Successful Workplace Learning Strategies. What to Invest in and What to Drop

According to arecent Training Industry Report, research covering approximately 1,500 executives across various industries, regions, and companies of multiple sizes revealed some stunning facts. One out of every five organisations does not have anything to measure the impact of employee training. Among the ones that do, a mere 13% calculate quantifiable returns, aka ROI. Of course, it’s a no-brainer that two-thirds of employees believe their training programs do not contribute toward improving business performance. So, what is the genesis of this gap? The answer is – most companies think learning is all about the hours you put in. However, successful workplace learning should incorporate disseminating the correct information to the right people at the right time. Well, let’s explore this further.

Successful Workplace Learning Strategies. What to Invest in and What to Drop?

Distribute Learning in Brief Bursts

One of the best strategies to design a successful workplace learning model is to keep the modules small. Break down bigger goals into mini-milestones. This strategy enables companies to meet their end objectives more efficiently. Why? Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson surmised that expert professionals segment their projects into smaller tasks. They then gauge the results after repeating them multiple times and watching what happens each time. Based on their observations, they introduce minor changes to improvise on the whole process gradually process. You can also use the same strategy in employee training. Break lessons down into small, digestible pieces, and coerce trainees to practice them repeatedly in the real world. Approaches like micro-learning enhance the efficiency of training programs and make it easier to absorb knowledge and retain it over longer durations.

Encourage Employees to Ask Questions

When a manager wants to establish a clear communication path between him/her and the employees, s/he can ask the following questions. What does the staff like about their job? Do they face any roadblocks? How can the management guide them? Such in-depth discussions motivate employees as it is a kind of positive reinforcement. Addressing gap areas in training programs encourages your workforce to put in more effort as they feel that the organisation is investing in their individual development.

Include Feedback

It would be best if you did not ignore the importance of feedback. After all, people want to work for their continual improvement. For instance, the L&D department can provide managers with a semi-annual/annual report that highlights their strengths and their areas of improvement. Keeping a record of gradual progress shall enable employees to work on and improve in areas they struggled with previously. You canYou can promote an environment where both employees and managers can effortlessly give each other regular feedback — both positive and constructive. An excellent successful workplace learning strategy is to coerce trainees to fill up feedback forms, ask questions, and foster open discussion. When people point out issues, only then you can look for solutions.

Give Frequent Reminders

At a given time, cognitive capacity is limited. Now, in a fast-paced workplace where employees handle so many tasks together, it is natural for them to overlook long-term development goals. In such cases, simple reminders such as an email or in-person check-in can work wonders. As per HBR, "At Google, we designed a nudge to help new hires succeed in their roles by reminding them of the behaviours our top performers practice regularly. For example, we listed ‘Ask questions, lots of questions!’ and ‘Actively solicit feedback — don’t wait for it.’ Doing so helped new hires find more opportunities to practice and develop those skills, boosting their productivity by 2%, or about $400 million per year."

It will help if you made sending out regular reminders a norm in your organisation. Set learning goals with their direct reports. Next, meet them regularly by checking in on the progress. These norms will also enable employees to give feedback, thereby helping team members through any challenges they may face.

Invest Wisely

Keep track of your budget and invest in what gives results. Companies that have an online learning management system in place that can measure the effectiveness of their training programs are more prone to designing effective training programs. When you invest in learning and development, ensure that you define measures of success beforehand. Make it a habit to check if your training program has a measurable impact on metrics like productivity, retention, and job satisfaction. Rather than spending large sums on learning methodologies that do not deliver the required outcomes, you can concentrate on new technologies or strategies with a track record of success.

Conclusion

To sum it up, when you learn less, you learn the best. There is no point in spending a large sum on corporate learning modules. The best successful workplace learning strategy combines simple, timed, and efficient measures to transform intentions into actions. Only then you can boost the effectiveness of training programs and unleash the full potential of your workforce. Want some more tips? Our experts at PlayAblo are just a call away!

PlayAblo is an award-winning cloud-based learning platform that offers multi-device support, microlearning modules, and analytics, gamification among other features.