induction training and the potential for new technology to personalise the experience
Learner-led learning
L&D is often viewed through the lens of direct business benefits, with leaders often posing questions around how it can improve the stature of the company. For example, ‘will we witness business growth as a direct result of investing in this training?’
Whilst a valid question, positive results are only possible when training is in the context of the learner journey. If the sole purpose is to help business growth, will that engage your employees? Some yes, but not all. The trick is to find what works for the employees themselves, and not assume that everyone will respond to the same form of learning.
A good example is that providing relevant Induction training will have diminishing returns when learners repeat the same Compliance modules year after year. The key often lies in offering flexibility and adopting technology that allows employees the opportunity to engage with learning, rather than viewing it as a tick-box exercise. So, what are these new technologies you should be considering and are they right for your business and employees?
induction training with Augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) technology has developed over the last five years, becoming part of daily lives in some areas – most notably gaming. Referring back to the success of Pokémon Go which launched in June 2016 and has since racked up over one billion downloads.
It’s this ease of access which will be at the heart of AR’s uptake in the L&D space. Modules can be present on the user’s mobile devices which the vast majority of professionals will have on them at all times during the working day, whether at home or in the work place. This can result in micro-learning modules which provide the users with key information in a visually stimulating way that they can interact with when capacity allows.
Take the induction process for example. This can be a very time-intensive process, especially in large-scale, complex businesses. Using mobile-based AR, new starters are provided with a virtual tour of the premises and informed of important information related to particular areas of the shop floor whenever suits them. Imagine a Health and Safety course designed to help people with their home office set up, with the AR data overlaying chair and desk positions.
The downside to AR is the investment required, whether it’s app development, the need to update content as and when it becomes outdated, or the sheer amount of content that necessitates having a disparate workforce which have very different L&D requirements.
induction training with Virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is another tech buzzword that has worked its way into conversations in the business world after becoming relatively common in gaming. It’s no surprise that you might be wondering how VR can be adopted in the training of your employees.
There’s no doubt VR offers unique experiences that can be engaging, but it’s still a long way from being a viable offering within many workplaces. Hardware is the first limiting factor, as buying VR headsets is a financial burden, while the development of VR environments is both time and cost-intensive. Also, you can’t expect a new starter to have access to the technology for any pre-boarding content.
Yet, the use of 3D environments, relevant audio and realistic effects can make learning very impactful. This is especially true for training employees who need training for hazardous or stressful environments when they onboard. By recreating scenarios in which there is risk to life, VR can offer realistic training in how to work safely in environments they would only access in extreme conditions.
Taking lessons from social media
Power of personalised learning
When it comes to L&D the good news is that there are a variety of options for deciding which technologies will work to futureproof your business, the key is ensure you have the right mixture that engages the entire workforce. This is why hyper-relevant content will prove so important. Have the L&D team and your e-learning provider talk with a broad cross-section of your employees, find out what their specific requirements are and tailor content in direct response. Deliver that personalised content, across platforms your employees are comfortable using and interaction with learning and the benefits of investment will be clear to see.
We are a creative digital learning agency that makes bespoke induction training. We want to work with you to make inclusive and engaging onboarding and reboarding journeys that represent your business. To speak to one of our digital learning consultants, and for a demonstration of our latest work, you can call on 0117 440 1000, email at hello@fenturi.com or fill in the contact form below.
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