Elearning has changed, thanks to COVID-19, and there’s no going back to the way we were, however much organisations may want to do so.
Says Michael Gullan, CEO of corporate elearning consultancy G&G Advocacy: “COVID arrived and new technology came to the fore - like Zoom, Meets, Teams and so on. How did you upskill your people on it? Were they ready for it? Are you teaching people to get the best out of things like, eg LinkedIn? Executives may not be as equipped to deal with online networking now that physical networking events aren’t as common anymore. Can your C-Suite execs use these tools? Can your sales team?”
Companies can no longer afford to see their elearning as a grudge purchase or an afterthought, says Gullan. “Because that’s the current mindset. Companies know they need to invest in professional development, so they go and find the cheapest content management solution they can, upload long-form content to it, point their teams in its direction and tick the box - done!”’
This approach hasn’t ever really been effective, but it has been tolerated, or perhaps endured, by employees. For the current generation, it is definitely not going to be adequate however.
In addition to changing the way we work and consequently accelerating digital transformation initiatives, the COVID-19 pandemic has also served to change how and what people perceive as valuable. This is evidenced by the sharp rise in ethical consumerism, for example.
For companies this means where employees may previously have valued high salaries, bonuses and other financially-driven incentives, they are increasingly valuing the so-called softer elements. These include time to spend on self-care or with friends and family (leave days, duvet days, days off to do community work), and opportunities for professional development.
Companies that are not investing in their skills development platforms are going to find themselves competing for talent with those which have.
“Elearning needs to be done well, and in a way that takes the reality of people’s changed daily lives into account,” says Gullan.
“Companies need to invest in elearning platforms that can deliver the kind of excellent experiences that today’s employees demand. Learning needs to be delivered in the form of small chunks (we call these Content Capsules) of engaging and interactive content, that they can digest when they have time, using gamification and other elearning techniques. Your good old CMS isn’t going to be up to it,” Gullan states.
Professional development requirements have moved beyond the traditional approach of putting employees through days-long courses at offsite venues to upskill them. It’s time for your elearning platform to move along with them.
How COVID Changed e-Learning For Good (And Forever)
Elearning has changed, thanks to COVID-19, and there’s no going back to the way we were, however much organisations may want to do so.A
Advertisement
Related Articles
After 750 days President Ramaphosa has announced that the State of Disaster, implemented to assist the government in dealing with Covid-19, will end. However a number of restrictions will remain in place as Covid-19 has not disappeared completely. The question many are asking is whether masks will still be required?
The Cabinet has announced that because the latest wave of Covid-19 is believed to have peaked a number of restrictions have been removed from the Level ! 1 lockdown rules.
It's been approximately two years ever since the Covid-19 virus has emerged, restrictions and lockdowns became a norm. Recently, the Health Department has changed a number of Covid 19 protocols.
As 2021 comes to an end, many South African citizens are preparing for festive season celebrations. However, curfew may pose a challenge to this.
In October 2021, the Compensation Commissioner in South Africa issued a Notice on Compensation for COVID-19 vaccination side effects. The Notice was published in terms of section 6A(b) of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA) and provides that the Compensation Fund will "cover employees for injuries, illness or death as a result of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine”.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement