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Employment Trends:
Quiet Quitting
How to harness the power of employee-driven learning and development (L&D)

Harness the power of employee-led L&D to combat 'quiet quitting'

The talent landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as organisations grapple with the aftermath of the Great Resignation. In an era where employee engagement has become the holy grail, we saw the emergence of quiet quitting. Coined by Brian Creely in 2022, the term relates to employees who only work to the job description. They don't go 'above and beyond', and won't put in even the slightest extra effort or time into their work above what's set out in the job spec.

 

Inspired by the shifting workplace attitudes and expectations post-pandemic, employees now favour remote and hybrid working. They're driven by a desire of greater work-life balance. A recent AT&T study found the hybrid work model is expected to grow from 42% in 2021 to 81% in 2024. Quiet quitting for many represents a disengagement from working life, and a drop in productivity and efficiency.

 

So how much of a problem is quiet quitting, and how can businesses address the trend?

man asleep at work
A study by Gallup found that 69% of employees born after 1989 have 'quietly quit' jobs. Big brands like Facebook are 'turning up the heat' to address the problem. Tech giants are introducing aggressive targets and limiting team growth to maximise output from its current talent pool. Whether these measures can be truly effective relies on multiple factors. That said, many brands are learning that it's more effective to meet their employees halfway.

Impact of quiet quitting on worker attitudes

To understand the post-pandemic trends in relation to training, we partnered with independent survey company Research Without Barriers. Finding out employee attitudes to training in 2023 gave us a clearer picture of the wider issue of employee disengagement in the workplace. 

 

 

We surveyed 2,000 UK workers, split between 1,000 managers and 1,000 non-managerial employees. The surveyed managers have over 15 years of work experience and work in companies of more than 15 employees. The surveyed non-managerial employees have a maximum of three years of experience, and work in companies with more than 15 employees. The goal of these sample requirements was to give us better insight into the attitudes held at different levels of seniority. In the context of a rise in quiet quitting, the results were surprising – and promising. 

Is 'quiet quitting' impacting wider employee engagement?

A common belief about quiet quitting is that employees are disengaging because they don't want to work hard or build careers. Our research actually suggests that there remains a strong desire for personal and professional growth among the UK workforce.

 

A staggering 86% of respondents expressed a willingness to stay longer with their employer – if the employer offers more L&D opportunities. Employees also aren't necessarily interested solely for what a company offers them. Almost all (94%) believed that the company would also benefit if they were given more training. In other words, workers are still willing and interested in engaging with their employers, supporting business goals, and building careers. But they are seeking fulfilment and a mutually beneficial relationship with their employer. This conclusion is reinforced by the social shifts we saw with the Great Resignation, where workers sought work that enhanced their lives.

 

Our findings underscore the pivotal role that learning & development plays in engaging employees. It provides them with fulfilling work lives – directly impacting their engagement with their roles and countering quiet quitting.

Managerial involvement in training

Managers play a crucial role in nurturing a culture of learning and development within their teams. The survey results revealed that 59% of managers recognise the importance of training in keeping employees engaged and motivated in their roles. In fact, 78% of managers also acknowledged that training had a positive impact on their own commitment and engagement. Generally, business leaders are aware that learning and development have a direct impact on employee engagement at all levels. Understanding this gives us a tool to address quiet quitting within an organisation – where employees are willing and able.

man leading employees

How to deliver employee-led L&D

Despite the awareness, many organisations are falling short in leveraging learning and development as a tool for employee engagement, retention and skills enhancement. Only 29% of managers actively involve employees in selecting and integrating training programmes for their professional development. And 42% of employees reported having no active involvement in training beyond participation. This suggests that many employers, while aware of the benefits of training, are missing out on the benefits that come from actively involving workers in their own development.

 

There are simple ways to harness the benefits of employee-driven learning and development. These include giving employees personal ownership of training through suggesting courses or subjects and assisting with the sourcing of learning content. But it may also extend to involving employees in learning KPIs or the development of learning pathways.

 

Russell Donders, Director of International Markets at imc Learning, notes that "we have worked closely with businesses to offer bespoke training and development pathways for a range of industries. Feedback from customers, and our research, is clear: training is a key contributor to employee engagement and business development. Each of us wants to fulfil our potential, and we see huge success in the businesses who understand how to implement that on a personal level.

