Amy Beth: My road to 2016 burnout and why I wouldn’t take it back for the world

So proud Amy. Your "OldMan"

Beth: My road to 2016 burnout and why I wouldn’t take it back for the world

Trends in training

In recent years, I have been wondering if I am the only one seeing a change in the way people are learning and the way in which they engage with knowledge. Here are my thoughts on the learning trends taking place in business.

1. Learning cost-effectively and on time!

Information is instant and more dynamic. New products and services are hitting the market continuously. Customers are becoming more knowledgeable about what they want due to the internet. It is no longer acceptable to say that the staff was trained on the company procedures when they joined and that these procedures must be implemented. Legislation requires new training to be implemented on a company-wide basis or else! Management could be liable!  

How do we adapt to this trend? I believe it is simply by following another trend, e-learning, or for optimal results, mobile learning blended with face to face training.

If implemented correctly, this is cost effective and takes the risk out of staff competence. 

2. Mobile learning

Everyone has a mobile device, even our employees. Let’s harness the capabilities of mobile devices to manage our training and communication needs.   

Mobile is increasingly preferred by companies to impart effective training because it facilitates any-device-anywhere learning. Make sure that your training can be undertaken on Feature phones as well as Smart phones. Integrating with Opera Mini will increase the reach extensively, and in South Africa, Mxit is a major player on entry level devices, so for SA companies, integrating with Mxit is a must.

3. Bite-sized learning and assessment

There is a paradigm shift towards bite-sized learning. Companies have realised that courses spanning 15 to 30 minutes are the most effective because learners have shorter concentration spans. Divide a course into smaller units rather than stretching them out. 

Bringing in the aspect of immediate assessment is essential. Use questions as part of the training, providing immediate feedback and solutions.

4. Use of cloud-based tools

There is no longer a need to have custom installations. Just use an existing cloud-based site and let them take care of the detail. This will give you enhanced efficiency, lower costs, better accessibility and quicker deployment. 

But what about security? Choose a service provider that can show how security issues have been addressed and how compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) and European security standards has been addressed. Integration into your own Active Directory (AD) is first prize!

These 4 points can bring about a major change in thinking in your organisation, heralding an innovative new era in your training. What do you think? I'd love to hear your views.