The fourth industrial revolution has been characterized by the fusion of technologies and the blurring between digital and physical spaces. The future of workplace learning is a new version of learning in which...
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Many of the current models of learning are not without their own shortcomings. Learners who struggle with self-discipline, procrastination, and time management, may struggle with a self-directed program. The absence of an instructor to track a learner’s progress and provide feedback or reinforcement, can also result in a lack of motivation. Pitfalls of these programs often include no hands-on experience, peer-to-peer collaboration, or any meaningful form of engagement.
In a changing world, managers will need their teams to develop the ability to stay relevant in their fields, participate in the transformations taking place, and look beyond the boundaries of their roles and work in order to stay productive and improve their skills. To build a modern workforce, learning and development teams need to focus on catering to the expectations of this generation. Adopting a “one size fits all” strategy will neither help employees nor organizations in overcoming current challenges. A modern learning experience focuses on creating real behavior change. With corporate learning transitioning from content-centric to experience-centric, here are some trends starting to shape the future of workplace training.
In a changing world, managers will need their teams to develop the ability to stay relevant in their fields, participate in the transformations taking place, and look beyond the boundaries of their roles and work in order to stay productive and improve their skills. To build a modern workforce, learning and development teams need to focus on catering to the expectations of this generation. Adopting a “one size fits all” strategy will neither help employees nor organizations in overcoming current challenges. A modern learning experience focuses on creating real behavior change. With corporate learning transitioning from content-centric to experience-centric, here are some trends starting to shape the future of workplace training.
Emerging Trends in Workplace Learning
Social Networks
Social networks are already a big part of our everyday lives, but are not always seen as a benefit in the workplace. It can be challenging to incorporate social media into a workplace training strategy due to skepticism at management and leadership levels about whether employees will use these tools for work-related reasons. The truth is that 70-90% of all workplace learning happens informally, and employees value informal workplace learning experiences more than corporate training programs because they allow for more social collaboration. 69 percent of executives who have actually implemented a social media strategy report that their companies have gained measurable business benefits, including better access to knowledge and higher revenue. Social networks enable employees to learn from one another, share what they’ve learned, and even provide feedback about how to improve on ideas and skills. Learning and development teams need to position social media as a new learning strategy. Perhaps relabeling it as a “collaborative media” can help.
Social networks are already a big part of our everyday lives, but are not always seen as a benefit in the workplace. It can be challenging to incorporate social media into a workplace training strategy due to skepticism at management and leadership levels about whether employees will use these tools for work-related reasons. The truth is that 70-90% of all workplace learning happens informally, and employees value informal workplace learning experiences more than corporate training programs because they allow for more social collaboration. 69 percent of executives who have actually implemented a social media strategy report that their companies have gained measurable business benefits, including better access to knowledge and higher revenue. Social networks enable employees to learn from one another, share what they’ve learned, and even provide feedback about how to improve on ideas and skills. Learning and development teams need to position social media as a new learning strategy. Perhaps relabeling it as a “collaborative media” can help.
Gamification
Gamification has been around for a while, but has only recently made its way into organizations. Gamification allows employers to offer incentives and rewards to employees for completing various tasks such as completing a training module or achieving work results. Smartphones and tablets are now making gamification efforts even easier to implement, as the market is expected to be 11.10 billion dollars by 2020. Gamification can increase employee engagement, company revenue, and even retention. According to research from the Corporate Leadership Council, engaged workers are 87% less likely to leave a company and they are 20% more likely to perform better at their job.
Gamification has been around for a while, but has only recently made its way into organizations. Gamification allows employers to offer incentives and rewards to employees for completing various tasks such as completing a training module or achieving work results. Smartphones and tablets are now making gamification efforts even easier to implement, as the market is expected to be 11.10 billion dollars by 2020. Gamification can increase employee engagement, company revenue, and even retention. According to research from the Corporate Leadership Council, engaged workers are 87% less likely to leave a company and they are 20% more likely to perform better at their job.
When incorporating gamification, the focus should primarily be on using intrinsic rewards rather than extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic rewards include things such as personal achievement, professional growth, or a sense of accomplishment. Extrinsic rewards are more tangible such as pay and time-off. Using leaderboards and issuing extrinsic rewards to the “best” performers can be viewed as negative feedback and have the opposite effect of what was desired.
Virtual Reality
You may not be able to use virtual reality in your learning and development strategies right now, but it is starting to dramatically change the training landscape across organizations. In 2014, more than $130 billion was invested in corporate training worldwide; Virtual reality offers the hands-on training that is missing from ordinary online training, but at a lower cost than face-to-face training. There are many possibilities for implementing virtual reality into corporate training. Using VR, companies can create safe and controlled training environments in which employees can learn a new skill or increase their confidence without a fear of failing. Employees can also use VR to build and test prototypes without putting themselves in danger. It may even be used for new employee orientations and to help with talent acquisition by providing a virtual plant tour or testing a candidate for a job they are applying to. |
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Walmart - A Virtual Reality Case Study
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Walmart plans on incorporating Oculus Rift (a virtual reality headset) into its 200 training centers by the end of 2017. VR allows associates to experience a lifelike store environment and enables them to experiment, learn, and handle difficult situations without the need to recreate disruptive incidents or disturb a customers’ shopping experience. Associates who have gone through their VR training program have been shown to retain what they’ve learned more than those who have not.
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