 

Bespoke training packages, rolled out across all levels of operation, is a simple and effective tool to engage and retain talent. It even feeds into the recruitment process. In fact, 92 percent of job seekers now consider L&D opportunities to be a dealbreaker – so it makes sense this would also feed into engagement for existing talent. Empowering individual-driven learning and development pathways is a simple but effective solution to address changing priorities and reverse, or avoid, quiet quitting."

Quiet quitting can be addressed by employee-led L&D

Employee engagement has become of paramount importance given the challenges around talent scarcity. The trend of quiet quitting highlights the significance that employee satisfaction and fulfilment now play in modern-day workplaces. Businesses that are responsive to that will see real benefit to productivity and talent retention. By embracing employee-driven learning and development, organisations can align themselves with the evolving needs of their employees. The aim is to enhance retention rates and create a positive, growth-centred workplace in which productivity is a natural consequence of the environment.

Looking to implement an employee-led L&D programme?

We'd love to hear how your organisation aims to increase loyalty and engagement through employee-led L&D. Get in touch with us to see how imc can help you best reach your strategic goals.

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LMS Hot Topics
First Impressions Count!

Implementing a New Learning Platform: First Impressions Count!

Communication, pro-active employee motivation strategies and quality content as the keys to successful LMS implementation

“Not another new system!” “But we’ve tried this before”. Eye-rolling. These are just some of the sadly all too common employee reactions companies encounter when they announce the implementation of a new IT system.

 

Learning management systems (LMS) are not immune to this. But many of the pitfalls can be avoided through careful planning – and careful communication planning in particular.

fire

“It seems ‘learning management system’ is a dirty word at our organisation.” This sobering statement was uttered recently by a client who was looking to implement a new LMS. Hardly the stuff of motivation. The client knew even before the project began that it would have to revisit an ugly legacy.

 

So, what had happened here? It turned out that something had gone badly wrong with the implementation of the client’s old learning platform. And they wanted to undo the damage by implementing a new one. Unfortunately, the whole idea of learning and professional development using an LMS had by then created such ill-feeling throughout the company that the new project manager knew he had an uphill battle on his hands.

Red flags: Common pitfalls when implementing an LMS

Exactly what had gone wrong in this particular case is a story for another day. But generally speaking, there are several reasons why the implementation of a learning platform might fail.

The most common of these boil down to poor communication and insufficient thought given to the target audience. The good news is that many of these pitfalls can be avoided.

Lack of early engagement with stakeholders

If you involve your key stakeholders too late or not at all, then resistance is a virtual certainty. It’s important to get everyone on board. Top level management, team leaders, the works council, HR, internal IT and, most importantly, rank and file employees. All of these groups need to be factored into the decision-making and planning process and informed early on.

Inadequate communication: “Why do we even need an LMS?”

Why do I need it, and what’s expected of me? If the project team can’t provide satisfactory answers to these fundamental questions from employees, they shouldn’t be surprised if the uptake is less than enthusiastic. The benefits and objectives of the learning management system need to be made clear and transparent to everyone.

 

And, as we know from communication and marketing, it takes multiple touchpoints to truly get the message across. A single email announcing “We have a new LMS” isn’t going to cut it. Instead, you need to reach out to your staff on multiple occasions and actively draw them into the new system.

Cluttered and unappealing design

Here too, first impressions are everything. The LMS must align with the company’s corporate identity. It doesn’t hurt for it to look modern and engaging either. The Daimler Academy is a good example of this done well.

 

Having a clearly structured user interface and design in keeping with the company’s CI will do wonders for employee acceptance. An unclear navigation system, on the other hand, will quickly result in confusion and frustration.

Not enough content in the LMS – or none at all

Imagine this: The company has done the big communication campaign. It has trumpeted the new system far and wide. And finally, the moment has arrived, and it’s ready to use. The employees log in, encounter a fancy UI design, do the first training module, and then – nothing. A dead end. There’s just the one training module, nothing else.

 

It may sound obvious, but a learning platform without learning content is not an awful lot of use to employees. An LMS needs to have a decent range of high-quality, employee-relevant content right from the word go. If it doesn’t, it will soon be dismissed as irrelevant and will not be used effectively.

Not another password to remember! And what’s my user ID anyway?!

Nobody likes complicated logins! Ideally, the LMS should be integrated with existing IT systems via single sign-on (SSO) authentication. Complicated login processes create further barriers to use.

