Offices have changed dramatically over the last few decades. No longer do we picture smoky conference rooms and men walking around in suits as in the days of Mad Men. Nowadays, workers are often inspired by fantasies of standing desks, glass walls, free laundry, and slides between levels if they’re lucky. Instead of finding information in filing cabinets, gathering information is quick and easy. Need to find an answer instantaneously? Google it. Need career advice? Browse LinkedIn. Immediate access to information is in-synch with our modern office culture.
Along with the modern office culture and quick access to information comes higher employer expectations. Yet, employees often do not have instant access to the training they need since accurate industry-specific training is not always easy to find just through googling. In such cases, managers also lose control of the information employees receive and there is a greater risk that the information they find is outdated or inaccurate.
The solution? Create an elearning culture in your office so employees can get consistent, quality information and training that managers can keep track of. Here are a few ways to engage modern employees:
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Make it short. Employees are very busy and so learners often don’t have too much time during the day to complete necessary training that takes them away from completing their daily tasks. Pack a punch with short five to ten minute bursts each day so employees can increase their knowledge over time without feeling overwhelmed.
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On demand is your best friend. Does gathering all employees at a single location for a training session sound daunting? It is! Web-based elearning apps make it easy to access training tutorials from anywhere including desktops, laptops, and mobile phones. When learning is accessible anywhere and any time, employees don’t need to waste valuable time getting to a training session or relearn what they already know.
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Make it fun and interactive! There are many hot buzzwords around engaging learners and many of these have plenty of merit. Learning is always more effective when it’s fun and gives the learner an active role. For example, gamification inspires participation. Some examples include games and activities that allow learners to overcome challenges, offer the chance to compete with other learners and give them the opportunity to earn points or rewards for their efforts.
Whatever techniques you choose, there are plenty of ways to incorporate online training into your office culture. OpenSesame offers thousands of training courses that your company can use to keep training simple, high quality, and consistent. So, when you picture a modern office with those standing desks and free laundry, make sure to also picture online learning at every employee’s fingertips.