Online Learning
Online learning is often viewed as a modern step forward in workplace development, but it is frequently reduced to a way to cut costs, defined as an improvement by its potential to reach more employees. For L&D teams, the risk is assuming that making online learning available company-wide will automatically make it effective. But that is not necessarily true.
Build it and they will come is a big assumption. According to Gallup’s Sthttps://www.gallup.com/learning/ate of the Global Workplace report, only 10% of UK workers feel engaged at work.
People are usually motivated in two ways: extrinsically and intrinsically. Many L&D teams assume intrinsic motivation will naturally drive online learning, that’s the belief that self-development will drive outcomes. However, self-determination theory, which focuses on autonomy and competence and was popularised by Daniel Pink in Drive, suggests this is unlikely to work if it is left to happen on its own.
Extrinsic Learning
Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, I snow seen to be a very powerful driver of behavioural change in learning. These include rewards, recognition, and competition, which many organisations have found to be highly effective. Am extrinsic learning culture actually matters. While no two companies are the same, L&D must lead on online learning engagement to achieve results and not leave online learning success to chance.
The first key rule for L&D is to secure board-level champions who can support online learning and help drive it across the organisation.
Soft steps can recognise employees who dedicate time to online learning. Use your internal communications channels to give top learners the spotlight they deserve.
Extrinsic Soft Step Ideas
- Make online learning a company and department key performance indicator.
- Highlight top learners on your social media channels
- Send a personalised video message from the CEO to top performers.
- Link online learning to personal growth plans rather than just compliance.
- Ensure content is engaging and relevant to learner’s needs.
The above are low-to-no cost ideas that deliver meaningful impacts on learning culture in the workplace.
Incentives
These can be as simple as gift cards or even a reward package. Small rewards in online learning act to support behavioural learning, and often include:-
- Additional holiday time / flex time
- Work from home days if you’re in-office, or remote rewards package for home-office.
- Reward points vouchers or points for people to accumulate and spend as they like on goods or holidays
- A monthly subscription to a service, such as a gym membership or a meal out.
- Create learning champions by allowing top performers to contribute to e-learning design and reward them for leading active engagement.
Gamification
Making learning fun, engaging, and competitive can be highly effective when point scoring, goals, challenges, and rewards are clear. Learners often like to compete, win, and compare their progress with others.
Gamification should always be optional, so it does not alienate learners. There can only be one winner at the end, so team-based gamification can reduce stress and conflict while improving motivation, communication, participation, and learning results. Gamification works best when it involves everyone, is simple and clear, and has distinct phases or outcomes. If it is too long, too complex, or developed by one narrow group, it is less likely to engage the whole company.
Key Tips for Gamification
Don’t assume a game works, remember you need to make sure:-
- Define the game parameters. Make sure participation, progress, and winning criteria are simple and clear to everyone.
- Pick an attractive prize like a team outing, or individual prizes like gift cards or event tickets.
- Build in champions across the company who have natural enthusiasm for running the game and make sure they have the resources they need to drive participation.
- Marketing matters. Use it to generate engagement, build momentum, show ongoing progress, and encourage learners to compare progress.
- Celebrate quick wins as well as final success wins. Make sure all participants feel they have enjoyed being part of the game as well as the winners. Use your internal communications, social media, and more to boost recognition.
The learning company culture mindset does not just assume people want to learn, it makes learning integral part of the organisational culture.
For L&D professionals, extrinsic rewards are a good way to kick-start online learning engagement, but they are not the long-term solution. E-learning is most successful when it supports an intrinsic learning culture, where employees take ownership of their personal development.
Online Learning as its own reward
The Workplace Learning Report identifies the top three factors that lead people to consider new jobs: learning, growth, and career development.
- Opportunities for challenging and impactful work
- Opportunities for career growth
- Opportunities to learn and develop new skills
So online learning is a perfect match for employees to achieve those goals. This is the intrinsic learning, self-motivation model which L&D has to actively support for it to succeed.
To achieve that, L&D professionals need to communicate the benefits of ongoing learning to employees and create a learning pull culture.
- Publicly recognise employees who learn new skills, achieve new standards
- Call out how skill development influences internal promotions
- Publish lists of in-demand skills in your organisation and explain how you are helping employees develop them.
L&D creating an online learning culture
L&D needs to lead employee development by creating and sustaining a culture that supports ongoing personal and professional growth. Research shows that employees who receive an internal promotion by the two-year mark are more likely to stay with the company than those with no internal move.
As part of the recruitment structure, make sure potential employees understand the learning culture from their first day in the role. Ongoing learning should be presented as a key part of career advancement. The first steps are:
- Ask about skills employees want to develop, as part of the recruitment and on-boarding process.
- Map out a plan for 30-, 60-, and 90-day professional-development goals, quick wins to longer term growth plans.
- Show how the available online learning courses relate to competence development and possible career paths, train them to learn
- Ensure they can dedicate time weekly for professional development with initial and periodical support from L&D as to progress and next steps.
- Make learning and skill development part of performance reviews.
L&D e learning metrics
How we are measured shapes how we perform, so L&D metrics should support both extrinsic and intrinsic online learning. Total spend per head is a simple cost measure, but relevant learning hours per employee is a more meaningful measure of L&D impact. Measures around in-demand skills development should also be tailored to employee and department needs.
In Summary
If people are not learning, it is up to L&D to identify and resolve the barriers. These may include a weak learning culture, poor learning platforms, or ineffective learning content. L&D must think strategically about building a learning culture that improves performance, employee development, and retention. These tips and ideas can work for companies of any size or sector. For L&D professionals, the key is to be proactive with online learning provision.
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