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Lack of employee enablement and motivation

When it comes to a new LMS, you need to take your employees with you and actively motivate them to use it. That involves more than merely telling them why they should use the system. They also need to know what they’re allowed to do with it and what sort of learning times are involved. And, of course, they need to be shown how the system works.

 

Failure to provide sufficient resources and user guidance can lead to uncertainty and low acceptance. But the real key is to go beyond mere enablement and actually make employees want to use the system. The aim is to make them feel motivated so that they enjoy using it and look forward to new content.

 

One way of doing that is to use quizzes about the company. Or little giveaways with QR codes that lead directly to the learning platform.

But what does this look like in practice?

The best approach is always to avoid the pitfalls before they happen. And that means thorough planning and preparation and putting together a detailed communication and action plan. So, what does this look like? We’ll be presenting a customer case study by way of best practice example in our next article.

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I have been working in the Marketing & Communication Team at imc since March 2019.

Communication, creative content and social media are my passion. "KISS - Keep it short and simple" is my credo.

 

To explain complex content in an understandable way and thus make the topic of e-Learning accessible to everyone is an exciting challenge every day.

 

Privately I love to read, play poker and travel a lot.

I am always happy to receive feedback or suggestions.

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Nadine Kreutz
Communication Manager
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E-Learning Punk
Learning Together Beats going it Alone

Cohort-based Learning: Learning Together Beats going it Alone

What cohort-based learning is all about, and why learning online and learning together are not mutually exclusive.

Doing e-learning from the comfort of your home PC has many benefits. But it’s very much a solitary experience: no interaction, and no peers to keep you motivated and spur you on.

 

But thanks to cohort-based learning, it doesn’t have to be that way. With cohort-based learning, you can combine the benefits of group dynamics with PC-based self-learning.

elearning punk cohort based learning

Definition: What is cohort-based learning?

“Cohort-based learning” is a complicated-sounding name for something that more or less means learning as a group.

DEFINITION
Cohort-based learning creates an environment that enables active, collaborative and learner-centric learning.

It is a model of education that puts learners into groups so that they learn together, share ideas and support each other. Unlike one-on-one tuition and self-study, cohort-based learning is inherently collaborative and interactive.

 

As the name suggests, it is done in cohorts: groups of learners who typically have similar interests, objectives or backgrounds. The cohort members progress together through a structured curriculum or course that can include both online and in-person elements. The learners have regular opportunities to meet up, either in person or by means of virtual communication platforms. This motivates them to deepen their knowledge and discuss topics in more detail. It also enables them to work on joint projects.

cohort based learning punk article

Group dynamics at its best: Demonstrably higher success rates

A key advantage of cohort-based learning is that learners benefit from the different perspectives, experiences and skills of their peers. The regular interaction fosters a strong sense of community and cohesion, which can be very motivating and supportive. What’s more, the cohort members can learn from and help each other and grow through ongoing feedback.

 

Cohort-based learning is more than just a nice-to-have for injecting a bit of variety into the learning process. It actually delivers significantly higher success and completion rates than achievable through solo learning.

 

 

Cohort-based learning in action in enterprise practice

Cohort-based learning can be used in all areas of education. And it’s not a new concept per se. It’s as old as school classrooms, where everyone learns together and in person.

 

What’s new is that it can also be used in corporate settings – and it’s not limited to in-person learning. As part of a blended-learning strategy, cohort-based learning can comprise both online and in-person models.

 

So, how might that look in practice? imc instructional designer Benjamin Fillisch explains using a few concrete customer examples:

“At Vodafone, we developed a digital yet highly effective and motivating onboarding programme. The solution needed to cater to three distinct user groups: in-house and external customer service representatives and retail store staff. So, we developed a blended-learning journey that included cohort-based learning.”

cohort based learning concept

The spirit of learning at Jägermeister: Don’t bother showing up if you haven’t done your homework!

Even the drinks industry needs learning. In this case, employees at Jägermeister needed to learn how to implement the brand’s new e-commerce strategy. The learners spanned four distinct, globally distributed groups, including sales staff and C-Level executives.

They were put into country and learning-specific cohorts. Collaborating via Miro , they had to define which stakeholders needed to be on board in order for the strategy to be rolled out successfully.

