The work landscape has changed dramatically in just two short years, and employees have led the charge. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 4.5 million people quit their jobs last November, the highest recorded level.
The record number of workers leaving their jobs in search of something better is being referred to as The Great Resignation (also known as The Big Quit). No longer will workers remain in a position for years that doesn’t fulfill their needs, whether those needs are increased wages, better work-life balance or more professional growth opportunities. Now, they will promptly move on to a job that does.
Perhaps the most significant determinant of employee retention today is the presence of a work-from-home (WFH) model. In a study conducted by Gallup, three in 10 employees working remotely say they are extremely likely to seek another job if their company eliminates remote work. It’s clear remote work (or at least, a hybrid model) is here to stay, meaning companies must adapt to the times or risk losing existing and future talent. But for employees to thrive in a fully or partially remote environment, there needs to be a new approach to working.
L&D in the Hybrid Era
Learning and development (L&D) teams have become a crucial part of the organizational shift to hybrid work models. But to be effective in the hybrid era, L&D teams need to be agile and resilient. As newly dispersed workforces are trained to communicate, collaborate, find resources and learn effectively, they require support. L&D teams can provide this support so organizational members can navigate and keep up with today’s evolving work landscape and the tools that come with it.
L&D teams can play an instrumental role by getting employees acclimated to the new learning technologies — such as interactive video and platforms that share collaborative and corporate content — needed to thrive in hybrid environments. But driving the adoption of these technologies often has its own set of challenges, particularly in the sales space.
L&D teams must be strategic about how to entice hybrid employees to utilize the learning technologies available to them. Here are some ways L&D teams can improve technology adoption:
Make Learning Technologies Easily Accessible
One of the main reasons employees don’t use the tools available is because they don’t know where to find them. L&D teams should ensure learning technologies are readily available to employees — whether in the office or at home — so they don’t miss out on vital information.
One way to optimize the accessibility of learning technologies is to make them all available through single sign-on technology where possible. Another option is an all-in-one platform that manages content, allows reps to collaborate and share peer information and supports learning from one location. Both will eliminate the need for employees to track down various login credentials and learn how to use different platforms.
Use Learning Technologies to Share Information Quickly
Speed has become intrinsic to the digital experience. In fact, approximately 40% of website visitors will abandon a website that takes longer than three seconds to load. Similarly, employees using learning technologies will expect a speedy experience that doesn’t slow down their productivity.
L&D teams should make sure the technologies used can support timely and bite-sized content — including video — that hybrid teams can quickly consume. Giving teams access to the right information at the right time increases the likelihood they’ll utilize learning technologies consistently.
Allow Learning Technologies to Give Employees Autonomy
At the heart of The Great Resignation is the workforce taking back control of their professional lives. This newfound sense of autonomy is something many don’t want to give up. L&D teams should lean into this new dynamic and ensure that learning technologies support it. Learning technologies should give hybrid teams control over what, when and how they want to learn. This will give employees the flexibility to consume important information when it’s most convenient and they’re most receptive to learning it.
Learning technologies can support this need by having a function that drips new content to employees. That way, employees receive content gradually instead of it being released all at once, allowing them to learn at their own pace. Another way is using learning technologies to send periodic notifications to employees about new content until the employee has reviewed the content. These reminders ensure the new content is on their radar and allows them to review it when they’re able.
As organizations settle into hybrid work models, L&D teams play a pivotal role in ensuring teams have access to new learning technologies. By ensuring tools are easily and quickly accessible and allowing learners the flexibility to consume new content on their own schedule, hybrid teams will be poised for success regardless of location or time zone.
