Applying learning in the workflow correctly
Interest in learning in the workflow has been growing since Josh Bersin amplified the term (based on previous research [1]) in 2018. It appeals to both learners and L&D professionals because it is so fluid and natural: it is both efficient (what learners want) and effective (what L&D professionals need).
Imagine you’re working on a report and need to add a pivot table, but you can’t remember exactly how to do it. What do you do? If you’re like most people, you go to the Help menu, do a Google search, or hop on over to YouTube. You find some quick instructions, figure it out, and you’re back to writing your report. You didn’t sign up for a class or wait to meet a senior colleague; you got the help you needed while you were doing your job.
When we were asked, “What content creation challenge keeps you up at night?” as part of our L&D and Student Experience 2024 Trends Report In a survey, one of our respondents said:
“Built-in learning into the workflow, because learning is always seen as ‘extra’ and takes time away from the core tasks that need to be performed.”
Students tell us the same thing: they want content that is personalized and pushed to them when they need it. And for good reason: SHRM's Workplace Learning & Development Trends for 2022 A report shows that 25% of employees say they do not have enough time to complete training.
In our research, “learning in the flow of work” ranked #8 out of the 20 biggest challenges for L&D departments. There’s excitement about what’s possible, but how do we create exactly what each individual needs and ensure they get it when they need it?
Three recommendations for success
#1. Use microlearning. Microlearning consists of small chunks of learning content, each focused on a specific learning objective. This gives an employee exactly what they need, making learning more personalized and tailored. The good news is that many of us are already doing this: 47% of L&D teams plan to implement a microlearning program by 2024. [2]
#2. Integrate it into the work. Place content so that it is easily available when the employee needs it. Can you anticipate when the student needs something and make it available at that moment?
#3. Measure usage. Learners choose the content they want to consume, so collecting data helps you understand what they use and what they don’t. Usage indicates usability, so this gives you a huge amount of insight into what learners find most useful.
Imagine the Future: Three Examples
Imagine these examples of learning in the workflow:
- You have a sophisticated piece of software that employees find difficult to use. By tracking mouse movements, you can display pop-ups if there are signs that the user isn’t finding what they need, or if there’s a more efficient way to perform the task they just performed. I personally know of an organization that did this using xAPI.
- You have a chatbot that uses generative AI and an LLM based on your company’s data to allow the employee to ask questions about any system, process or activity they do at work. Think of it as your best friend at work who you can ask any question to, no matter how big or small. Many organizations are exploring these types of systems right now.
- Your call center agents have a tool that is active during customer calls and uses speech recognition to provide pop-up support relevant to the questions asked.
The most important thing is that in all of these examples we are talking about 'the employee' and not 'the learner'. When we think about placing learning in the workflow, we focus more on the employee's performance and how we support them in doing their job.
Learning in the flow of work allows employees to learn while they do their work. It is organic, efficient and effective.
Download the L&D and Student Experience 2024 Trends Report Dive into the findings today and discover how you can leverage the latest technologies and strategies to enhance your training program and drive meaningful change.
References:
[1] Scaffolding learning in the workflow
[2] LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024
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