The Pandemic Has Forced Us to Rethink Training Methods — And That’s a Good Thing
Nearly three years after the initial COVID-19 lockdown, almost nothing about the way we work looks the same. Donning PJs, slippers, and small children hanging off their legs, employees quickly adapted to a remote work lifestyle, with 59% working from home if their jobs permit (Pew Research). Many have even begun to question the traditional 9–5 routine and are shifting to gig work as a way to reclaim their personal freedom.
As a result, the way organizations are training their employees is changing, too. Faced with distracted remote workers and shorter attention spans, training professionals are embracing more innovative training methods that can help employees increase their skills and knowledge in an engaging way.
Here are four ways the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the corporate training model:
1. The Power of Microlearning
Instead of long PowerPoint presentations filled with hours of information, microlearning delivers information in short, digestible bursts, tailored for ultimate retention. Many companies are now adopting microlearning as their training approach because it breaks complex concepts down into quick 3–5-minute videos or modules. Employees can focus on one concept at a time and apply what they’ve learned before they lose focus, promoting mastery of each new skill.
2. On-Demand and Gamified Content
When organizations deliver training as a series of short, on-demand videos, employees are able to complete training on their own time and return to a section whenever they need a refresher. In the same way, when training content is gamified, employees are much more likely to engage with what they’re learning. Earning points or prizes as they move through learning modules can increase motivation. After all, who doesn’t love to win?
3. Easy-To-Author Training Materials
One thing the COVID-19 pandemic proved is that regulations and procedures can change on a dime. Now, companies can quickly create and recreate training videos with easy-to-use authoring tools, such as CoDo. Training professionals will be able to develop content more efficiently and constantly iterate based on employees’ needs and the changing work landscape.
4. Gig Workers Get Trained, Too
Another side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was the rapid expansion of the gig economy. People began to turn their side hustles into primary income, and companies increasingly began to outsource for talent. Now, organizations understand how important it is to properly train their gig workers in order to avoid dissatisfaction and turnover. With short-form and personalized training videos, gig workers can feel confident knowing they are aligned with the mission of the company.
Final Thoughts
The pandemic catalyzed an overhaul in the way organizations conduct training, with nearly 75% of respondents in a People Management survey saying they changed some or all of their training processes. Perhaps the training industry was already in the market for a makeover, and COVID-19 was the push it needed. With the use of microlearning and video-first principles, it seems like we’ve shifted toward a more productive and fruitful future of work.
