Motivating learners to apply learning

Tell me and I forget.

I see and I remember.

I do and I understand.

Confucius

What really represents project success? For a piece of workplace learning, success is usually measured through positive stakeholder feedback after a course is launched. Then we march on, ready to attack the next challenge.

But before we do that, it’s wise to take a step back. Have we considered if the learner has actually applied the new knowledge or skill? Does it truly match their needs? And has the learning added value by meeting its business objectives?

We need to ensure that the ‘DNA’ of our learning deliverables comes hard-wired with workplace functionality. That might sound like a complex task, but don’t worry. In fact, it is often the simplest techniques which ensure that learning is effectively applied where it counts – in the workplace.

So, let’s ask ourselves. What do the stakeholders, including the Learning & Development (L&D) professionals who scope and create the content, really understand about what happens in the workplace, day to day? And is our understanding out of date? After all, most workplaces are so dynamic that what happened just 12 months ago is probably no longer relevant today.

One of the core L&D concepts that has found favour in recent years is known as ‘learning in the flow of work’. This approach was originally conceived by leading HR research analyst, educator and thought leader Josh Bersin. His work highlighted the importance of embedding learning into work itself, rather than removing the worker from their job. He cites LinkedIn research that was undertaken across 4,000 L&D and business professionals. This revealed that the biggest obstacle to improving workplace learning outcomes was getting employees to make more time for learning. Additionally, among the learners who responded, 58% wanted to learn at their own pace and 49% wanted to learn ‘in the flow of work’, i.e. at the point of need.

So, step one would be to spend more time with our learners. To observe, first hand, their ‘on-the-job’ pain points, challenges, motivators and pressures. Only then can we start to build learning assets that not only fit in with the employee’s schedule, but which also deliver content that learners will find engaging.

Take an automotive sales consultant, for example. This individual is likely to face pressure at specific times, perhaps when footfall into the dealership higher, or when, in an omnichannel environment, online leads require action simultaneously. Spending time with a consultant at a dealership will allow us to identify the proactive and reactive elements - and times - within their working week.

Next, we should acknowledge some of the core concepts of Adult Learning Theory, which is formally referred to as Andragogy. American adult educator Malcolm Knowles created this phrase back in the late 1960s and its core principles are still highly relevant today. To summarise:

• As adults become self-directed, they should be involved in the content and process of their learning

• Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities and should add to what they have learned in the past

• Adults seek out practical learning opportunities that have relevance and impact to their job and/or personal life

• Adult learning should be focused on problem-solving rather than absorbing and memorising content

All workers, ourselves included, can recount stories relating to workplace success and failure. These events often underpin our current approach. They act as lessons learned from which we improve our technique. So if we understand the significance of mistakes and lessons learned as they relate to the employee’s working environment, we can more create impactful learning solutions. And where it’s possible to provide evidence of how and why a particular approach was successful, we can positively reinforce that action’s usefulness, too. 

Highlighting how failure to follow the right process can negatively impact the learner’s success is also key. It’s more likely the learner will absorb and apply new information if it is portrayed in a way that resonates with their experiences. If we can build these elements into our learning assets, we can more effectively ensure that new techniques, skills or processes are actively implemented day-to-day.

Here are three examples:

1. Create ‘alternative outcomes’. In the learning profession, these are known as ‘branching scenarios’.

• For key components of the learning, think about different ways that an action could play out – an ideal resolution, an uncertain one and a complete fail.

• Tell the story behind the inevitability of each outcome. This helps to embed the damage that could be done in the learner’s mind by not following the guidance, as well as the benefits that will come from correct adherence.
  
  2. Confront ‘pain points’. It’s easy to gloss over these and assume the new piece of learning will simply make life better. But this is inadvisable. Think instead about the ‘on-the-job’ value to the learner.

• For example, you might have created a piece of learning that takes its audience through a new process. Are the individual’s key ‘pain points’ likely to be resolved? Is the finer detail of the new process too complex? Without resolution these issues, the learner might still be hesitant about adopting new techniques and could even disengage from the learning process.

• It is vital that we clearly explain why these changes need to be applied. What’s the benefit to the employee, the company – and to the customer? Create workplace scenarios that demonstrate their importance.
  
  3. Develop downloadable checklists. Don’t simply create these as a ‘to-do’ shopping-list of actions. Think about the ways that each activity will actually happen in the workplace, and the day-to-day value to the learner of adhering to each action.

• Frame each point in a way that demonstrates the benefits they bring.

• Make sure that the learner’s manager or supervisor has sight of the checklist and is able to monitor progress.

As global organisations continue to strive for differentiation through the service they offer to customers, the phrase ‘brand ambassador’ is now as relevant to an Automotive OEM as it is to a technology provider.

So from a learning perspective, it’s worth remembering an employee will only become an effective ambassador for their brand if they feel understood and are fully engaged. Make sure that you are aware of existing barriers to success, how these can be overcome and what inspires the individual to deliver good work.

Most importantly, listen to what the learner has to say. Then, apply all of these findings into the heart of your project – and deliver a learning asset that’s designed to have real impact in the workplace.