As one of L&D’s key stakeholders, what do our employees actually think about online learning?
Our latest report, The State of Online Learning in 2024, shows that employees expect online learning to help them with their skill development and say that it works for them.
In this article, we discuss our findings with insights from Alice Thompson, Development Partner for Marks & Spencer, and Ross Stevenson, Chief Learning Strategist and Founder of Steal These Thoughts. We cover how peer learning is employees’ preferred choice for upskilling and subject-matter experts say they are eager to collaborate with L&D.
Listen to our L&D Podcast episode: The State of Online Learning in 2024 with Alice Thompson and Ross Stevenson
Want more subject-matter experts on your team?
By providing your contact info, you agree to receive communications from 360Learning. You can opt-out at any time. For details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
No surprise: Peer learning is number one
When we asked respondents what works best to meet their upskilling needs, they said learning from their colleagues and peers was number one.
The findings emphasize the importance and value that learners place on peer-to-peer interactions and engaging with the learned experiences of their colleagues or line managers. These learning experiences can also impact employee development of critical interpersonal skills.
“People learn from people. I’m an introvert, but I still love talking with and learning from other people. I’ve learned best from watching, listening, reading, and then implementing,” says Ross Stevenson, Chief Learning Strategist and Founder of Steal These Thoughts.
“People learn from people. I’m an introvert, but I still love talking with and learning from other people.” - Ross Stevenson, Chief Learning Strategist and Founder of Steal These Thoughts
The power of peer learning lies in identifying what people are doing in the organization that works for them, designing learning experiences around those, and keeping those solutions that work authentically. It also helps people recognize and understand what success in your organization looks like through real examples.
Make your SMEs’ lives easier
The report also uncovered positive responses regarding subject-matter experts’ (SMEs) desire to contribute and their motivations for doing so.
For example, recognition for their expertise ranked highly among the results. L&D has a huge opportunity to leverage and reward this appetite for collaboration with our organization’s internal experts.
“There is so much knowledge and expertise under the roof of the organization. We have the technology now to elevate it and do it at scale, but we’re not tapping into it,” says Alice Thompson, Development Partner for Marks & Spencer
“There is so much knowledge and expertise under the roof of the organization. We have the technology now to do it at scale, but we’re not tapping into it.” - Alice Thompson, Development Partner for Marks & Spencer
To ensure that we’re getting the most out of our collaboration with SMEs, learning and development needs to ask the right questions and have the proper structure in place. We need to ensure they can contribute efficiently without draining their time, empower them to create impactful content, and encourage them to come back to the table next time.
Advances in AI mean that before we engage our SMEs, we can have a good first pass at drafting the specific objectives of the learning experiences we need and then ask them to add the nuance that fits our organization's context.
Connecting the dots for effective upskilling
Now is the time to connect the dots between employees being receptive to online learning and helping our organizations grow a more skilled workforce.
Our findings show that employees expect online learning to help them with their work and upskilling needs. Capitalizing on people’s primary reasons for wanting to develop their skills is a great place to start meeting our learners’ needs.
“I think we’ve got such successful results in the survey because L&D is thinking more about our people, what they want, and what they care about,” says Alice.
The easy answer, as Ross explains, is to start with case studies. Find examples that clearly show what skills the employee developed, how, and the direct output as a result. You should also consider how your learning experiences connect to what most employees really want and need.
Key takeaways from the State of Online Learning report
Here are Ross and Alice’s three key takeaways from the report to ensure your online learning initiatives effectively close skills gaps and meet the evolving needs of learners:
- Ensure your digital learning content aligns with what people care about and want to learn.
- Identify future skills needs and put these in front of people using digital formats.
- Stay informed about current trends and preferences, and adjust your strategies to meet these evolving demands for sustained positive results.
Explore further insights on the role of online learning and upskilling in the episode on The L&D Podcast: The State of Online Learning in 2024 with Alice Thompson and Ross Stevenson
Want more peer insights on transforming workplace learning? Sign up to become a member of the L&D Collective. Or you can subscribe below to our weekly newsletter to receive our latest posts directly in your inbox.
NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to the new
(unboring) way of learning
Our weekly newsletter of the best insights from L&D peer to L&D peer.
By providing your contact info, you agree to receive communications from 360Learning. You can opt-out at any time. For details, refer to our Privacy Policy.