 

After the first virtual classroom, each cohort was given an assignment and told exactly what to prepare for next time. They were told they needn’t join the next session if they hadn’t done their homework. Why should everyone be forced to repeat a session just because someone hasn’t prepared?

 

Jägermeister learning imc

In essence, the message to the participants was this: Your time and ours is valuable, so it’s only worth meeting if we are prepared. Otherwise, we can’t hope to produce outcomes that are any use to anyone.

 

That may sound harsh, but it was very well received. The participants, especially the C-level personnel, valued the clear expectations and certain knowledge that their time would be used productively. Firm deadlines and mutual accountability gave the participants certainty that their learning sessions would have a meaningful outcome. The result: increased acceptance of the learning by all concerned. This is one of the key benefits of cohort-based learning.

Quick guide to cohort-based learning

Here are some of the key points for getting the most out of cohort-based learning:

 

  • Careful analysis of requirements and target group
  • Good mix of in-person and digital learning
  • Clear communication about rules, expectations and outcomes
  • Generate added interest through gamification
  • Present time-sensitive information in virtual classrooms

 

Above all, don’t forget the fun factor! Whatever the learning, we’re more likely to retain it if it’s entertaining and fun. And that’s true whether we’re learning alone or in cohorts.

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I joined the imc newsroom team in 2021. As a journalist my heart beats for content and storytelling.

 

I’m excited to figure out how e-learing and digitization affect the future of work. My task is to create content to talk about and I’m always looking for trends.

 

Privately I love to travel and eat Tapas.

 

Topics: E-Learning Trends, Corporate Social Responsibility, Press and Influencer Relations

Nina Wamsbach, Communications Manager, imc AG
Nina Wamsbach
Communication Manager
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Expert Interview
how a digital learning platform helps businesses train their employees more efficiently

imc board member Sven R. Becker talked to cybernews.com about competency-based learning

"Institutions must shift their focus from imparting pure factual knowledge to facilitating competency-based learning"

If your business is undergoing a digital transformation, you need to embrace not only cutting-edge technologies like VPNs, AI, and antivirus services, but also take comprehensive employee training very seriously.

 

As we all know, your people are the lifeblood of your business. Despite e-learning not being a new concept, many companies – from startups to large corporations – are now realizing the value of implementing a dedicated learning management system (LMS).

 

Sven R. Becker, Executive Board Member of imc, gave some insights into how a digital learning platform helps businesses train their employees more efficiently.

Read more on cybernews.com

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Psychological safety
Why it's essential for growth

Why organisations should promote psychological safety

Psychological safety sounds like a fluffy feel-good topic: all employees should feel safe. But there's more to it than that. Psychological safety is a basic requirement for any organisation wanting to develop positively.

Earlier this month, I packed my suitcase and headed to SAP in Walldorf, where the Corporate Learning Camp was taking place – a 'BarCamp' conference on learning and development. I had been wondering whether I should hold a session at the event, but I couldn't think of a topic until I stumbled across a post on LinkedIn about "Psychological Safety" and its importance in learning organisations. As I'm passionate about culture, psychology, and lifelong learning, this was right up my street.

two colleagues having a serious talk

What are learning organisations?

In a learning organisation, all employees strive to expand their knowledge to keep up with changing circumstances. For example, organisations can respond to new market conditions and take advantage of new technologies and expertise.

What does this have to do with psychological safety?

Psychological safety sounds like an easy thing at first: everyone is nice to each other; everyone feels completely safe at work. But that's not all it's about. Psychological safety means that employees feel safe enough to address difficult issues, ask questions, ask for help, admit mistakes, give their honest opinions, and challenge the status quo. This is an absolute must for learning organisations because, without all this, ongoing development is not possible.

(Self-)awareness is the first step to improvement

If we don't talk about mistakes, don't ask questions, and don't make or accept suggestions for improvement, we cannot develop. And this is as true for individuals as it is for teams and organisations. What's more, we run the risk of making serious mistakes if we don't dare ask for advice. Serious mistakes can also occur if employees are afraid of voicing their concerns. These mistakes can be costly and even dangerous depending on the type of organisation or profession.

 

In other words, psychological safety isn’t just that we express our opinions, doubts, and questions honestly, but also that we listen to and accept feedback. Being open to asking and receiving feedback means we are able to go beyond ourselves – we are able to grow as individuals. This also means we must let those have their say who often hold back and usually just accept painful criticism.

