Before the pandemic, organizations already struggled with managing a mix of in-person and virtual learning programs but there was never much impetus to move away from a very event-driven, in-person approach. For perspective, Brandon Hall Group’s 2019 Learner Experience Study found that 97% of companies leveraged in-person, instructor-led training to at least some degree, with more than two-thirds using it “very often” or “always.” Aside from eLearning modules, no other modality even came close.
The past two years have seen that paradigm turned on its head. Suddenly, there was no ILT and companies scrambled to replace it with a variety of digital and virtual alternatives. As the dust settles, things will not go back to the way they were. Even as people continue to return to the workplace, the contingent of remote workers will be large enough that companies must adjust their strategies and processes to meet their needs.
For learning, that means creating programs that can engage learners, whether they are on-site or remote, or alternate between the two. This means a lot of moving parts, multiple solutions and potential administrative headaches. According to Brandon Hall Group’s Learning for the Hybrid Workforce Survey, the top challenges to delivering engaging learning in this environment include:
- Not enough time
- Inadequate technology
- Budget constraints
- Not enough headcount
Clearly, organizations will need better technology to see them through. Besides being cited as a challenge on its own, easy-to-use technology that provides opportunities for automation can address the other challenges as well. Learning is asked to do more with less than ever before and it won’t get done without the right strategy, approach and technology to make it all work.
We will be hosting a webinar on April 26 that digs into just what that kind of orchestration looks like. It will reveal research, findings and insights into learning in a world of hybrid work and highlight examples of companies that are doing it right.
–David Wentworth, Principal Learning Analyst, Brandon Hall Group
@davidmwentworth
