Are you embracing Just-in-Time learning?

In a world of Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Google to name just a few, as a society we access content and get answers to our questions instantly. Whether that is looking up a recipe, how to wire a plug or binge-watching Bridgerton, it has become the norm to have information at our fingertips just when we want or need it.   

The world of learning and development is also embracing this move to ‘on demand’, adapting how learning is delivered and consumed.

Traditionally, when you wanted to learn new skills at work, you would book onto and wait for the next scheduled training course. By that point, the moment has likely passed, and the opportunity to make the most of new skills is missed. Now, though, organisations are increasingly using digital solutions to ensure employees have access to bite-sized learning content via desktop or even mobile devices.

With this ‘Just-in-Time’ learning approach, training content is accessible - at the point of need - quickly - easily - and throughout the working day.

A simple example: an employee recognises that they regularly need to use the VLOOKUP function in a spreadsheet. Again, in the traditional approach, they might sign up to a course which covers a range of other spreadsheet skills, relevant or not. Using a ‘Just-in-Time’ approach, the learner could view single, topic-focussed, short-form content. Not only that, the training could be accessed more than once, such as when the employee is working in a spreadsheet, pausing as they follow the instructional steps.

Organisations and employees alike are recognising the benefits of this approach to learning in their day-to-day such as:

• Productivity - Non-disruptive, “Just-in-time” learning boosts productivity as employees are able to immediately use the tips, tricks, solutions, hacks and knowledge that they have just acquired.
• Speed of learning - People learn better and faster when they need to learn. That’s why we tend to learn better on the job and why we often reach for Google to answer those burning questions. When learners identify a knowledge gap, they are compelled to look for solutions. 
• Access to knowledge - How did we search for information 20 years ago? We’d seek out books or attend a day-long course. Learning was time-consuming. But now everything has changed and a wealth of information is just one click away.

So, how do we replicate, or better, this experience in our places of work? Organisations are now moving more and more into providing that in-the-moment support for their employees via a library of relevant, engaging, Just-in-Time content in a user-friendly Learning Management System (LMS).  Employers understand that to engage and retain a productive and committed workforce, opportunities to develop are as important as offering a competitive salary and great working conditions.

For a wealth of short and long, physical and remote, product and professional training (or to create content yourself) - all hosted, tracked, and delivered in an LMS, visit the MHR Academy.