 

A real openness to growth and learning takes us out of our familiar comfort zones. It puts us in the 'learning zone', as the American professor Amy Edmondson illustrates in a diagram. Edmondson is an expert on the subject and points out that the combination of psychological safety and high standards leads us into the learning zone.

Infographic psychological safety

How do we achieve psychological safety?

For a learning organisation, psychological safety isn't a one-off goal but a permanent condition that must be nurtured. It's an effort that requires all employees. Leaders can lead by example, e.g. by gratefully accepting feedback or openly talking about their own insecurities.

 

As a team, psychological safety can be strengthened by asking normally shy or reluctant colleagues for their opinions. If someone questions the status quo and makes suggestions for improvement, we should reflect on these suggestions self-critically instead of labelling the person as a complainer. Psychological safety is a question of team and corporate culture and must therefore be supported by all levels and lived out in our everyday work.

A topic that hits a nerve

I was not sure if this topic would interest the other participants of the BarCamp at all, but I gave it a try. Contrary to my expectations, interest and participation in the session discussion was so great, a second session was spontaneously scheduled for later in the afternoon. I had obviously hit a nerve.

 

Anyone who has a few years of work experience in different companies under their belt will already know what a difference psychological safety makes. Without this safety, we try to avoid mistakes, don't ask questions and avoid standing up or standing out from the crowd because it can feel unpleasant. But when we reach the learning zone, everyone rises above these psychological barriers that hold us back. If we want to be in a learning zone, we are all challenged. Every single employee contributes to the establishment of the learning zone. And everyone who took part in the session at the BarCamp agreed on this. For some companies, it takes a cultural change to create psychological safety. Is psychological safety just a fluffy feel-good topic? Not really. If companies want to grow and develop, they can hardly afford not to address this issue.

Carlotta Pudelek

The author: Carlotta Pudelek

I've been a part of imc since 2017. As a product marketing manager for e-learning content and strategy consulting, I’m all about how individual solutions can help move organisations forward.

 

I'm also passionate about culture and mental health, which for me are closely linked to lifelong learning.

 

Let me know what you think about the article – I'd love to hear from you.

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CONTACT

Contact Person

I have been working in the Marketing & Communication Team at imc since March 2019.

Communication, creative content and social media are my passion. "KISS - Keep it short and simple" is my credo.

 

To explain complex content in an understandable way and thus make the topic of e-Learning accessible to everyone is an exciting challenge every day.

 

Privately I love to read, play poker and travel a lot.

I am always happy to receive feedback or suggestions.

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Nadine Kreutz
Communication Manager
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L&D for the
automotive sector
Modern e-learning for global auto brands

Revolutionising automotive training with modern e-learning

The automotive industry is a rapidly evolving landscape. While new entrants to the market are relatively rare, fierce competition and rapid technological advancements create unique business and training challenges. Companies in this sector must ensure that their workforce is skilled and knowledgeable to stay ahead of the curve.

automotive factory designers

E-learning has emerged as the natural solution to help automotive companies streamline their training processes and gain competitive advantage. Having created automotive training solutions for several market-leading clients, we understand their environment. 

 

Here we explore the advantages that great e-learning can bring to the table.

Unique business and training challenges in the automotive sector

  1. Technological advancements: The automotive industry is witnessing a paradigm shift, with the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving systems, and connected cars. Global auto brands need to train their employees on new technologies and their applications.
  2. Regulatory compliance: Automotive companies must comply with strict safety and emissions regulations, which often vary across regions. Employees need to be aware of and adhere to these regulations.
  3. Skilled labour shortage: The automotive sector suffers from a skilled labour shortage, and auto companies are quickly upskilling their existing workforce to meet the demands of the market.
  4. High employee turnover: This industry often experiences high employee turnover rates, which means that companies must invest in consistent training for new hires and existing employees.

