When was the last time you took a long hard look at your company’s training strategy?
If employees forget things you taught them back in onboarding or, worse yet, they’re leaving in droves to seek other opportunities — chances are your outdated training program needs to change, and fast.
So, how does your training strategy stack up? Is it stuck in time? Or are you keeping up with the ever-changing needs of today’s modern employees? Let’s find out.
Sign #1: You’re Not Designing Learning Programs for a Hybrid Workplace
eLearning boomed during the pandemic!
Studies reveal that 90% of companies now offer their employees some form of digital learning to their staff, indicating remarkable growth in this area.
However, this doesn't mean we will say goodbye to in-person training. Companies will need to realign and adapt their L&D programs to the new hybrid workplace.
The new way of workplace learning is not about in-person vs. online, but synchronous vs asynchronous.
Why force in-person training if it doesn’t fit easily? Leaders can offer modern workers the best of both worlds: synchronous online learning experiences like collaborative workshops or live video sessions, and combine asynchronous activities like video, quizzes, and additional PDFs to allow flexible, bite-sized learning.
Companies can also create personalized learning paths. They can ask employees to take a pre-evaluation before they begin the training. Then use the results to create a personalized journey combining online and offline experiences focused on their needs and job role.
So, is your training model stuck in the past, depending on instructor-led training or eLearning only?
The success of training programs in 2023 and beyond depends on the perfect combination of learning between face-to-face and eLearning. We are talking about adopting a hybrid model and using technology in new ways to not just replace in-person gatherings, but complement them in every facet of corporate processes to better engagement and retention rates.
Sign #2: You're Not Investing In New Flexible Learning Opportunities
Did you know that time is the greatest barrier to workplace learning?
Companies must rethink how they deliver training so that it adapts to the needs of a new generation of workers. They are demanding bite-sized, flexible, and seamlessly integrated into their workflow.
It’s not because they’re lazy; modern employees simply want to be able to work and learn in the setting that works best for them. For companies that employ people on a national or global basis, this means that flying in people from across the country to attend an in-person meeting isn’t only a huge hassle — it also may be ineffective!
Companies are now required to be more flexible than ever to allow their employees to learn whenever, and wherever they are. Some employees learn better in the morning, some at night; others at their desktop computer, with still others considering their smartphones the ideal way to watch and participate in training courses.
Workers want to take ownership of their learning and development journey in the company. The more empowered they feel, the more engaged and motivated they will be while going through the training.
According to Axonify's survey, modern workers expect:
- Accessibility: 89% want training anytime/anywhere they need to do their job;
- Flexibility: 85% want to be able to choose training times that fit their schedule;
- Ongoing/on-demand learning opportunities: 80% believe frequent/regular training is more important than formal workplace training.
Flexible learning opportunities give employees full control and autonomy over their learning experience. Rather than having to show up to a rigid class at a specific time as a requirement, they now expect to be able to choose when and where to learn.
"While a new hybrid working survey shows that employees do indeed want flexibility, it also shows that this flexibility is conditional upon their autonomy to exercise it in whichever way is best for them. Autonomy is a key driver of human motivation, performance, and fulfillment; in the context of hybrid working, it is also directly correlated to the amount of flexibility a given employee has access to in their work arrangement. By turning the dial on autonomy up or down, employee flexibility increases or decreases, respectively." - Hardvard Business Review
Read More:
How To Adapt & Evolve Your eLearning Courses For for Modern Learners
6 Tips To Revamp Your Outdated eLearning Courses
Sign #3: You’re Using Ineffective and Outdated Technology
It comes down to this: If you don’t reach the modern worker in the ways that make the most sense to them, they’re likely to leave and move on to somewhere else.
PwC found that nearly 3 out of 5 employees considered the company’s technology setup when applying for a job. Almost 4 out of 5 of those survey respondents said that access to technology made them more effective employees. According to another study, 36 percent of employees said they would leave their current company if offered a job at a more digitally progressive organization.
In response to this, companies are starting to take a step forward. According to Training Mag’s 2020 Training Industry Report, 28% of respondents consider technology and ramping up remote training as a priority. For companies going forward, this represents more investment in the technological infrastructure of L&D suitable for remote and hybrid work environments.
With those factors in mind, why wouldn’t companies set up a modern online learning experience to serve content to their employees in the ways that are most meaningful to them?
Workers don’t learn by listening to someone lecture for hours or pouring through dated policy documents or just watching a static PowerPoint presentation anymore. As we've mentioned, they learn by engaging in short, bite-sized courses with videos and interactive quizzes, and discussions. They like learning online, through apps, on- the go, and from remote locations.
If you map out a training strategy that allows employees to learn where they want, when they want — they’ll be more likely to be engaged and continuously improve their skills as they continue to work for your organization. To do this, you’ll need to adopt smart and mobile technology — which is proven to be one of the best ways to increase employee engagement.
Recommended reads:
- Redefining Your L&D Strategy In Disruptive Times: Enter Self-Directed Learning
- Learning Is Not a One-Time Event! How to Promote Continuous Learning In Your Company
- Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Self-Directed Learning at the Workplace
How did it go? Do you think your training strategy is stuck in the past and needs to evolve? Or are you already on the right track?
Be brave and innovate, try new methodologies, and new tools, and think out of the box. What has worked in the past won’t be effective today. It’s time to move away from the 'training for training’s sake' attitude. It’s time to evolve your training strategy to meet modern learner needs.
SOURCES:
How to tap into the Millennial learning style with ‘microlearning’ http://www.information-age.com/how-tap-millennial-learning-style-microlearning-123460264/
Using Digital Tools to Unlock HR’s True Potential https://www.capgemini-consulting.com/resource-file-access/resource/pdf/digitalhrpaper_final_0.pdf
