2020’s lockdowns, social distancing, and travel bans have rendered a lot of business models and strategies irrelevant. Luckily, the pandemic also opened up new opportunities and market shares, leading to incredible examples of resilience and innovation from companies that quickly adapted and altered their services and product to answer changing market needs. Even so, they had to brave many challenges along the way, as those companies still in search of a sustainable path, would undoubtedly confirm.
Some, if not all, of these challenges, demand that employees switch responsibilities and focus areas, and quickly learn new methodologies and tools. Furthermore, their social-emotional capabilities and cognitive skills are also required to triumph. In other words, a pivot’s success relies on employees’ cooperation, professionally and mentally. If all that isn’t challenging enough, time is limited, and as current circumstances dictate, it must all be done remotely, which adds another stress factor.
More Learning, Not Less
Nonetheless, companies pay little to no attention to employees’ well-being and personal development during a pivot. With so much on the line, it’s easy to understand why. However, without proper support helping them learn new tricks and hone existing ones, including digital-technical, emotional, social, and cognitive, the chances of doing so while still staying on top of things dwindle.
Now is the time for L&D platforms to address the tasks and trials of pivoting companies. And although there are many ways about it, there’s no question that all these solutions have to be fully digitized and driven by video as the primary learning tool, whether live or recorded.
But Why Video?
Video brings together image, sound, and movement, making it more engaging, detailed, and memorable. Non-verbal communication, such as body language and tone-of-voice, is readily evident in videos, unlike most other content forms. Employees and administrators can choose between synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences or even both to make sure it fits different scenarios and time limitations. It’s not only cost-effective and flexible, but it’s also what people have become accustomed to.
Video technology now offers much more than a robust stream. Options that put viewers in control of the show, granular analytics, and seamless content creation features are all part of the new generation of video. And they have the power to transform L&D at all levels of the organization.
Level One: Individuals Employees
Interactive videos offer a self-paced learning path for employees, giving them the option to choose which chapters play next and which ones to skip. This way, while resources are available to all, employees can decide what to focus on themselves. After all, they know their proficiencies and shortcomings, as well as their interests and needs better than anyone else.
Improved in-video search makes it easy to find the videos they need for the answers they’re looking for. Automatic Captioning, different audio tracks, adaptive UI, and other accessibility features ensure that resources are always available regardless of geography, language barriers, or individual disabilities.
When planning a webinar, it’s essential to keep the same kind of interactivity expected from an in-person seminar. Quizzes and polls will keep large crowds engaged, while virtual classrooms make it easy to break out into smaller groups. Furthermore, they’re fully equipped with digital whiteboards for everyone to take part in the discussion.
Level Two: Work Parties
When working remotely, peer learning or asking for advice is far more complicated. Certainly unfortunate, as employees are often the companies’ best and greatest knowledge source. By giving them easy-to-use video creation and sharing tools (as well as some encouragement from managers and supervisors), companies can make great use of that invaluable resource.
Making employees direct contributors also boosts engagement. Additionally, other employees may feel more comfortable asking questions when it’s one of their colleagues in the video, rather than someone external.
Level Three: Cross-Organization
Video analytics give deep insights into viewing habits and preferences. Metrics such as the number of views, completion rate, and drop off points can suggest how relevant learning materials are. Metrics indicating engagement tell managers how interested and focused their employees were. And data gathered directly through interactive content, like quizzes and polls, help track and monitor progress.
By analyzing all these numbers together, companies can oversee the overall process and evaluate its efficiency. These can also lead to actionable insights that will help guide alterations and improvements.
While they won’t make the business pivot uncomplicated, learning technology can facilitate the transition for companies and employees alike. However, exactly why and how might not be as crystal-clear for managers facing difficult decisions that could determine their business’s fate. It’s up to L&D platforms to help them see that. And what better way to show something than video, right?
Does your Company Offer an L&D Solution?
