It’s time to modernize workplace development programs

This year, more than four million Americans quit their jobs each month, ostensibly continuing the Great Resignation that started in 2021. However, what we’ve learned is that many people aren’t actually leaving the workforce. According to the Pew Research Center, 53 percent of those who quit their jobs in 2021 only switched their occupation or field. In other words, the Great Resignation was actually the Great Reshuffling.

What’s more, the people who changed employers aren’t necessarily settling into their next long-term homes. A Grant Thornton survey found that two in five employees who took a new job in the last year are already on the hunt for another opportunity. This reveals that employees feel empowered right now to choose what they want, rather than stay in positions that don’t satisfy their expectations.

So how is this affecting employers? Some are seeing an influx of talent. Others are struggling with higher turnover, even in the current state of economic uncertainty. And, many are experiencing both sides of this reshuffling. In all cases, it’s clear that the pressure is now on organizations to properly equip and engage their employees in order to retain top talent, prevent quiet quitting and avoid a scramble for new hires. This is paramount for maintaining a competitive advantage in the post-pandemic, post-reshuffle world.

Better L&D is key to workforce success

One way organizations can do this is by enhancing workforce development programs. Employees recognize now more than ever that they need new skills to take on different challenges. At the same time, organizations have to plug skill gaps that will inevitably prevent forward progress. Better learning and development programs address both of these goals. Unfortunately, many companies are coming up short in this area. In fact, according to Qstream’s 2022 Workplace Learning Report, only 40 percent of organizations offer on-demand training, which is critical for promoting work-life balance and creating individualized learning experiences. 

Back in 2020, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report predicted that half of all employees would need reskilling by 2025 to account for technological innovation and pandemic consequences. Executive respondents to a McKinsey survey validated this concern when nine in ten participants reported that they had skill gaps or expected to soon. Two years later, these predictions have come to fruition.

People are leaving jobs in hopes of upskilling or reskilling for new opportunities. Yet, employers still aren’t delivering to their own detriment. They are continuing to educate and develop their workforces using an outdated model — one that isn’t fit for an ever-evolving global economy.

Why legacy L&D no longer works

Organizations have to invest deeper in employee L&D to train up fresh talent and retain high performers. The key is moving away from traditional approaches to workforce development that often rely on things like long, standardized instructor-led courses, generalized e-learning curriculums and multi-day conferences.

These approaches no longer align with how people learn and are ineffective for training the modern workforce because they provide a lot of information over a short period of time. Much of the material is also irrelevant to the day-to-day responsibilities of employees. Everyone gets the same onboarding or training, which means few receive the personalized development that they need. Furthermore, traditional L&D programs don’t reinforce concepts or follow up with people over time. Consequently, knowledge fades, and the value of the training investment is lost. 

Additionally, employees don’t feel satisfied under the legacy L&D paradigm. According to Gallup, only 12 percent of workers believe their employers successfully onboard new hires. In 2021, lack of advancement opportunities was second only to pay as a reason why people left their jobs. So, what exactly do employers need to do to improve L&D? Incorporate individualized microlearning into workforce development.

Modernize workforce L&D through microlearning

Research shows that people retain information better when material is delivered in small pieces, spaced out over time. This is referred to as the spacing effect. Regular testing is also critical to promoting retention. People need opportunities to apply what they are learning as they take in new information. This is referred to as the testing effect, which has been proven in peer-reviewed clinical trials to improve long-term retention up to 170 percent.

Together, the spacing and testing effects form the basis of effective microlearning, which has proven to be wildly successful. Microlearning is now a key player within the realm of professional development, thanks to the advent of software solutions that can integrate into existing L&D ecosystems. 

Microlearning-based L&D is used to solve key business objectives and is useful for many types of employee education, such as compliance training, on-the-job skills and administrative responsibilities. Microlearning programs can be tailored to individuals and administered in a way that is not disruptive to employees. Through modern microlearning solutions, it’s also possible to implement scenario-based learning and gamification, both of which increase employee engagement. 

Moreover, the most sophisticated microlearning technologies collect nuanced data on employee progress. This enables L&D leaders to finetune programs to address knowledge or skill gaps. Whereas traditional L&D programs offer limited insight into employee development or proficiency, microlearning data helps L&D professionals’ home in on specific, hard-to-grasp concepts. This encourages better decisions on enterprise L&D overall. 

Of course, the hard part is identifying a microlearning solution that plugs seamlessly into the tech stack. For microlearning to achieve its full potential, employees need regular reinforcement and in-context lessons. In fact, the best microlearning programs enhance on-the-job experiences and help employees accomplish their goals, as well as their employers’. Put simply, the right microlearning-based L&D program should create tangible value immediately.

Modernize L&D with microlearning

By incorporating microlearning into corporate L&D, organizations can elevate training effectiveness, which improves outcomes for all involved. Employees feel invested in and more capable of doing their jobs. Meanwhile, companies accelerate employee time-to-productivity and address skill gaps during a time marked by high turnover.

The dust is settling from the Great Reshuffling, and it’s time to adapt to post-pandemic workplace expectations. Organizations that implement microlearning-based L&D programs will be better positioned to retain and develop top talent going forward. They’ll be able to reskill and upskill new employees faster, which is exactly what people are looking for in new jobs. 

Enterprises that do this well will have a competitive advantage over industry peers. They’ll be able to solve tougher business challenges, serve customers better, and minimize turnover disruption. Perhaps most important, they’ll have the ability to create an organizational culture that values professional development and attracts people who want to perform at a higher level.