By David Schneider / 30 Sep 2019
When addressing the need to onboard or upskill employees, all companies understand that training is needed, but most struggle with the best way to deliver that training. Organizations often choose a “one and done” approach that compresses all of the required training into a single format and time such as a classroom lecture. While commonplace, this approach has serious limitations in its ability to effectively train a large workforce.
Today’s workforce is diverse in so many ways; differences in age, race, gender, cultural background, and geographic location mean that a “one-size-fits-all” approach is never able to meet the needs of every employee. People learn and retain information in vastly different ways, and they require different types of motivation and feedback, so what works well for one group is ineffective for the next.
Everyone has their own preferred way of learning, and a diverse workforce means that some prefer a classroom setting while others do better with hands-on demonstrations. A blended approach takes these preferences into consideration by combining traditional instructor-led classroom sessions with interactive lessons created using the latest digital technologies. Using variety of delivery methods ensures that each employee finds the one that works best for them. Delivery methods include:
By utilizing interactive, online platforms, lessons can be divided into smaller segments that are more convenient, allowing employees to work through the segments at their own pace. Employees can access the lessons whenever and wherever it is convenient for them, even going back to re-do lessons multiple times if necessary. This “microlearning” ensures that each person understands and retains the information in a segment before moving on to the next.
One of the most important aspects of a blended learning approach is that it takes a long-term view of the educational process. If people are not able to apply a new skill immediately, their ability and confidence with it can be diminished. Technology is also updated and expanded over time, requiring some upskill in order to remain current.
For this reason, blended learning incorporates ongoing performance support so that students can access the information they need to quickly regain their ability and confidence. On-demand support, available at the point of need, helps students to remain proficient over a longer period of time. Performance support can be provided in many ways, including:
Benchmarking, measurement, and reporting are important components of a blended approach to ensure that each student is satisfactorily completing each course. They also allow management to identify high-performing employees who can act as peer coaches and product champions, getting everyone ready for go-live at the same time. Progress and retention can be measured using polls, quizzes, tests, and games, and results can be shared on internal social networks to bring an element of competition that drives higher engagement. Today’s digital platforms allow for convenient dashboards and electronic reports to keep track of participant’s progress and proficiency.
A blended learning approach incorporates the psychology of learning with the latest teaching techniques and technologies to deliver vastly better results than a traditional “one and done” approach. By acknowledging that a diverse workforce has diverse educational needs, a blended learning approach can be customized and scaled to be effective with any size or type of audience. Best of all, a blended learning approach is ideal for today’s increasingly multi-generational workforce.
Marketing Manager
As Marketing Manager, David helps customers to connect, communicate, and find the solutions they need to achieve their business goals.
