Why Mobile Is Key In Corporate Training
Are you aware of how dependent we are on our smartphones? After all, this is 2017 and being bombarded by applications, emails, tweets — it's all in a day's work. With all that media fighting for your employees' attention, it’s important that your LMS (Learning Management System) is mobile friendly and, moreover, has mobile specific tools like chat, forums, and learner intervention tools. The idea is to incorporate the training into the new method of learning. Just look at some facts on mobile devices to understand why mobile is key to corporate training.
Here are 5 examples that will get you motivated to incorporate mobile-centric tools in your training.
1. Let The Numbers Speak For Themselves
- 91% of people consult their mobile device for ideas while completing a task.
- Millennials check their phones more than 157 times per day.
- 78% of Millennials are spending more than two hours every day using their smartphone.
- People spend significantly more time accessing information on smartphones and tablets than desktop computers.
- 45% use personal smartphones for work purposes.
- Many employees now expect to be mobile, working from a variety of locations, and 32% believe they will work mainly flexible hours in the future.
(KPCB, Internet Trends 2015 – Code Conference, May 27, 2015).
2. Mobile Learning Is The Present And Future
The story these numbers are telling us is that mLearning is no longer a nice to have – it is a must for every organization which is looking forward into the future.
mLearning or mobile learning is defined as:
...learning across multiple contexts, through social and content interactions, using personal electronic devices. mLearners use mobile device educational technology at their time convenience. (...) mLearning in the context of work can embrace a variety of different forms of learning. It has been defined as the "processes of coming to know, and of being able to operate successfully in, and across, new and ever changing contexts, including learning for, at and through work, by means of mobile devices."
3. It's The Perfect Fit For Microlearning
mLearning is the optimal solution for just-in-time microlearning.
Microlearning "deals with relatively small learning units and short-term learning activities. Generally, the term 'microlearning' refers to micro-perspectives in the context of learning, education, and training. More frequently, the term is used in the domain of corporate eLearning. Corporate microlearning relates to another well-known concept in training which is called 'Just-in-time learning'".
Just-in-time learning (JITL) is where learning is available on-demand and can be accessed when the learner needs it. Just-in-time learning is more flexible and more relevant than the traditional eLearning. In order to implement Just-in-time learning you need to follow these principles:
- Create modular content instead of large courses.
- Make sure you are using mobile-friendly learning platform.
- Use smart tagging system for your content modules.
- Implement social functionality in your platform.
- Make sure you are using data-driven learning platform that can give learners and their training manager insights.
4. Combining Microlearning And JITL
By combing microlearning and just-in-time learning the organization can implement activity-based working (ABW) where employees are nomadic rather than deskbound, completing work tasks in a variety of flexible workspaces and task-appropriate environments, on-site and off-site. This can be done only if the organization has a mobile-friendly learning platform.
5. Encourages All Types Of Learning
According to a recent report by PWC (Millennials at Work) by 2020, Millennials will form 50% of the global workforce and they have grown up with technology at their fingertips. Since technology has always been part of their lives, using mobile devices for work feels completely natural. One of the major recommendations of the PWC's report is encouraging learning:
"Millennials want to experience as much training as possible. If your organization is more focused on developing high potentials, or more senior people, then you could risk losing future talent if you fail to engage millennials with development opportunities. Build and measure the effectiveness of mentoring programs alongside other learning and education. Consider allocating projects to talented millennials which fall outside their day job. Let them connect, collaborate, build their networks – and most of all innovate."
As we saw from the information above, the current focus and trends in social and organizational behavior lead to the conclusion that effective corporate training can be optimally implemented by using mobile learning platforms. It’s a great idea to use all or at least a few of the different ways mentioned to maximize your training and stay afloat in this ever-changing mobile era.
