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The global pandemic and its economic aftermath have created uncertainty for organizations and employees as they were forced to adapt to a work environment, they're unfamiliar with. There is no doubt that the normal workday is bursting with a series of challenges for employees: dealing with homeschooling, meeting basic needs, or working with your partner or spouse in a co-working space. In this new work culture, learning and development professionals are rethinking their digital learning strategies more and more using virtual learning. There is no doubt that online courses and other digital solutions are highly effective and maybe the only solution available for developing the leadership skills of these remote employees. And, this has led to massive investments in digital learning in 2021.

As per GlobeNewswire's statistics, the global market for digital learning is expected to reach $350 billion by 2025. It is imperative that learning and development (L&D) remains current with product, service, and industry updates, whether or not employees work remotely. Learning and development had already reached a tipping point due to the demand for digital transformation and the decreasing shelf life of skills. With the ongoing pandemic, this trend has been driven over the edge, and digital workplace learning is now the norm. 

In a post-pandemic world, employees can focus on and enhance their professional development with the use of digital learning strategies. The ability to learn continuously can prepare employees for long-term growth in the organization — but how do you ensure that every employee has continuous learning opportunities when they're mostly working remotely?

This blog will discuss digital learning for the modern workforce and why it's the most efficient method of training professionals, inside and outside of the workplace and some important tips for ensuring better digital learning in the workplace. Before we deep dive into it, let's understand the importance of learning in the workplace.

Workplace Learning: New Normal of Remote Work

One of the major consequences of a changing business world will undoubtedly be a more extensive reliance on technology and virtual platforms. We often observe this trend in areas such as talent acquisition and internal communication, which is unlikely to change with L&D. It is true that many organizations were planning to invest in learning technologies before the onset of the virus, and there is evidence to suggest this may be a priority for L&D. This is indicated by a report from the Training Industry, which shows that 29% of organizations are planning to increase their eLearning expenditures in the upcoming financial year. 

Many companies will not return to an office space until 2021 due to remote working, so the investment in digital learning is only set to rise across the board. 

Workplace learning aims to provide professional development to individuals to achieve their professional goals, career advancement, and self-development. According to human capital theory, education and employee training boost productivity for the workforce by enhancing skills. Undoubtedly, learning at the workplace is now a critical element of every organization. Learning is a core component of organizational culture regardless of expertise, skills, methodologies, resources, and media used. 

Although training employees is costly, it brings enormous business profits if it is conducted consistently. Wouldn't you be more likely to invest in your company if they invest in you? You bet, right?

With the advancement of technologies, many organizations began to offer full-time employees the freedom to work anywhere. With more stable, secure communication and collaboration technologies, employees could work remotely on team projects while still maintaining their privacy. As a result, organizations began to see the benefits, including a wider talent pool, a lower labor cost, and the ability to scale labor to meet business needs. Meanwhile, learning and development professionals provided remote workers with the skills they needed to succeed.

‍Read More: Benefits of implementing workplace training in the digital era 

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What is Digital Learning?

In an ever-changing workplace, staying current requires constant learning. For students or employees to be successful in the digital age, they must understand why digital learning is crucial. With a wide selection of digital assets, the learners can study which works best for them. Some might prefer an online course designed over several weeks, whereas others might prefer an educational video. 

IBM research indicates that people learn five times more from online learning materials containing multimedia content than from traditional face-to-face courses as it offers a variety of styles of learning, from visual to auditory to kinesthetic. Most adults dislike time-consuming lectures. It is essential that learners are engaged with the lesson content and even participate in the learning process. This is how digital learning has gained prominence. 

This type of learning uses digital tools to provide opportunities for students to learn differently, whether it's face-to-face, online or blended learning. As a result, it is not simply a question of digitizing educational content but also of a set of education methods. Digital learning refers to digitizing all aspects of learning, including social learning, virtual meetings with professionals, writing online tests, connecting with alumni, and facilitating professionalization workshops. A digital learning strategy utilizes digital resources such as videos, images, GIFs, online courses, texts, podcasts, etc. 

Enhancing Remote Learning Through Digital Learning Programs  

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic restricting travel, businesses have found that virtual meeting and training tools have not only allowed them to function but to thrive. Higher employee performance can also be achieved with convenient digital learning content, accessible anywhere and on any device. Organizations can quickly develop and deploy scalable training solutions by implementing digital learning programs.

After the pandemic, face-to-face training will still be an important component of training strategies. Unfortunately, time, resources and facilities limit the scale of this training. Learning content can be accessed by a wide range of audiences, regardless of location, via digital learning programs. As a result, they decrease the time needed to deploy solutions and enable businesses to react better to performance, economic and social fluctuations. 

The business impact of training can also be measured and maximized with digital learning programs. Learning management systems (LMSs) house content and track metrics of business impact and application effectiveness. 

Organizational Benefits of Digital Learning

• Access to unlimited learning materials - recorded multimedia contents
• Save time by eliminating interruptions
• Make learning more effective
• Tech-friendly learning
• The price of digital training is significantly lower than that of instructor-led training
• Track employee performance and progress with ease
• Make your learning and development programs more effective
• Maintain compliance standards among your employees
• Encourage effective, integrated communication
  

Can Digital Learning Close Skills Gaps?  

An organization's top priority should be creating a culture of learning that closes the skills gap. Learning online is accessible from any device at any time, and digital learning is central to this culture. 

