8 Tips To Reinforce Soft Skills In Corporate eLearning

8 Tips To Reinforce Soft Skills In Corporate eLearning
Summary: Soft skills are one of the most challenging corporate eLearning areas. Even if you're able to develop online training materials that impart these essential skills, it can be difficult to measure employee progress. In this article, I'll share 8 ways to reinforce soft skills in corporate eLearning in order to achieve the desired results.

How To Reinforce Soft Skills In Corporate eLearning

Soft skills are a hot commodity. Employees can use them to land promotions, expand their task repertoire, and be more productive in the workplace. However, soft skills tend to diminish over time. Even if employees master them during their regular online training sessions, the forgetting curve is likely to steal them away. Fortunately, there are 8 ways to refresh and reinforce soft skills in corporate eLearning programs.

1. Use Branching Scenarios To Build Active Listening Skills

Branching scenarios allow employees to see the outcome of their decisions and behaviors. If they handle a customer service problem with care, they'll achieve the desired results. On the other hand, poor communication and active listening skills have the opposite effect. Branching scenarios give them the opportunity to interact with virtual customers to identify their needs and address their concerns. For example, sales associates are able to listen to customers in order to match them with the right products or services.

2. Foster Teamwork Skills Through Online Group Collaboration Projects

Online group collaboration projects involve problem-solving, communication, and creative thinking skills. They must work together to arrive at a common consensus and find an effective solution. Invite corporate learners to divide into groups and then create an eLearning blog or online presentation to share with their peers. You can also provide them with case studies or real world examples and ask them to explore all possible outcomes. The goal is getting them to interact and engage with their colleagues so that they gain valuable experience.

3. Develop Self-Guided eLearning Activities To Improve Adaptability

Employees need to be adaptable and flexible in today's tech-centered world. There are always new tools and resources on the horizon that can improve workplace productivity. You have the power to prepare your employees for every eventuality by offering self-guided corporate eLearning experiences. Offer them a list of online resources and ask them to develop their own online training materials or explore a topic. They must use these tools to expand their understanding and achieve the goal. Employees also have the chance to engage in social learning experiences. For example, joining Facebook groups or interviewing experts on LinkedIn.

4. Use Serious Games To Boost Critical Thinking Skills

Serious games may be entertaining, but they also build critical thinking and reasoning skills. Employees must navigate through each level using pre-existing knowledge and skills. To defeat the "boss", they have to look at the problem from every angle and find the best approach. Otherwise, they aren't able to progress to the next level and earn badges. Make sure that your serious games align with the learning objectives and encourage employees to rise to the challenge. Also, they should have the ideal level of difficulty. Ultimately, you want to test their mettle, not frustrate them to the point that they give up.

5. Enhance Observation Skills Through Simulations

Simulations involve real world situations and challenges. Employees are able to explore every aspect of the process or discover new environments. This fosters observation skills, as they must pay close attention to their surroundings and make a mental note. For example, observe the customer's body language to gauge their thoughts or emotions. Simulations also offer the added benefit of firsthand experience and familiarize themselves with workplace tools and practices. Just make sure that your simulations feature realistic eLearning characters and settings to make them even more immersive. This also helps employees put the information into context and stresses the real world applications.

6. Facilitate Interpersonal Skills With Social Learning Activities

Interpersonal skills, such as conflict resolution and communication, are usually difficult to impart. While some corporate learners are comfortable interacting with colleagues, others may be more introverted. However, you can help build this essential skill set through social learning activities. Encourage employees to participate in online discussions, forums, and social media groups. Post weekly prompts to spark friendly debates and share valuable resource links. It's wise to set ground rules beforehand so that everyone knows what to expect. For instance, how employees should handle disagreements and which online platforms are recommended.

7. Turn The Tables To Build Leadership Skills

This technique is a bit more involved, but it also offers a myriad of benefits. Invite your employees to step into the role of instructor for a day. Each participant gets the opportunity to guest host their own webinar or live online training session. They must prepare all the necessary materials, compile resource guides, and create an agenda for the online discussion. During the online training event, they are required to keep the conversation flowing and manage the group. Employees have to know the topic in depth to talk about it. In addition, they must lead their team and effectively deliver the information. Employees are able to share feedback after the fact so that everyone continually improves.

8. Incorporate Project Management Online Tools To Enhance Time Management And Organizational Skills

Project Management online tools are amazing corporate eLearning resources. Many eLearning professionals already use them to develop corporate eLearning courses. However, employees can also utilize these Project Management online platforms to build time management, teamwork, collaboration, and organizational skills. These tools feature integrated calendars, task managers, and instant messengers. As such, employees can work together to complete online projects from anywhere in the world. They must delegate assignments, meet milestones, and ensure that everyone is on track. Check some of the top 10 free Project Management tools that you can integrate into your corporate eLearning course design.

Developing soft skills in corporate eLearning can increase company profits and improve workplace productivity. However, it also helps employees in other aspects of their lives. For example, communication skills are essential in everyday situations. As a result, employees are more satisfied, and therefore, it is more likely to stay with your organization.

Are your employees able to engage in meaningful online discussions and resolve conflicts? Read the article 8 Tips To Facilitate Interpersonal Skills In Corporate eLearning to discover some useful tips to build interpersonal skills in your corporate eLearning program.