3 Reasons Workplace Social Learning Is the Key to Engagement & Results

• 3 min read

Technology and social learning teaming up to transform the future of corporate training

Let’s be honest – in many ways, workplace social learning is nothing new. People have been learning from one another long before technology as we know it was around to complicate the matter. However, the renewed interest in the potential of workplace social learning is undeniable.

Research published by Brandon Hall Group in 2016 shows that social/collaborative tools top the list of learning technology priorities for the L&D professionals surveyed, even beating out mobile technology! So why all the buzz? Here are a few reasons why we think workplace social learning will play an increasingly critical role in the future of workplace learning & development programs.

Workplace social Learning & eLearning Technology

Some believe part of the reason for all the recent fuss over social is related to the fact that the technology is now mature enough to effectively support social learning experiences.

For quite some time, social learning and learning technology were two distinct and separate modes of communicating information. However, eLearning tools have reached a point where they are starting to account for social learning, tracking these processes when applicable and enabling new forms of social interaction where possible.

Learning & development professionals are defining best practices for how businesses should track and empower social learning within learning technology platforms. More and more, the lines separating these processes are blurring. As a result, more companies are taking full advantage of the power of social learning, recognizing it as a valuable aspect of a corporate training program.

Social Learning & the Millennial Workforce

As more Gen Y (Millennial) workers enter the workforce, it’s predicted that the needs and demands for social learning experiences will increase exponentially. After all, this is a generation that was brought up on social technology.

In recent decades, we’ve seen websites like Wikipedia and Quora take off while demonstrating the power of collective knowledge and people’s willingness to contribute to continuous learning and information-sharing. In the future workplace, subject matter experts across organizations will share their knowledge through eLearning platforms, gaining points or winning badges as they answer questions from peers. Users will work together to create a library of useful information that will allow them to do their job and develop their skills.

Learning technology like Docebo Coach and Share is empowering companies to deliver learner-centric, informal and social learning experiences like never before. Workplaces have only to capitalize on this learning opportunity, and Millennials are the employees to make it happen.

Social Learning & the L&D Holy Grail: Engagement

The future of social technology can be summed up in one word: “engage.” Humans are compelled at a very primal level to seek out social engagement and approval. The ability to tap into that desire is what will allow the next generation of learning technology offerings to succeed where previous iterations may have failed to live up to their promise.

If social is viewed in terms of how it can engage employees, then its role becomes less about delivering content and more about helping employees and connecting with them.

The future of social technology lies not in any single platform or tool, but in how these technologies lead to interactions within the workforce and how they are used within common processes. The ultimate goal being a learning experience that is both appealing and highly impactful.

We’re looking forward to seeing how technology continues evolving to support social learning, and how these new ways of engaging workers will impact both current workers and the young people entering the workforce in the years to come.

For more insights that will help you make informed decisions about your corporate training strategy and program, download our comprehensive report: eLearning Market Trends and Forecast 2017-2021. With information on budget allocations, leadership priorities, and emerging technology, it’s designed to be a resource for forward-thinking learning and development professionals.

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