The global COVID-19 pandemic has, for the time being, rendered in-person, instructor-led training almost a quaint memory. We are faced with a new reality of remote workers, with scant opportunity for classroom training. In a very short time, organizations had to make a dramatic shift toward using digital learning elements they may have only been thinking about previously. At the same time, Adobe has officially sunset Flash and any Flash elements still found within eLearning modules no longer play. This could be seen as a bit of a crisis for Learning and Development, but instead presents an opportunity.
To address this new environment, L&D teams must focus on meeting the needs of a remote workforce. This means re-thinking current strategies to create learning that engages remote learners and delivers impact.Â
It is important to keep in mind what learners seek from a digital experience:
- Learning that syncs with their workflow and lifestyle
- A consumer-grade experience
- Fast, easy and on-demand access
- Content and resources on the go, on any device
- Intuitive searching with contextual results
- Meaningful recommendations that connect and encourage them to return for more
- Highly personalized career pathways
- Opportunities for continuous and self-directed learning. Â
Brandon Hall Group research finds that companies where learning has a strong impact on outcomes such as employee engagement and individual performance are likely to provide these kinds of learning experiences. For instance, 71% of high impact companies provide the ability to search, explore and discover learning opportunities, compared to 58% of companies with less impactful programs. Additionally, 57% of high impact companies provide learning recommendations based on learner information, compared to just 15% of other companies.
Brandon Hall Group Smart choice Platinum Preferred Provider EI has more than 20 years’ experience helping organizations create engaging digital learning content, not only with the creation of that content, but with digital strategy as well. They developed a Learning and Performance Ecosystem framework that organizations can leverage as the foundation for driving continuous learning and performance. This framework provides a foundation to do the following:
- Provide sticky learning and its effective application on the job
- Build skills
- Reduce proficiency gaps
- Influence changes in thinking
- Trigger behavioral change
They also have a guide to managing a digital transformation of learning, which includes:
- Aligning with the business
- Gaining executive buy-in and participation
- Creating a digital learning culture
- Managing change with agility
- Iteratively designing digital learning
- Investing in innovative and immersive solutions
It can be a daunting proposition to embark upon a digital transformation, but the current environment provides an ideal opportunity to vigorously pursue it. Whether your organization has yet to take its first step or is already down the path, it can be immensely helpful to have the right partners along the way. To see how EI helps their clients, take a deeper look here.
–David Wentworth, Principal Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