Why e-learning is the perfect solution for automotive companies

  1. Flexibility and scalability: E-learning platforms allow automotive companies to deliver training modules that learners can access anytime, anywhere. This flexibility ensures that employees can complete their training at their own pace, reducing the impact on their work schedule. Furthermore, L&D managers can easily scale e-learning to accommodate a growing workforce or the introduction of new technologies.
  2. Cost-effectiveness: Traditional training methods are expensive, with costs associated with travel, accommodations, and physical training materials. E-learning platforms significantly reduce these costs, making it a more affordable option for automotive companies.
  3. Personalisation: E-learning platforms can be customised to create personalised learning paths, catering to the individual needs of employees. This ensures that each employee receives training that is relevant to their job role and helps them fill their skill gaps.
  4. Consistency and compliance: E-learning platforms ensure that all employees receive the same training content, promoting consistency across the organisation. Moreover, administrators and training supervisors can quickly update courses to reflect changes in regulations. That way, they keep employees up to date with the latest compliance requirements.
  5. Analytics and performance tracking: The leading e-learning platforms, such as the imc Learning Suite, provide detailed analytics on employee performance. Automotive companies are able to track progress, identify areas that require improvement, and provide targeted support.
  6. Engaging and interactive content: E-learning platforms offer a variety of multimedia content, such as videos and quizzes, making the learning experience more engaging and enjoyable for employees. And easy-to-use e-learning authoring tools like imc Express empower your in-house subject matter experts to create engaging e-learning - without the need for design or technical experience

Automotive e-learning examples

How to get started

E-learning presents automotive companies with a powerful tool to address the unique business and training challenges they face. By leveraging the benefits of e-learning, automotive companies can stay ahead of the curve by continually upskilling their workforce, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. 

 

Create an agile, knowledgeable workforce ready to tackle the challenges of the ever-evolving automotive industry.

 

 

Are you involved in L&D for an automotive company and want to learn more about how the best in modern e-learning can support your training? Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!

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e-Learning for
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How modern L&D can help government agencies improve public services

Public sector training - e-learning for government agencies

Government agencies, entrusted with serving the public and maximising budgets, must continually adapt to new policies, regulations, and technologies. A well-trained workforce is crucial to ensure that these agencies operate efficiently and effectively. 

 

E-learning can be a powerful tool in helping government agencies overcome training challenges and deliver high-quality services to taxpayers. We've created innovative, impactful solutions for private and public sector training clients across the globe, so we understand the unique challenges faced by government bodies. 

 

Here we look at how great e-learning can help address these challenges.

Unique training challenges in government Agencies

  1. Large and diverse workforce: Government agencies typically employ a large workforce with diverse roles and responsibilities. Consequently, public sector L&D departments can find it a challenge to deliver consistent and relevant training to such a varied audience.
  2. Budgetary constraints: Government agencies often operate within strict budgetary limits, making it difficult for them to invest in comprehensive training programs.
  3. Rapid policy and regulation changes: Government employees need to stay abreast of evolving policies, regulations, and procedures that govern their work. This requires regular and up-to-date training.
  4. Geographical dispersion: Government employees often works across vast geographical areas. Training managers sometimes find it difficult to coordinate and deliver in-person training.
  5. Security and privacy concerns: Government agencies must ensure that their training programmes comply with stringent security and privacy requirements to protect sensitive information.
colleagues discussing LMS

Why e-learning is ideal for public sector training

  1. Cost-effectiveness: E-learning platforms can reduce the costs associated with traditional training methods, such as travel, accommodations, and printed materials. This allows government agencies to maximise their training budgets and reach a larger audience.
  2. Flexibility and scalability: E-learning provides government employees with the flexibility to access training materials anytime, anywhere. This enables employees to learn at their own pace and schedule, leading to higher engagement and completion rates. Additionally, e-learning platforms can be easily scaled to accommodate a growing workforce or the introduction of new policies and regulations.
  3. Personalisation: Customisable e-learning platforms let you deliver personalised learning paths tailored to the specific needs of each employee. This ensures that employees receive training relevant to their job roles and responsibilities, resulting in better performance and higher job satisfaction.
  4. Consistency and compliance: E-learning platforms ensure that all employees receive the same training content, fostering consistency across the organisation. Moreover, training managers can quickly update hem to reflect changes in policies and regulations, ensuring that employees stay current with the latest requirements.
  5. Analytics and performance tracking: The leading e-learning platforms, like our own imc Learning Suite, provide detailed analytics on employee performance, enabling government agencies to monitor progress, identify skill gaps, and provide targeted support.
  6. Enhanced security and privacy: E-learning platforms can be designed with robust security and privacy features to ensure compliance with government regulations and protect sensitive information.

Examples of successful public sector e-learning

How to get started

E-learning presents government agencies with an effective and efficient solution to address the unique training challenges they face. By embracing e-learning, government agencies can empower their workforce with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver high-quality services. 

