The way we work was on the verge of a major shift well before COVID-19, but the current pandemic greatly accelerated the pace of that change.
Before this crisis, less than a third of workers in the U.S had the option to work from home even some of the time. Now full-time remote work has been a part of daily life for tens of millions of people for months (and has become permanent for some). Even those employees still going into a workplace every day are adjusting to modified work environments or schedules, and all of us are coming to terms with the fact that the current situation will be our new normal for the foreseeable future.
How both employees and employers view their roles and interact in the workplace — whether physical or virtual — has shifted significantly over the past few months. So how do learning and development (L&D) leaders deliver the training employees and organizations will need to succeed in the new world of work?
Adjust training to changing priorities
The speed at which this crisis developed perfectly illustrates the importance of continuously evaluating training programs. Training priorities transitioned rapidly from preventing the spread of infection to working from home effectively to reopening workplaces safely as organizations adapted to each phase of the pandemic response. These seismic organizational shifts forced businesses to change processes, rethink people management, and reevaluate the skills their teams need.
And although the pandemic is by no means over, companies need to start thinking beyond it. Diversity and inclusion, managing stress and anxiety, upskilling and reskilling; companies cannot afford to put training on these essential competencies on hold while recovery efforts continue. It’s the responsibility of L&D teams to stay in tune with employee development needs and continue recommending and implementing training programs that will position their companies for success.
Create safe, engaging and effective learning experiences at scale
Accommodating social distancing requirements and the increased number of employees working from home make in-person training impractical for many organizations. As a result, these companies are shifting more of their training to digital learning so employees can learn together safely and productively.
Organizations should also consider differences in learning styles and needs when searching for an online training catalog or creating their own training content. Offering a wide variety of options (live webinars, on-demand videos, interactive elearning courses, etc.) improves learner engagement and utilization.
It’s not enough to simply provide training; employers need to ensure workers develop and apply the skills they learn. Many learning management systems (LMSs) offer analytics and reporting tools that allow employers to track online course completions and gauge the effectiveness of training content. Actively reviewing this data as well as learner feedback is essential for creating an engaging learning experience, especially for organizations that are operating remotely.
While some of the impacts of COVID-19 — like supply shortages and furloughs — might be temporary, others — like the increase in remote workers — are part of the new normal of work. Putting the right support and training in place will ensure your organization and employees are equipped to not only weather this crisis but also any future challenges.
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