Employees who learn and grow at work are happier and less likely to leave. Busy managers can tap into their learning management system (LMS) to track and encourage employee learning. Leveraging LMS tools can put employees in the development driver's seat, freeing managers to focus on other initiatives.
Linking employee development and accountability also helps employees achieve career fulfillment and improved performance. LinkedIn Learning's Workplace Learning Report found learning at work can reduce employee stress and turnover.
Why is employee skill development so important?
Studies show how a solid employee learning and development strategy can impact organizational success.
Here's how:
- Engaged employees are up to 37% less likely to skip work, 18% more productive and 15% more profitable.
- 80% of employees believe that formal training would help them feel more engaged at work.
- 83% of employees report additional job happiness when their employer takes an interest in developing their professional skills.
Why accountability matters in an employee development plan
Accountability can be the key that turns good training into lasting results.
Here's why:
- Boosts engagement: When employees know they'll be held accountable for applying their knowledge, they're more likely to pay attention and actively participate in training.
- Promotes retention: Simply going through the motions doesn't lead to long-term learning. Accountability encourages employees to truly grasp concepts, leading to better information retention.
- Drives action: The best training equips employees with new skills, but without accountability, those skills might never be used. Knowing they'll be measured on their application motivates employees to put what they learn into practice.
- Empowers ownership: When employees are accountable for their learning journey, they become more invested in their development. This fosters a sense of ownership and a commitment to continuous learning.
Accountability acts as the glue that binds effective training to real-world results. It fosters deeper engagement, strengthens knowledge retention, translates learning into action, and empowers employees to take ownership of their development. By incorporating accountability measures into your employee development plan, you can unlock the true potential of your training program and empower your workforce to achieve lasting success.
Unlocking individual potential in your training with personalization
Accountability is crucial for driving results in your employee development program, but a one-size-fits-all approach can hinder its effectiveness. That's where personalization comes in.
Personalization in training recognizes that each employee learns differently and has unique goals. By tailoring the learning experience to individual needs, you can significantly boost the impact of your training program.
Here's how:
- Increased engagement: When employees receive training relevant to their specific roles and interests, they're more likely to be engaged and motivated to learn.
- Enhanced learning outcomes: Personalized learning paths that cater to individual learning styles and prior knowledge lead to a deeper understanding and better retention of information.
- Improved skill development: By focusing on the skills each employee needs to develop, personalized training ensures your program directly addresses performance gaps and propels individual growth.
- Boosted confidence: Mastering relevant skills fosters a sense of accomplishment and increases employee confidence in their abilities.
By incorporating personalization alongside accountability, you create a dynamic training environment that fosters individual growth and drives overall team success. But true engagement goes beyond just the "what" of learning; it taps into the "why."
Unleash intrinsic motivation: When employees understand how their training connects to their personal goals and career aspirations, they're more intrinsically motivated to learn. Personalization allows you to highlight how the training can help them achieve their goals, whether it's developing new skills for a desired promotion, mastering a challenging task, or simply becoming a more valuable asset to the team.
Show employees the path to growth: Don't stop at skills development. Personalization allows you to showcase career growth opportunities within your organization. By outlining clear goals, providing regular feedback, and setting achievable milestones, you can demonstrate a commitment to their professional development and fuel their sense of purpose.
Through personalized learning, you not only equip your employees with the tools they need to succeed, but you also empower them to take ownership of their careers and become active participants in their own growth journey.
6 ways to foster employee development training with an LMS
1. Connect employee career development with growth
Employees may naturally be motivated to learn and grow, but the possibility of advancement is another perk of employee development.
Give learners a clear sense of how their training will enable them to take on new responsibilities, earn bonuses or raises, or move up the corporate ladder. For instance, learning about emerging technologies and tools can turn an employee into a valuable resource for other learners or the organization's expert in a new skill area. Improving soft skills, like effective feedback delivery or conflict resolution, better equips employees for successful career trajectories.
2. Make employee skill development engaging and fun
Meeting with employees annually to map out a personalized learning path, with the help of the LMS, is a great first step. The LMS can suggest courses that fit with a particular role or a learner's interests. When learners know training content is relevant—and might help them advance—they are more likely to engage.
Adding game elements that challenge learners to level up and beat their prior performance can increase engagement by making learning fun. It also encourages learners to hold themselves accountable for their progress.
3. Set achievable goals
While integrating learning with work, ensure that you assist your employees in setting achievable goals. As organizations grow, it can be easy for some employees' roles to expand in scope.
If employee productivity seems to be faltering, meet with each direct report to see whether they need training to boost their skills—or their responsibilities need to be adjusted. Growing teams present prime opportunities for LMS-based employee development.
4. Improve accountability with automation
Learners—along with managers and training administrators—can use automated LMS tools to track learning. Automated course registrations and enrollments, periodic reminders to complete activities or quizzes and warnings of approaching deadlines can promote steady progress. The LMS can guide learners to needed prerequisites or ensure they repeat modules if they need additional coaching.
5. Leverage employee development tools
Your LMS can also send regular reports on learners' progress. This provides valuable information to learners and managers alike. Learners can use weekly reports and reminders to hold themselves accountable for progress. An LMS with an intuitive interface enables learners to regularly check their progress without needing additional guidance.
6. Provide regular feedback
Although learners may advance at different rates, all are likely to benefit from the support of leaders. Managers can encourage employees to stick to their learning paths and development goals and provide feedback and coaching to guide learners' training choices.
Holding employees accountable for their own learning strengthens motivation and furthers employee development goals. In addition, it may well result in highly motivated, productive and loyal employees.
Elevate your online employee development program with Absorb LMS
Don't let clunky employee development training with an LMS hold your training program back. Absorb LMS is built for the future, with features that keep employees engagedand learning, no matter where they are.
- Mobile-first learning: Train anytime, anywhere.
- AI that gets smarter with you: Get recommended courses that keep employees motivated and on track.
- Effortless course creation: Focus on content, not coding.
- Data-driven insights: Track progress, measure ROI, and prove the value of your training.
Absorb puts the power in your hands. Intuitive interfaces make learning a breeze for employees, while administrators have all the tools they need to craft a custom employee development plan that fits your company's unique needs.
Ready to empower your employees to take control of their learning with Absorb LMS?
Connect with an Absorb representative to get started today.
