With new legislation prompting a rise in flexible working requests, how can learning and development teams adapt? Matteo Penzo looks at the challenges for L&D and the role of microlearning in overcoming them.Â
As modern work life develops and evolves, the concept of flexibility has transformed from a luxury into a necessity.
From 6 April 2024, flexible working law changes now allow employees to request flexible working arrangements from the very first day of their employment, signifying a shift in workplace dynamics.
With requests for part-time, flexi-time, compressed hours, and varied working locations becoming more common, modern workplaces have been forced to adapt to the needs of employees.
While many facets of corporate life are being assessed and updated in this context, there is one area in desperate need of an overhaul: corporate training.
In-person approaches
When thinking about the concept of flexibility, corporate training rarely springs to mind. Traditional upskilling methods such as in-person training days, long-winded manuals, and tedious virtual seminars are conducive to a rigid, office-bound, nine-to-five workforce.
Flexible work & learning
In an era of flexible work, many of these methods arguably become obsolete and impractical.
Despite this, many organisations still rely on static, one-size-fits-all training strategies that are no match for the diverse learning needs and preferences of modern employees. The loss of engagement among employees is visible to everybody.
In order to remain competitive, organisations must fully embrace agility and adaptability and reflect the needs of their employees in their training initiatives. By moving away from rigid training in favour of more flexible, personalised learning experiences, they can better cater to individual needs, roles, and schedules, fostering a more inclusive and efficient learning ecosystem.
Challenges for L&D
To achieve this goal, however, organisations must understand the obstacles in their path. Some of the key challenges faced by modern L&D departments are:
Coordination and management: With more remote work and flexible arrangements, employers have to consider all staff members regardless of location or work schedules. L&D departments must grapple with issues such as scheduling conflicts, communication barriers, and maintaining engagement across flexible yet fragmented workforces.
Learning culture: Building a culture of continuous learning is essential for organisational growth and employee development. However, in practice, fostering this culture can be challenging.
Overcoming changing dynamics and environments, encouraging employees to prioritise learning amidst competing demands, and incentivising participation in training initiatives require strategic planning, effective communication and engaging approaches to upskilling.
Measuring effectiveness: Assessing the impact and effectiveness of training programs remains a persistent challenge for L&D professionals. This challenge is only exasperated when considered under the lens of flexible schedules.
With more remote work and flexible arrangements, employers have to consider all staff members regardless of locations or work schedules
Performance and development are very hard to judge across fragmented workforces with results varying from person to person. Developing robust measurement frameworks that align with learning objectives and capture tangible outcomes will help L&D adapt to flexible workforces.
Budget constraints: Limited budgets and resource constraints often pose challenges for L&D departments. Balancing the need for high-quality training with budgetary limitations requires creativity and strategic resource allocation.
Exploring cost-effective alternatives, leveraging internal expertise, and prioritising initiatives that deliver the most significant return on investment are essential strategies for maximising the impact of L&D efforts.
Location-less learning
By leveraging technology and innovative learning solutions, such as microlearning platforms, mobile applications and on-demand resources, L&D professionals can create seamless and accessible training experiences for all employees, regardless of their location or working arrangements.
Moreover, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development is essential for empowering employees to take ownership of their professional growth, irrespective of their work setup. Offering microlearning solutions for the modern workforce is a way to make corporate training accessible, flexible, and fun.
By prioritising agility, embracing innovative technologies, and promoting an environment of ongoing learning, businesses can ensure that their employees remain skilled, engaged, and resilient in an ever-changing world of work.
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