In today’s fast-paced business world, traditional training workshops alone are no longer sufficient to keep employees skilled and up-to-date. While these structured learning sessions remain valuable, they need to be complemented by an approach that embeds continuous learning into the natural flow of employees’ daily routines. This is where the concept of “learning in the flow of work” comes into play, offering a solution that seamlessly integrates ongoing training and development into employees’ workday, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
At iManage we understand that effective workforce development requires a blended approach that combines traditional training methods with innovative strategies that make learning an integral part of employees’ daily work experience. That’s why we advocate for the philosophy of “learning in the flow of work” – an approach that recognises that learning is most effective when it’s integrated into the natural rhythm of an employee’s workday, complementing structured training workshops.
Traditional training workshops, whether conducted in-person or virtually, remain valuable for imparting foundational knowledge and skills. However, these one-time events are often insufficient to ensure sustained learning and application. Research has shown that the majority of knowledge gained through traditional training methods is forgotten within a matter of days or weeks if not reinforced and applied immediately (Sitzmann et al., 2006).
This is where “learning in the flow of work” comes into play, serving as a powerful complement to structured training sessions. By embedding ongoing learning opportunities directly into employees’ daily workflows, organisations can reinforce and build upon the knowledge acquired during formal training, facilitating practical application and continuous skill development.
By adopting a blended approach that combines traditional training workshops with “learning in the flow of work” strategies, organisations can create a comprehensive and effective workforce development ecosystem. Formal training sessions lay the groundwork, imparting essential knowledge and skills, while ongoing learning opportunities embedded into daily routines reinforce and deepen that understanding, enabling employees to continuously improve and adapt to evolving business needs.
As Zenger and Hartley (2012) emphasise, “Effective learning and development requires a multi-faceted approach that blends formal training with on-the-job learning opportunities. This combination ensures that knowledge is not only acquired but also reinforced and applied, leading to sustained behaviour change and improved performance.”
Implementing “learning in the flow of work” is not about replacing traditional training methods but rather about enhancing and complementing them. By creating a seamless integration of structured learning and continuous on-the-job development, organisations can cultivate a workforce that is not only knowledgeable but also agile, adaptable, and consistently growing their skills to meet the demands of an ever-changing business landscape.
Here are five practical ways you can implement learning in the workflow:
1. Microlearning Nuggets
Microlearning involves breaking down complex topics into bite-sized chunks of information that can be easily consumed during brief moments throughout the workday. To implement this approach:
- Identify key skills, processes, or knowledge areas that employees need to learn or reinforce.
- Develop short, focused microlearning modules (2-5 minutes) covering specific sub-topics or tasks. These can be in various formats like videos, interactive quizzes, animations, or bite-sized reading materials.
- Make these microlearning nuggets easily accessible to employees through a centralised learning platform, mobile app, or integrated into their workflow tools and applications.
- Encourage employees to engage with these nuggets during natural downtimes, such as while commuting, waiting for a meeting to start, or during breaks.
- Incorporate spaced repetition and retrieval practice techniques to reinforce learning and improve knowledge retention.
2. Digital Performance Support Tools
Digital performance support tools provide employees with just-in-time access to job aids, checklists, and other resources within their work environment. To implement this:
- Identify critical tasks, processes, or procedures that employees need guidance on while working.
- Develop digital job aids, step-by-step guides, decision trees, or interactive walkthroughs that break down these tasks into easy-to-follow steps.
- Integrate these performance support tools into the software applications, websites, or platforms that employees use regularly in their daily work.
- Ensure these resources are easily searchable and accessible within the employee’s workflow, without having to switch between multiple systems or applications.
- Continuously update and refine these resources based on feedback and evolving best practices.
- Consider incorporating features like bookmarking, annotations, or personalisation to enhance the user experience.
3. Social Learning Platforms
Social learning platforms foster a culture of knowledge sharing by enabling employees to collaborate, ask questions, and learn from one another’s experiences. To implement this:
- Implement an internal social networking platform or collaboration tool that allows employees to post questions, share knowledge, and interact with each other.
- Encourage subject matter experts, experienced employees, and team leaders to actively participate and share their expertise on these platforms.
- Facilitate the formation of interest-based communities or groups where employees with similar roles or interests can connect and exchange knowledge.
- Incorporate gamification elements, such as leaderboards, badges, or reputation systems, to incentivise active participation and knowledge sharing.
- Promote the use of these platforms during team meetings, project collaborations, or when employees encounter challenges or need guidance in their daily work.
- Regularly curate and highlight high-quality content, discussions, or expert contributions to surface valuable knowledge and insights.
4. Contextual Learning Recommendations
Contextual learning recommendations deliver learning content that is directly relevant to an employee’s current task or project. To implement this:
- Integrate your learning management system (LMS) or knowledge base with other workplace applications and tools that employees use regularly, such as project management software, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, or productivity suites.
- Utilise machine learning algorithms or rule-based systems to analyse an employee’s current activities, tasks, or projects.
- Based on this context, recommend relevant learning resources, such as articles, videos, courses, or expert advice, that are directly applicable to the employee’s immediate needs.
- Surface these recommendations within the employee’s workflow, either through pop-ups, embedded widgets, or personalised learning dashboards within the applications they’re using.
- Allow employees to provide feedback on the relevance and usefulness of the recommended resources, enabling continuous improvement of the recommendation engine.
- Regularly update the learning content repository with new materials to ensure recommendations remain fresh and relevant.
5. Gamified Learning Experiences
Gamification elements, such as leaderboards, badges, and rewards, can be integrated into the learning experience to make it more engaging and motivating for employees. To implement this:
- Identify key learning objectives, skills, or behaviours you want to reinforce through gamification.
- Design a gamified learning experience by incorporating elements like points, levels, challenges, badges, leaderboards, or virtual rewards.
- Integrate this gamified experience into your existing learning management system (LMS), performance support tools, or create a dedicated gamified learning platform.
- Ensure the gamified elements are aligned with the learning objectives and promote desired behaviours, such as completing courses, practicing skills, or sharing knowledge.
- Implement a clear system of rules, rewards, and progression to provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation for employees.
- Encourage friendly competition and social interaction by allowing employees to see each other’s progress, compare scores, or collaborate on team challenges.
- Regularly update and refresh the gamified experience with new challenges, rewards, or themes to maintain engagement and prevent stagnation.
- Analyse engagement metrics and user feedback to continuously refine and improve the gamified learning experience.
By implementing these practical strategies, organisations can effectively embed learning into the natural flow of employees’ daily work routines, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
Learning in the workflow is an essential strategy for modern organisations seeking to cultivate a workforce that is continuously developing and adapting to evolving business needs. By embracing approaches like microlearning, digital performance support, social learning platforms, contextual recommendations, and gamified experiences, companies can seamlessly integrate learning into their employees’ daily routines. This not only reinforces knowledge gained from formal training but also promotes ongoing skill development, knowledge sharing, and sustained behaviour change.
We specialise in helping organisations implement effective learning in the workflow solutions tailored to their unique needs. If you’re interested in exploring how your organisation can benefit from this powerful approach, we invite you to get in touch with our team of experts. Visit our website at www.imanageperformance.com or contact us at info@imanageperformance.com to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards creating a truly continuous learning culture within your workforce.
