Introduction
With the changing work landscape, people acquiring knowledge and skills is today’s priority. Time-tested classroom training models are being replaced with more vigorous, personalised, and technology-enhanced models. Moreover, SkilTrak, a best student placement provider have highlighted several surprising aspects about when and how employees build new skills, making organisations reconsider their learning and development (L&D) designs.
Transforming Learning at Work
From Training to Learning
Traditionally, employee training was only formal sessions on an organisational learning map, and often, training was disconnected from everyday work. The way we work today makes it necessary to step up our learning as continuous learning that is almost incorporated into daily workplace tasks. The 70/20/10 model concept highlights that 70% of learning is from experiences, 20% from social or professional interactions with others, and only 10% will be from formal training.
The Growth of the Microlearning Space
Microlearning has become a strong force with short, focused content that employees can engage with when they want. It caters to the desire for self-paced learning, and we know that 70% of employees prefer online self-paced courses.
SkilTrak Lessons Learned: Learning Behaviors
Times of Learning Peaks
The data from SkilTrak indicates that employees engage in learning in non-traditional times; e.g., early morning hours and late evening hours. This highlights the need for providing learning that is available when the learner wants it.
Visual and Interactive Content
SkilTrak continues to show a preference for visual content: videos or interactive modules. This is in line with much of the research, where 69% of learners prefer to watch short video lessons or tutorials.
AI Shaping Personalised Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to shape the learner experience. AI platforms can build learning paths based on learning behaviours, which helps to engage and retain learners.
The Science of Learning.
Social Learning Theory
Social Learning Theory, developed by Albert Bandura, illustrates that people learn by seeing what others do. In organisations, this learning takes place when employees are engaged in mentoring programs and collaboration with others. Employees can see and imitate how the skill is practiced successfully, which is considered observational learning and modeling.
Communities of Practice
Communities of Practice (CoP) consist of individuals within organisations that actively share knowledge and experience, and so contribute to an environment of learning. Such communities may help organisations solve problems and generate new ideas together using their collective knowledge and expertise.
How to Implement Effective Learning Strategies
Creating a Learning Culture
Organisations must try to understand and create a culture where there is a value placed on learning. This may look like a formal recognition and reward for the learning, giving some time for employees to learn a new skill, and the incorporation of learning goals in an employee's performance review.
Using Technology
When employing a platform like SkilTrak, the organisation will have a method to track learning and where the employee is on their learning journey, identify the employee's skills gap, and provide resources to support the skill development the employee is trying to achieve. In addition to utilising the technology, organisations may look for ways to include AI-based learning modules and microlearning modules to enhance the impact of learning experiences.
Supporting Learning and Learning Styles
It is important to keep in mind that all employees have varying learning preferences and offer formats for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning experiences. It is encouraged to provide a variety of experiences for employee engagement and learning.
Conclusion
Having a clear picture of how your employees learn is going to help your organisation grow and be adaptable to change. As observations from SkilTrak will reveal, the time is right for developing flexible, bespoke, and tech-driven learning alternatives. Doing so can equip your organisation with learning solutions, develop workforce empowerment, create a culture of continual improvement, and remain relevant and competitive in a fast-changing business environment.
