they may not even realize they have. Most importantly, once a bias is identified, an employee can implement strategies to ensure they do not adversely affect the business.”
Anti-Bias eStart will be launched on 8/1/18 and can be utilized as a standalone course or as part of Foodservice Training Portal’s comprehensive Foodservice Success University offering. For more information, request a demo or purchase Anti-Bias eStart, visit: https://foodservicetrainingportal.com/antibias.html
Foodservice Training Portal is a leader in the field of e-Learning and hospitality talent training solutions. The company provides cloud-based education tools for their customers, who range from single location foodservice operations to national institutional feeders- providing products to assist clients in effectively achieving their training goals. For more information, visit www.foodservicetrainingportal.com.
