Learning While Working is the New Imperative
Workers are busier than ever, while at the same time employee development and upskilling remain top priorities for organizations. Mixing these two together could be a recipe for disaster if the only way an employee can learn is to dedicate time in a classroom or attend specific training programs, taking away time from their already busy schedules. However, there is an answer that not only allows employees to learn, but also places importance on learning while respecting their time, creating a situation where knowledge can be better retained.
It’s an idea coined by Josh Bersin called “learning in the flow of work”. By being able to access knowledge in the normal course of business, learners can take in information without losing large parts of their productive time. As an added bonus, if the knowledge is put to use, there is an increased chance that the lesson learned will be retained for the long run. A win-win!
While the idea in concept sounds simple, it’s important to be prepared when looking to implement learning in the flow of work. Here are a few tips we recommend for ease of use and buy-in from the learners:
Make knowledge easy to access and use.
If it’s more than a few clicks or taps away in a time of need, it’s not going to get opened. Having a device-agnostic platform that can be used on desktop, tablet, or mobile just as easily means that info can be accessed without missing a beat of work to be done. Just as important as easy access is being easy to use. An intuitive interface and a powerful search can make a night-and-day difference in the quest for knowledge and the continued interest in learning.
Have a single source of truth.
There is a lot of information in a lot of different places, and it can be hard to tell what is accurate or up to date. Creating a central place that is accurate and vetted will not only make an employee's life easier, but it will also make content creation easier. Creating a central, aggregated source that can be trusted will inspire users to seek out information more often due to not having to question whether it’s correct or not.
Keep the info fresh and updated.
Just as important as information being accurate is having new learning opportunities. If content is stagnant every time a user visits, there isn’t much reason to come back if they are seeking new knowledge. A major challenge in keeping content coming out regularly is having easy-to-use creation tools. If subject matter experts have an enjoyable tool to use, they are also more likely to use it to create the content that can be used in the flow of work. This creates a powerful loop of engaged employees learning and growing on a consistent basis on their own terms.