The Future of Work is Mobile

What’s the first thing anyone does when they want to learn about something these days? They pull out their mobile device and look it up on Google, Wikipedia, or YouTube.

Easy! What did we used to do?

We used to pore through books looking for answers. We attended seminars, sat through PowerPoint presentations or stared blankly at whiteboards. Not anymore: Mobile devices are now ubiquitous. Whether in the office, out on the road, or at home, we get all our information from them. Many organizations are increasingly realizing that mobile learning is the best and most cost-effective way to educate and train their front line workers. Mobile devices provide the lowest cost solution for accessing the right knowledge at the right time for the right job function. Because of the inherent agility of mobile phones, learner's can view material at times and in environments that are minimally invasive to their job functions. Certain learning methodologies, such as microlearning, have emerged as particularly effective solutions for training highly distributed workforces.

Microlearning delivers training in small, specific bursts that learners can access wherever and whenever they want. Microlearning modules are quick to deploy, can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world, and don’t take up much of the learner’s valuable time. Rather than having to be in a certain place at a certain time to receive training, learners can access their learning in real time. When workers engage more often with their safety training, injuries go down. Microlearning drives worker engagement because it is both easily accessible and highly relevant to their jobs.

Microlearning methodology fits perfectly with the way we use our mobile devices to consume and digest information. In particular, the larger touch screens are ideal for gesture and game-based interaction, which helps to stimulate our senses. When they work in harmony, technology and learning form a happy marriage with many benefits. However, just like a marriage, there are a few boxes you should check before tying the knot.

No matter your goals, here are 3 things to look for when implementing technology in your employee learning program:

1) RUN YOUR LEARNING PROGRAMS ON A DEDICATED APP.

• Mobile users prefer specific Apps rather than browser-based programs. They know the delivery of the information won’t be as smooth in a browser and it’ll take them longer to navigate - even if they have a URL.
• An App says to the user, “here is the information you need”. A browser says, “here is a place to start looking for what you need’’.
• With an App, you can deliver all sorts of messages and set up a common destination for them - all with a single tap.
• An App is the ideal vehicle for sending push notifications to users. It’s widely acknowledged that, while only 5% of promotional email messages are read, an impressive 97% of push notifications are opened and 90% of them are read within the first three minutes of their arrival! Consistency and reminders help front line workers stay safe.

2) TIMING AND RELEVANCE ARE CRUCIAL

• Make sure your content is specifically designed for mobile learning and specifically relevant to your workers job. In highly-efficient and distributed workforces, every minute matters. Employees can’t afford to waste time watching content that isn’t applicable to their job tasks. Delivering highly-relevant learning content directly to the employee should be your goal.

3) ENCOURAGE A BYOD POLICY

• Recognize the advantages of a ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policy - including ease of access to content, increased productivity and morale as well as cost savings. We all feel more comfortable using our personal devices - and any way that we can encourage engagement with training material will benefit our employee’s learning outcomes.

Today’s learners want to be able to access their learning and support materials at convenient times and in environments of their choice. Apps are the easiest way to provide this service. At Worklete, we even deliver courses on how to use your device in the safest manner!

Have you had success using technology to train your employees?