Learning that suits your learners

Words by Liz Sebag‑Montefiore

A lot has changed in the workplace over the last two years and how we deliver training and development activities has had to change too. What has not changed is that employees actively want learning and development opportunities as part of their working lives and will seek a new role if their employer fails them.

Learning is the primary driver of employee development, so smart leaders need to step up and help their people build learning into their working life. A favourite management guru, Josh Bersin, suggests that organisations should think less about developing content and more about the month-by-month, day-by-day, and hour-by-hour experience of learners. Employees are looking for knowledge and information that helps them to perform better in their jobs and to enhance their career prospects.

HR and L&D professionals should focus on building a learning organisation that helps learners to figure out how to source the training they need from both inside and outside the company.

Learning styles

Most of us learn best by doing; but we all have our own learning style. Some prefer visual materials, others prefer written materials while some find that podcasts and recorded seminars beneficial. No one style is better than the others and research suggests that the ability to work with a range of materials and learning styles is most effective.

It’s clear that most learners appreciate clear learning goals, with milestones and goals signposted. It helps if training materials offer the opportunity to check progress with quizzes and other checks and to demonstrate how the learning can be applied with work specific examples and case studies. Try to encourage learners to recall course content, apply it and reflect on the learning experience, because this prompts further learning.

I think it is essential to encourage learners to reflect on their learning, this is because students are not always aware of what exactly they are learning. We do not just process information at the time it is given; but absorb it in many different ways, often after the fact, through reflection. The most powerful learning often happens when learners self-monitor, or reflect.

Structured learning

Employees want on-demand training through structured web-enabled and job related modules, perhaps using virtual mentors. While learning on the job and mentoring remain popular, the move to hybrid working means that self-directed learning can also be effective.

Many learners are motivated and committed to pursuing the resources they need under their own steam, but it’s also true that we learn from other people in both formal and informal learning. Online platforms that allow learners to source materials, access recordings and communicate via video-conferencing, forums and chatrooms work well in conjunction with hybrid and remote working models.

Beware of stereotyping L&D needs, try to provide choice and variety so that learners can choose whether to learn from a presentation or book or to use interactive, technology-based forms of learning. Don’t overlook older workers or assume they will only want classroom based training, most are willing and able to adopt the latest software and often become skilled users of the newest technologies.

10Eighty’s tips for flexible training options

• Mix group learning with informal self-directed study. Some learn best in facilitated group settings where they can share experiences, others learn better on their own schedule. Offer a range of resources and media for a self-service learning experience. If learners click ‘next’, hit ‘play’ or choose a course because they genuinely want to learn then you will succeed in creating an effective environment.

• Build communication with self-directed learners, some want to communicate by phone or in person while others prefer email, and text messages, to stay connected.

• Use motivational feedback. Some employees respond best to quick, frequent feedback, and others are happy to keep track of progress and programmes via an online study record, encourage all learners to reflect on their learning.

• Encourage peer relationships - most students are social, valuing connection and communication, and their learning environment should reflect and support this. Give learners the opportunity of talking to each other online and encourage them to collaborate - forums, webinars and video-conferences are all useful tools for building engagement.

Finally, empower employees to design their own training plans which reflect the required skills for their chosen career path.

Liz Sebag-Montefiore has 17 years of experience in the HR consulting world, as a sales director and coach and is a Co-Founder and Director of 10Eighty.