Without engaging content to keep learners invested, it's nearly impossible to change behavior and close the skills gap. To successfully increase engagement, and ultimately reach your goals, incorporate the following guidance.
Distill your training materials into bite-sized microlearning activities and find ways to make the content interactive. Also, create a program timeline that suits your desired outcome. It's important that each learning module uses a variety of media and other gamification elements to keep participants engaged.
Timing and convenience are incredibly important for effectively engaging learners. Microlearning is a popular training methodology because it allows learners to progress at their own pace in a more individualized environment through adaptive learning.
Although the length of a message can vary based on the topic and progress of the learner, verify your reinforcement modules aren't overly text heavy or generic. In order to maximize retention for lasting behavior change, find creative ways to present the training materials with just the most important information. If your participants are just regurgitating information, there's no guarantee that they're actually applying the training.
We always recommend modules that tailor the length of videos and audio to each phase of learning.
Being able to measure development is crucial for driving lasting behavior change. Reinforcement programs are most effective when business objectives and learner progress can be tracked and reconciled. To drive progress, after a participant has finished answering a question, they should be shown their results and feedback.
We know that engagement is vital to the success of your employees, and by extension, your business. For that reason, reinforcing training and keeping employees engaged is imperative to the long-term health of your business.
Looking for help with developing your next training reinforcement program? Download our Program Design Checklist to learn more about designing an impactful reinforcement program.
This post was originally published on August 11, 2017.