Modern Learning Today: 3 Ways to Engage Employees in Hybrid Workspaces

As you’re looking at strategies that will increase both the engagement and effectiveness of your learning and development (L&D) programs, you can’t ignore the fact that the work environment has been dramatically changed in the last year and a half. That means that along with boosting power skills, you’ll need to engage employees in hybrid workspaces since this is the new work environment for most companies coming out of the pandemic. 

You’ll also need to focus on content that drives career growth and find ways to encourage learning as a team. In LinkedIn’s 5th Annual Workplace Learning Report, 71% of Gen Z learners, 61% of Gen Y learners, and 56% of Gen X learners all said that they felt learning is key to success in their careers. And 91% of L&D professionals agree that teams who learn together are more successful. 

Driving Career Growth

While most L&D programs don’t focus on internal mobility, it’s an area of importance for your employees. Forty-seven percent of Gen Z learners, 51% of Gen Y learners, and 31% of Gen X learners want to learn new skills to perform a different function. It’s a huge opportunity for L&D professionals to capitalize on as far as content development. 

Many employees are spending more of their time learning how to be more productive—including hard skills like learning how to code to online marketing functions. Make sure that course recommendations are highly personalized to the individual’s role and career goals.

71% of Gen Z learners, 61% of Gen Y learners, and 56% of Gen X learners all said that they felt learning is key to success in their careers.

Learning Together

Since many employees were working from home during the outbreak of the pandemic, learning became a lonely endeavor. Yet this is not necessarily the most effective way for employees to learn. Studies show that employees who feel a sense of belonging are 5.2 times more likely to be engaged. However, this number drops dramatically if they’re feeling disconnected and lonely. 

In a hybrid workspace, L&D professionals might do well to consider community-based learning, which uses blended online learning (virtual instructor-led learning plus online learning) with features like course recommendations, chat software, online groups, or surveys. Employees can take a course together, then discuss what they’ve learned through chat. 

Creating Learning Pathways

You can probably assume that many of your employees are experiencing decision fatigue after the last year and a half. Make it easy for them to find and follow a learning path that’s relevant to their role and career goals. From onboarding to new skill development to certifications, when employees can navigate their learning they know exactly what courses to take and when. You can also make your learning pathways more accessible by offering them in multiple languages and making them available on any device, anytime. 

As we head into the second half of 2021, it’s a good time to take a look at your strategy and ensure that your team is ready to lead, deliver the power skills your employees want, and enable employees to work in a hybrid workspace. These are the keys to your success in today’s modern learning environment.