Businesses can use digital learning to close the skills gap by: 

• Organizing learning programs in accordance with business goals, leading to more effective program evaluations.
• Improve poor performance metrics and capitalize on strengths.
• Establish an environment in which continuous learning can occurs
  

Tips and Tricks to Maintain an Effective Digital Learning Environment

• Provide virtual collaboration relationships with subject matter experts (SMEs)
  
• Gamification and microlearning provide practical learning, knowledge, and insights that employees can access whatever device they prefer and whenever they want.
  
• Provide safe practice and engaging feedback opportunities, minimize potential risks relating to remote learning, allow problem-solving opportunities, and let learners' experiment.
  
• Engage your employees through short, five- to 10-minute webinars covering various topics to encourage professional and personal growth.
  
• Turn your employees from passive viewers to active participants by implementing virtual classrooms. There are several ways to conduct virtual training - videoconferences, digital whiteboards, code-sharing tools, online polls and surveys, live screen sharing, and livestreaming.
  
• Take advantage of cloud-based learning platforms to make training devices and locations independent.
  
• Employers can provide training to employees working remotely by using a learning management system (LMS). Using an LMS, they can provide access to learning resources to deliver just-in-time training while personalizing the learning process.
  
• Allow employees to learn on the job, on the go, at their convenience.
  
• Provide on-the-job support, including performance support systems, learning in the workflow, and informal learning networks.
  
• Track learners' progress with analytics and measurement tools that provide real-time feedback and nudges.
  
• Offer training that emphasizes iteration on solutions, including design thinking, nudges, and just-in-time learning for learning in work flow.
  
• Developing and promoting an effective learning culture. It's important for executives to share what they're learning and how they're applying it to the digital learning platform.‍
• Maintain a curiosity-driven culture that allows employees to explore new ideas and experiments. It is part of this culture to reward innovative thinking and product iterations and celebrate failing but trying again.
  
• Provide on-the-job support that includes training and mentoring to help the employee to enhance their job performance.
  
• The company should reward those who make an effort to initiate, apply, and share learning.
  
• Provide self-directed opportunities for informal learning for employees.
  
• It is a good idea for teams to meet regularly for online training sessions on a fun topic. The meetings could take place anywhere between once a month and twice a week.
  

Relevant Article: Training and Development In An Age Of Digital Transformation 

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Conclusion : Digital Learning is the Future of Employee Training  

Having a skilled workforce has many benefits. It allows your business to stay current with the times. It also enhances employee morale by offering transferrable skills. Additionally, digital learning offers benefits such as convenience, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness and efficiency. 

An organization's digital transformation strategy should also include a digital learning strategy. In the era of AI, digitalization, and innovation, companies adapt to these changes. The development of skills that correspond to the needs of the changing economy is crucial to help companies survive this new normal. Despite the uncertainty of the skills necessary for the future, we must change how we view learning and development. We can create a workplace environment where employees are constantly upskilling themselves and re-skilling themselves as the corporate landscape changes. 

Your employees will be more competitive for your company and will be able to build the skills they need for the future if you implement a digital learning strategy. 

Take employee training to the next level by going digital with Rezolve.ai

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FAQs

What is digital learning in the workplace? 

Digital learning in the workplace refers to using technology and digital platforms to deliver educational and training content to employees. It includes online courses, webinars, virtual classrooms, eLearning modules, and other digital resources.

Why is digital learning necessary in the workplace?

Digital learning offers several advantages in the workplace, including:
- Flexibility: Learning resources are easily accessible to employees, enabling self-paced and flexible learning schedules.

- Cost-effectiveness: The absence of traditional classroom-based training reduces the need for it, saving on travel, venue rental, and printed material expenses.

- Scalability: It enables businesses to simultaneously train many workers, regardless of where they are located.

- Continuous learning: Employees are updated on the most recent information and business trends thanks to digital learning, which supports a culture of continuous learning and skill development.

How can employees stay engaged during digital learning? 

To stay engaged during digital learning, employees can:
- To set goals: Establish precise learning objectives and goals to keep your attention and drive throughout the learning process.

- Engage with the material: Take notes, highlight key ideas, or partake in interactive exercises to actively engage with the learning material.

- Work together with peers: Participate in online forums, virtual study groups, or team projects to communicate with and learn from colleagues.

- Clarification desired: Contact your instructors or subject-matter experts for clarification and additional assistance if any ideas or facts are unclear.

How can organizations promote digital learning adoption among employees? 

Organizations can promote digital learning adoption by:

Communicating the benefits: To encourage staff to adopt digital learning, emphasize its benefits, such as flexibility, convenience, and opportunities for growth.

Supplying tools and assistance: Provide employees with the tools, learning platforms, and technical support they need to use digital learning materials to their advantage.

Recognizing successes: In order to emphasize the importance of ongoing learning and development, recognize employee accomplishments in digital learning, such as certifications or course completion.

Including performance management integration: Linking learning objectives to personal goals and performance reviews will help you integrate digital learning with processes for performance management.

How can organizations ensure the effectiveness of digital learning programs? 

To ensure the efficacy of digital learning programs, organizations can:
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Assess learning needs: Conduct a training needs analysis to identify specific learning gaps and tailor digital learning programs accordingly.

Offer a range of content formats: To accommodate various learning styles and preferences, provide a variety of content formats, such as videos, interactive modules, quizzes, and simulations.

Calculate and assess: Measure employee progress and assess the success of digital learning initiatives using learning analytics and assessments.

Continual development: To keep digital learning materials current, interesting, and in line with shifting organizational needs, regularly review and update them.