The power of workplace learning: Your 2024 guide to getting started

Everybody wants to work for a company that cares for its employees. Whether you’re managing an onsite or hybrid team, it’s your job to support their professional development. Major changes in the workplace have taken place in recent years. With the shift to hybrid environments and the reliance on artificial intelligence, it’s essential to refresh your team’s knowledge and skills every year.

Develop lasting connections with your employees through workplace learning initiatives. Let this article be your guide! Discover its importance, benefits, and rising trends.

What is workplace learning?

Workplace learning refers to the dedicated process of investing in employees’ growth. By helping them gain the knowledge and skills to perform their jobs better, you can establish a healthy work environment for your team. This boosts job satisfaction, enhances productivity, and attracts top talent for the company.

Why is learning important in the workplace?

In today’s fast-paced world, the key to staying ahead is to develop an agile team. Learning doesn’t stop once you earn a degree; it continues well into the workplace. We’ll explain why by listing the benefits of workplace learning:

• Enhances employee morale: The desire to learn new things is an innate human desire. Fostering an avenue for learning and development shows your employees that you value their growth and don’t wish to keep them stagnant.
• Increases retention: Show your team they belong to a company that cares. Research reveals that 63% of employees who left their former workplace cite the lack of opportunities for career advancement. Prevent this from happening to your team by racking up engagement initiatives.
• Attracts top talent: A company that commits to continuous workplace learning strengthens its brand reputation. Setting yourself apart from competitors will attract fresh talent in no time.
• Boosts productivity: Helping your team stay up-to-date on the latest practices reduces any hesitations they may have toward decision-making. This translates to the ability to work with minimal supervision, which is a win-win situation for you both.
• Stays on top of industry changes: In keeping up with your competitors, the rise of digital trends can’t be excluded from the conversation. With all the tools available to create better workflows, start by equipping your team with the necessary resources to adapt to sudden changes.

Different types of workplace learning styles

Remember that there is no such thing as a uniform learning style. Each of your members processes information differently, and it’s up to you to figure out which style best suits their abilities and needs. To get you started, browse through these common workforce learning styles below:

Visual learning style

Learners who adopt this style require seeing the big picture to understand the lesson well. As their manager, it’s best to incorporate videos, graphs, and photos into your training materials to guarantee better knowledge retention.

Another method you can use is scenario-based learning. From story-based to branching scenarios, such strategies present your training with limitless possibilities. 

Auditory learning style

On the other hand, some learners prefer listening to information rather than seeing it upfront. You’ve probably heard of the recent rise in audiobooks. One reason it’s popular is because it allows people to multitask. 

Similarly, some employees learn best when information is communicated rather than simply handed out in a pamphlet. Consider adding lectures, videobooks, or conversations to your workplace training plan.

Kinesthetic learning style

Kinesthetic learners thrive by performing the task themselves. This requires a multisensory learning approach, so limiting your training to lecture meetings won’t do. Be sure to include roleplaying exercises, on-the-job training activities, or simulated scenarios to engage your learners.

Reading learning style

While this last learning style may not be as popular as the others, don’t cross this out immediately. Reading-focused learners understand the material best when it’s delivered in a written format.

Similar to traditional learning methods, your training must consist of documents, to-do lists, or books. This gives your employees the flexibility to build their references from the material they’ve been given.

5 Workplace learning trends in 2024

Now that you’re aware of the different learning styles, it’s time to put them into practice. Discover this year’s top five workplace learning trends, which you can try out in your next session.

1. Microlearning

If you struggle to break down complex topics for your team or find a common schedule, it’s time to revamp your training methods. Microlearning is the way to go! This learning trend focuses on delivering highly targeted training that can be completed in under 10 minutes.

Bite-sized lessons yield plenty of benefits. Aside from increased knowledge retention, employee training tools like SC Training (formerly EdApp) offer a mobile-first approach to microlearning. This allows your team to take their training anytime and anywhere—on any device. 

2. Immersive learning

Commonly applied to hybrid teams, immersive learning uses the latest workplace technology to engage learners, no matter where they are. It surrounds them in an interactive environment, using augmented reality (AR), visual reality (VR), or 360-degree videos. 

If you’re on a tight budget, scenario-based strategies are your best choice. Its e-learning examples cite real-world problems to push learners to think critically and self-reflect. For hybrid employees, setting up a virtual classroom is a great way to make training inclusive. This way, no member of your team is left out.

3. Generative AI

AI has been a game-changer in recent years. From onboarding to content creation and automation of repetitive tasks, AI is responsible for simplifying many of our processes. So don’t get left behind on the latest developments! 

Consider using AI for translation and content creation. If you’re handling global teams, there’s no need for a translator. Allow AI to do all the heavy lifting! It immediately translates courses into your team’s preferred language, all with a single click. AI can also be used to generate engaging content for your training sessions. With SC Training’s Create with AI, you’ll never have to worry about designing from scratch. Simply input a prompt into the text box and wait for the magic to happen.

4. Gamification

Training doesn’t have to be boring. You can spark active participation among your team through gamification, which makes learning like a game. Like a quest with power-ups on each level, you can mirror this by including banners, badges, and custom achievements in your e-learning at work.

A study reports a 90% increase in employee productivity when gamification techniques were used in training. Luckily, you can test out SC Training’s cost-effective platform, with built-in gamification features. 

5. Data security

The reliance on the Internet to store company information comes with its risks. Although it empowers employees to pull up the data they need from any location, it also exposes private information if left unattended.

An effective way to combat this problem is to invest in cybersecurity awareness programs. This helps them be one step ahead of hackers. They’ll learn workplace training topics like password safety, common phishing attacks, and preventive measures.

Enhance workplace learning initiatives with SC Training

Transform your business through workplace learning initiatives. With the right management systems in place, you’ll never have to worry about employees coming and going each year. These people are the heart of your organization, so don’t take them for granted.

Jumpstart a culture of continuous learning with SC Training. Its mobile-first platform offers a simple way to connect with global teams. From its robust analytics platform to gamification techniques and an AI-powered creator tool, it can meet all your training needs.

Advance your team’s skills with workplace learning! Join SC Training today.