Avoid the Netflix effect in learning content

Employees who are short on time face a plethora of options when it comes their own learning and development. Caroline Evans shows how to make teams learn instead of searching for the best resource.

Have you ever spent so much time on Netflix, trying to decide which movie to watch that you barely had time to watch the film by the time you made a decision? This is the dilemma that many employees face when it comes time to upgrade their skills.

The overwhelming number of videos, courses and workshops makes it hard to decide where to begin or which will have the greatest impact.

Many businesses invest more in learning platforms and materials to combat talent shortages and give their employees more choices. They also want to show their commitment to the growth of their teams.

The real problem, however, is not a lack of funds but rather an abundance of them.

Employees are often stuck in decision mode as they spend countless hours sifting though learning resources. This leaves little time for learning.

This presents a challenge for HR teams: How do you cut through all the noise to ensure that employees have easy access to the right opportunities for development? What should you do with your money? What platform or course will give your employees skills to adapt in a changing workplace and be most valuable?

Curation and clarity

It’s not only about providing a library of resources, but also about their curation and transparency. HR teams must curate content to ensure it is of high quality and relevant, while also making sure that employees can easily access them.

As Netflix excels at surfacing the best content for the right viewers, at the perfect time, HR teams must develop more intelligent, intuitive ways to guide their employees to the training opportunities that are most appropriate to their roles, goals, and time constraints.

This means that employees should no longer be presented with an unorganised, vast catalogue of courses. Instead, they should receive learning pathways that are aligned with their specific roles and aspirations.

This will allow employees to spend more time on growing and less time on searching. It can be a mountainous task for HR leaders who are short on time.

Along with this curation, the HR team must also focus on clarity. How can they make it as easy as possible to access quality learning opportunities for employees?

Learn on the go

It’s all about streamlining processes, making learning accessible on the go, and obtaining feedback constantly from employees in order to improve training and development.

Employees will be empowered to take control of their development if they receive clear, concise information about the available learning resources. They can also use tools that make it easier to navigate and prioritize these resources.

When employees are confident that they can find relevant opportunities quickly, then they’re more likely engage in those opportunities.

In today’s fast-paced workplace, mobile accessibility is also important.

For example, employees should be able access learning material on their smartphone or tablet to fit their learning into their workday.

It is possible to consume bite-sized modules of learning during commutes, breaks between meetings or any other short periods of time.

It is important to collect feedback from employees on their learning experiences.

This will help HR teams identify areas that can be improved to ensure courses are relevant and effective.

Effective engagement

Finding the right path is important, but it is not the only solution. Effective engagement is equally as crucial. HR leaders have an important role to play as well.

To encourage employee engagement in learning initiatives, it is important to promote a culture that values learning. It is important to create an environment in which leaders promote development and employees freely share their knowledge.

Line managers must also regularly check in with their direct report to discuss career goals, identify skill gaps, and create personalised training and development plans.

These plans must include specific learning activities to help employees reach their goals and contribute towards the success of the company. It’s also important to upskill line managers so that they can adopt and empower a culture of learning across their team.

Offering different learning formats will ensure that diverse needs are met, boosting employee engagement.

Return on Investment

Solving content overload has a far-reaching impact that goes beyond personal growth. It has a direct impact on the ROI of L&D investment in a company.

Businesses that actively engage their employees in upskilling programs see better performance, higher retention and, in turn, a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Simplificating the learning process is crucial to unlocking employee potential, and ensuring that learning investments truly drive business success.

In the end, an organization’s ability to compete on a market that is rapidly changing depends on their ability to innovate and adapt.

HR teams can empower employees to manage their own development by simplifying their learning journey. This will help them build a workforce which is agile, resilient, and prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow.

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