Cultus
The value of learning in the business environment is immense. Not only is it important for individual employees, as it strengthens their skills and knowledge, but it also can have a tremendous impact on your whole business. As your employees’ relevant knowledge increases, their performance is getting to a higher level, as well.
As a matter of fact, the research performed by Brandon Hall showed that successful organizations primarily:
- Nurture development opportunities for their employees;
- Encourage the employees’ proactivity in learning while working.
But that’s not all. They also work on creating stimulative learning conditions. And this is succeeded by offering an attractive learning environment.
What is considered an attractive learning environment?
Nowadays, a learning environment is considered attractive if it includes innovative learning techniques and IT solutions that help to adopt knowledge easily and engagingly. Besides, attractive learning combines different types of audio, visual, and multimedia learning materials. And this diversity is what helps avoid the monotony and boredom that negatively impact both knowledge adoption and employee performance.
During the last couple of years, numerous business managers have realized that this attractive learning environment can be created using different types of multimedia learning tools available online. So, by now, you’ve probably heard of eLearning authoring tools, software for employee training, and interactive knowledge bases. And these are only some of the significant assets for sharing knowledge and making your employees enthusiastic about learning.
To help you figure out how exactly learning tools impact your employees learning enthusiasm, the article speaks about their most important advantages and benefits. In addition, we’re explaining how the smart use of learning tools shapes your employee performance and your entire business.
1. A flexible knowledge resource
Did you know that more than 70% of adults consider themselves lifelong learners? By providing your employees with adequate eLearning tools, you’re instantly quenching their thirst for knowledge. They don’t have to go home, spend time finding the right books, or do research on their own.
Practically, you are giving them reliable and relevant content whenever they want to access it, no matter where they are or which mobile device they use. This way, you’re making it easier and more convenient for them to adopt new information that they can later implement during their work hours.
2. They make the learning process more attractive
Have you already encountered with that kind of employees who are not into learning? Especially not on their own. While they may choose to work (in the end, that’s what you pay them for), they’ll eventually have to deal with changes and adopt new rules or ways of performing tasks. And eLearning tools may be a great step towards success when it comes to this type of employees. These tools can help you overcome their aversion towards learning by avoiding too complex content and uninteresting traditional methods.
Accordingly, since employee training software may include all types of content, you can gamify the learning process and make it more challenging. This means that you’ll make it easier for them to get interested in learning by offering attractive content. So, instead of traditional learning materials, thanks to eLearning tools, you’ll be providing:
- e-books,
- decision-making scenarios,
- online tests, quizzes, flashcards, and surveys,
- multimedia content such as audio-visual presentations, live lectures, or even short movies.
This way, you will increase the number of employees willing to deepen their knowledge and implement it at work. At the same time, you’ll also be able to monitor their activities and reward the ones who made the best progress.
3. They shorten the time needed for knowledge adoption
As stated by business expert Josh Bersin, it takes about two years for a new employee to reach the performance level of other staff members. In addition, 36% of respondents of a survey by Robert Half stated that their failed hires were owed to poor performance and lack of skills.
Even though learning tools may not magically solve these issues, they can be a meaningful asset in improving these statistics by shortening learning time. According to Brandon Hall (2001), eLearning tools make learning from 25 to 60% faster than classroom training on the same subject. Â
So, having in mind that finding a replacement may cost an equivalent of six to nine months of an employee’s salary, you may find it more affordable to train underperforming employees. And providing practical options and features, learning tools let you create special short-term courses and contents for the improvement of crucial skills. This way, your employees not only improve their performance but also do so in a significantly shorter period.
4. Boost the potential of the millennial workforce
It’s pretty simple – modern working environment attracts the modern workforce. Apart from wanting to work and be independent, the Millennials are craving for continuous knowledge.
However, they are not really interested in traditional teaching methods based on classroom-style knowledge transfer. And this is the main problem a large number of employers experience. As the matter of fact, 62% of managers feel that their learning programs are ineffective in meeting their employees’ learning needs.
And how to make it effective?
To make your learning program generate improved performance when it comes to the millennial workforce, you should create a business environment that boosts the Millennials’ potential. And this is done by:
- letting them work and/or study from home;
- introducing daily or weekly feedbacks that will instantly let them know their progress as well as ways of improving it;
- making use of social media by creating groups for different teams and sectors. This way they can get instantly informed on any changes even when they are out of the office. At the same time, they’re building the collaborative spirit.
Consequently, eLearning tools and programs that provide real-time communication and results tracking, are the perfect way to go when working with the Millennials.
By introducing this type of learning, you’ll create an engaging environment for them to prove themselves. Not only will they be willingly improving their skills and knowledge but they’ll also nurture the collaborative yet healthy competitive spirit. They’ll be interacting with each other, solving group tasks and quizzes, and comparing results.
The improvement in all these aspects will lead the workforce toward improved performance, and therefore, more satisfying business results: Believe it or not, in today’s business environment, each dollar invested in eLearning brings, on average, $30 in productivity.
Summing up
As you can see, the benefits of learning tools in the improvement of employees’ performance are numerous. Primarily, implementing well-developed training software for employees, you’ll increase their motivation. Also, you will increase the number of workers who are willing to learn more. And this is succeeded by providing interesting multimedia content and materials that they can access in no time. Additionally, supplying them with personalized electronic learning materials, you’ll make their learning faster and more relevant.
Finally, by providing modern learning and working conditions, you’re offering them an attractive workplace that will increase the number of young, motivated and talented workers willing to join your business.
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