As the Great Resignation continues to play an active role in the workforce, it has allowed people to take their careers into their own hands and demand change from their organizations. Today, employees want to be part of a company that prioritizes their professional development and creates opportunities to flourish in their current roles and beyond.
Organizations that promote a strong learning and development (L&D) program with opportunities for growth and reskilling are setting a new standard within the workforce. These programs not only support the retention of high-quality talent but also increase employees’ productivity. A recent Better Buys study states that employees with access to development opportunities have 34 percent higher retention and are 15 percent more engaged. It’s clear that allocated time and resources to learning will promote growth within a company and help recruit talented and driven individuals.
While employee retention and professional development prioritization are hot topics that organizations are trying to crack, one solution to consider is Learning in the Flow. Here are a few tips to make this possible for your employees.
Tip #1: Listening to Your Team
Learning in the workplace was positioned differently as role-related growth or compliance training, but this is no longer true. The Great Resignation has allowed learning in the workplace to come to the forefront and what was once seen as an added benefit is now standard practice. Now more than ever, employees are demanding time and resources for professional development, and organizations need to prioritize these initiatives to stay competitive.
According to LinkedIn’s 2021 Workplace Learning Report, 94 percent of employees would be willing to stay at their organization longer if they invested in their professional development. Knowing this, consider your current communications process for reviewing feedback and needs from your team to ensure employees have an official channel to relay their thoughts. Let your employees share their professional development priorities and how leadership can help them accomplish these goals. Regarding employee retention, recruitment, and overall happiness, taking the time to listen to your employees’ input can go a long way.
Tip #2: Invest in the resources your employees need to be successful
Transitioning to a remote working environment two years ago was difficult, but today, companies have some of the best resources to fit the needs of their teams and encourage engagement. As organizations continue to entertain the idea of returning to work in a hybrid model, we need to take our investment in these resources to the next level and explore the L&D resources that collaborate with what is already in place.
Take Microsoft Teams as an example.
145 million people utilize this technology daily as a work resource. Alone, it is a great investment for organizations because of the global communication and access to employees that it creates. However, if organizations up-leveled Teams as a driver of corporate L&D programs, managers could have a direct line of communication for sharing educational training and resources based on their employees’ interests. This also allows managers to listen to employees’ goals and share resources for growth and development on the fly. Employees would have the luxury of receiving training and educational materials on a platform they use daily and can access it when they have 15 to 20 minutes to dive into building their skills – or the ability to learn in the flow of their day.
Tip #3: Convert that time into opportunities for growth
Learning in the Flow is an L&D method that allows employees to work on their professional development when convenient. With integrated, time-effective, and relevant training and education available to employees, they can spend their downtime refining and exploring new skills.
The allocation of time and resources to employee professional development should be seen as an opportunity for the growth of a business and the industry. Organizations that invest in workforce development create a solid foundation of skills and learning opportunities for the next generation. The return on investment experienced here will pay dividends. As learning and development training and education continue to be a priority for employees, organizations should evaluate their current efforts, weigh the value and cost of Learning in the Flow, and the impact for growth it will create.
Overall, the L&D process needs to be simplified and integrated with the technology that is essential to our day-to-day work life and allows teams to invest in their training when it is convenient for them – in short – Learning in the Flow of their day. Leaders need to consider the above tips to effectively utilize the Learning in the Flow technique and prioritize resources that serve a dual purpose for their business as a resource for building stronger employees, industries, and businesses.