 

The result is a more agile, well-informed, and efficient public sector.

 

Are you involved in national or local government L&D and want to learn more about how the best in modern e-learning can support your training? Get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!

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10 proven ways to keep corporate learning engaging

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it manager cringing

Top 10 tips for HR heads, IT security, and L&D professionals to foster active learning

Technical training topics, such as cybersecurity awareness training or learning a new software system, are often essential for employees to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be productive or to comply with legal/regulatory requirements. However, these topics are often considered dry and boring due to complexity, specialised language, or seemingly distant relevance to everyday work life

The 10 ways to keep corporate learning engaging set out below make the learning process more enjoyable and effective.

1. Relate to real-life scenarios

Learners are more likely to engage with technical topics if they can see the direct relevance to their lives or careers. Present real-life scenarios, case studies, or anecdotes that demonstrate how the technical concepts are applied in practice. This will help learners understand the importance of mastering these topics and make the material more relatable.

2. Break down complex concepts

Technical topics can be intimidating due to their complexity. Break down the concepts into smaller, digestible parts, and provide clear explanations and examples for each. Use analogies, metaphors, or comparisons that learners can easily understand to explain difficult concepts. Additionally, create a logical progression of information, building on what learners have already grasped.

3. Use multimedia resources

Leverage various multimedia resources, such as videos, audio recordings, graphics, and animations, to illustrate technical concepts. These resources can help make the material more engaging and accessible, as well as cater to different learning styles. Additionally, incorporating multimedia resources can reinforce key concepts and provide alternative ways for learners to process information.

4. Encourage active learning

Active learning techniques, such as group discussions, problem-solving exercises, and hands-on activities, can make technical training more engaging. By actively participating in the learning process, learners can better internalise and retain the material. Encourage learners to ask questions, share their perspectives, and collaborate on projects to create a more interactive learning environment.

5. Gamify the learning experience

Gamification can make dry technical training topics more enjoyable and motivating. Introduce game elements, such as point systems, leaderboards, and badges, to create a competitive atmosphere and drive engagement. Additionally, design interactive quizzes, puzzles, or simulations that require learners to apply their knowledge in a fun and challenging way.  As an example, we turned one of the driest topics of all - cybersecurity training - into a fun, interactive game - Cyber Crime Time.

imc off the shelf content

In this gamified learning experience, you take the role of a devious hacker. By exploring IT security from the hacker's perspective, learners gain new levels of cybercrime awareness without the process feeling like 'training'. 

 

Try out the game for free to learn about this innovative approach to technical training.

6. Provide immediate feedback

Timely feedback is crucial for learners to understand their progress and identify areas for improvement. Provide immediate feedback during training sessions, either through automated systems or personal interaction. This will help learners adjust their learning strategies and stay motivated.

7. Foster a supportive learning environment

A supportive learning environment can help learners feel comfortable asking questions and discussing technical topics. Encourage open communication and create a culture of mutual respect and understanding. Instructors should be approachable, patient, and willing to provide assistance as needed.

8. Set clear goals and expectations

Learners are more likely to engage with technical training if they understand the goals and expectations. Clearly communicate the learning objectives, expectations, and assessment criteria at the beginning of the training. This will help learners focus on the most important aspects of the material and track their progress.

9. Offer flexibility and customisation

Allow learners to customise their learning experience based on their needs, interests, and learning styles. Offer flexible pacing, optional supplementary materials, and various learning pathways to accommodate individual preferences. This will help learners feel more in control of their learning experience and increase their motivation to engage with the material.

10. Incorporate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing

While some technical training will often need to be formally structured to ensure precision or regulatory compliance, there is often space for informal, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. 

 

Does your new software system have a 'power user' in the company? Or does one of your team have a way of communicating and sharing knowledge that’s particularly funny or engaging. 

 

Some new e-learning authoring tools, like our own imc Express, are emerging that make it quick and easy to create and share multimedia learning nuggets in as little as 10 minutes. This can enable subject matter experts to become a useful addition to the L&D team - albeit unofficially. It also helps to avoid valuable knowledge and experience to be siloed within departments - or even worse, lost altogether if key personnel were to leave the company.

