A Comprehensive Exploration of Employee Training using Engagement Apps and Technology Integration
Employee training sets frontline workers up for success…
First impressions matter – and frontline employees are the ones representing your initial approach to consumers. The attitude of these workers is imperative to organisational success, as they set the tone for interaction with customers. Whether it be via face-to-face engagements or remotely, through digital customer service centres.
According to Forbes, a significant number of employees believe that their happiness directly impacts their productivity. The burden faced by frontline workers, who endure a dissatisfying work environment has far-reaching consequences for businesses, posing additional complications on the path to achieving success.
Importance of Employee Training and Skill Development
Research indicates that emlpoyee training programmes are key to creating a competitive advantage. They accomplish this by empowering frontline employees through courses that enhance individuals’ skills, offer fresh knowledge, and refine abilities that assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities.
It is vitally important that organisations ensure their employee training initiatives are effective in assisting their staff, particularly with ever-changing technological advancements.
Research further reveals that impactful training boosts employee retention and has a beneficial impact on general work experience. This helps frontline staff members – especially those in remote environments, cope more effectively with stressful situations.
Challenges in Traditional Employee Training Methods
In taking steps to create more effective employee training, leaders should examine their existing structures and identify shortcomings that may be linked to outmoded business ideas and inefficient practices.
Oftentimes, organisations make use of training approaches that are uninspiring or otherwise monotonous. Creating a perception that employee training events are not valuable experiences (think ‘old-school’ learning interventions where a PowerPoint presentation is the ‘main event’).
In addition, many training sessions still make use of more experienced employees and other senior figures as subject matter experts (SME), often disregarding the learning opportunities that can be gained from challenges inexperienced staff face.
Ideally, companies need their employee training and skills development initiatives to be built upon flexible digital platforms, which allows companies to harness a wide range of learning resources and delivery methods.
Evolution of Employee Engagement Apps
Following the recent pandemic, embracing and utilising communication software in what is effectively a ‘reset’ workplace is an ‘adapt or die’ reality for many companies.
Employee engagement platforms like Wyzetalk provide an effective framework that can assist in developing employees, frontline or otherwise. By promoting a centralised communication platform, organisations can better focus on skills development while also keeping their staff informed and connected.
This also helps encourage collaboration between SMEs and inexperienced employees. For example, online blogs or digital forums dealing with technical issues, allow experienced workers to offer guidance to inexperienced co-workers, promoting skills transfer and knowledge acquisition.
Benefits of Technology Integration in Employee Training
Frontline workers, such as those in extractive industries, often perform their duties in remote scenarios and don’t really form part of traditional workplace environments.
While this can be a challenge, making use of online platforms can facilitate training that is effective and does not compromise on the quality of content.
Centralised software solutions (like Wyzetalk) offer accessible learning opportunities that can be used at any time, helping promote ongoing employee training and skills development. The ability to offer workers a self-paced personalised learning experience, while offering real-time feedback options for supervising managers, means training can be accessed where and when it is most needed.
Real World Examples
Technology giant Microsoft reports that ‘prioritising and modernising’ training procedures through the use of mobile applications is a key focus area for organisations seeking to create a competitive advantage.
Solutions that focus on providing platforms that encourage communication, better time management and productivity optimisations, are most valuable in employee training initiatives.
The company further notes that surveys of business executives reveal that over 75% believe that harnessing digital platforms, whether at work stations or on mobile devices, is beneficial for workers. The executives are of the view that it helps with stress reduction, improves efficiency and when properly implemented, contributes to fostering a positive frontline culture in companies.
Challenges and Considerations in Implementation
An important consideration in implementing these new solutions is your existing company infrastructure.
Per the Work Trend Index Special Report, around one third of frontline workers in 2022 felt that they did not have the proper technological means to perform their duties – ensuring your company has suitable technology in place before embarking on a transition is therefore vital.
Leaders further need to consider that even employees that are believed to be experts in their field, might face challenges in adapting to new employee training technologies and approaches. It is therefore crucial to encourage organisation-wide adoption of digital learning and to promote these changes.
Future Trends and Innovations
While historically portrayed as something out of science-fiction, an increasing reality, particularly for frontline employees, is the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented (AR) solutions in the workplace. Experts in VR training, note that learner retention is greatly increased when practising their duties in VR environments.
Artificial intelligence (AI) also has a role to play and will revolutionise workplace learning. Thanks to this technology, digital platforms will be able to analyse massive amounts of data and provide personalised learning experiences to workers. AI algorithms will customise content delivery based on individual learning styles and preferences, providing personalised recommendations and assessments, based on a worker’s learning progress.
Developments such as these point to a future where learning will become deeply intertwined with workplace activities.
Recommendations for Organisations
It’s generally acknowledged that providing frontline workers with the means to better perform within their organisation is directly linked to satisfaction, general employee productivity and higher worker retention.
Leaders that are looking to achieve a positive workplace environment need to ensure that their training initiatives address worker needs. This can include:
- Providing a centralised, accessible digital platform
- Personalised learning and development
- Promoting communication with internal experts
By prioritising these aspects of employee development through technology, organisations can expect to positively impact the satisfaction that their frontline staff feels in the workplace, while simultaneously encouraging employee growth and development.
Key Takeaways
In essence, the experience of frontline employees is key to the continued success of a business. In combating the issues faced by workers who feel poorly equipped, disconnected and uninformed in the workplace, leaders can utilise digital training tools. This will enable companies to not only facilitate targetted skills development and acquisition but also foster communication, reduce worker stress and aid employees in delivering on their workplace responsibilities.
To better equip your employees and promote internal development, talk to an expert.