How to get started

Engaging learners with dry technical training topics may be challenging, but it is achievable if you implement some or all of the above 10 ways to keep corporate learning engaging. By relating the material to real-life scenarios, breaking down complex concepts, using multimedia resources, and fostering active learning, L&D or IT leaders can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for their learners. 

 

With the right approach, even the driest technical topics can become engaging - maybe even fun! 🙂

 

Want to learn more about tools and strategies to make technical training more engaging and effective? Get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!

woman working from home with cats on her desk
Training a hybrid
workforce
Essential strategies for global companies

Training diverse and disparate workforces

Here at imc Learning, we have decades of experience helping customers train hybrid workforces - diverse and disparate learners at global companies. In this post, we cover some of the essential tools and strategies for L&D leaders to consider when training a hybrid workforce. 

 

We also look at how the best e-learning solutions make creating, delivering and analysing your training easier than ever - wherever your employees are based, and whatever language they speak.

Hybrid corporate training

Look back a decade, and early proponents of remote work, such as Basecamp, were seen as unusual - even maverick. Today, post-Covid-19 pandemic, some level of remote or hybrid work is standard for large organisations. 

 

What can vary considerably between large organisations though is the quality of training to hybrid or remote workers and the level to which they are kept engaged and in the loop.

Checklist for training hybrid/remote workers

Many of the points here might seem obvious, but whether you are an experienced L&D leader or relatively new to training remote teams, it can be easy to see certain elements of employee engagement as a given and forget to carry them out. Unfortunately, out of sight can really be out of mind all too often, and this can lead to a feeling of isolation and disengagement among remote workers. 

 

Below is a checklist to help you ensure you don’t miss out any of the steps needed to create a comprehensive training programme for your hybrid workforce

Assess your training needs

Before you can create a training program, you need to understand your unique needs. Consider the following to train your hybrid workforce:

  1. Job roles: Identify the skills and knowledge required for each job role.
  2. Skill gaps: Determine the skills that need improvement or development.
  3. Technical requirements: Evaluate the tools and technology needed to support remote and onsite employees.

Set clear objectives and goals

Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives for your training program. These objectives should align with your company's overall goals and focus on addressing the skill gaps identified earlier.

Choose the right training formats

To accommodate both remote and onsite employees, consider using a mix of training formats, such as:

 

  1. E-learning: Offer self-paced online courses and tutorials.
  2. Webinars: Conduct live or pre-recorded sessions for real-time interaction.
  3. Instructor-led training: Provide in-person or virtual classes led by experienced trainers.
  4. Blended learning: Combine multiple training formats for a more comprehensive learning experience.

Develop engaging training content

Create high-quality, engaging training content that caters to different learning styles. Ensure your materials are up-to-date and relevant to your employees' roles. Consider incorporating interactive elements like quizzes and gamification to boost engagement.

Leverage e-learning technology

Use various technology tools to support your training program, such as:

 

  1. Learning management systems (LMS): Use an LMS to organise, distribute, and track training progress. The imc Learning Suite integrates with many other HR and business software applications, and offers powerful training delivery and learner analytics tools. 
  2. Video conferencing: Integrate video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams to facilitate virtual instructor-led training and webinars.
  3. Collaboration tools: Encourage teamwork and collaboration among remote and onsite employees through platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Implement a support system

Offer continuous support to your employees during and after the training. This may include:
  1. Mentorship programmes: Pair employees with experienced team members for guidance and support.
  2. Online forums: Create a space where employees can ask questions and share knowledge.
  3. Regular check-ins: Schedule periodic check-ins with employees to monitor progress and address any concerns.
  4. Peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. imc Express is an e-learning authoring tool that makes it easy for your subject matter experts to create and share engaging learning modules in as little as 10 minutes, with no design or coding expertise needed. 
It now also incorporates ChatGPT technology from OpenAI, enabling content to be translated into any of 50+ languages at the click of a button.

Evaluate and recalibrate your training programme

Regularly assess the effectiveness of your training programme by gathering feedback from employees and analysing performance metrics. Use this information to make any necessary adjustments to your training content, format, or delivery methods. 

How to get started

Learning how to train a hybrid workforce requires a thoughtful and flexible approach. Often you will need to accommodate the needs of both remote and onsite employees. By following this checklist and leveraging the latest tech, you'll be able to create a comprehensive and effective training programme that supports the success of your entire workforce.

 

Would you like to discuss how our suite of e-learning solutions can support your hybrid workforce? Get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!