Considering the shifts in workforce expectations, companies need to invest in the right technology with employee user experience (UX) in mind. The ease of use in training and development platforms creates great experiences for employees and plays a role in organizational success, writes John Moore, vice president of revenue enablement, Bigtincan.
When it comes to learning – asking questions and getting answers – people don’t waste time getting to the bottom of things, and the modern workforce is no different. Employees from both large corporations and brick-and-mortar stores want to be able to learn, do more, and act with more autonomy in the workplace. However, the tools decision-makers invest in often fail to take user experience (UX) into account even if the end user is the workforce itself.
While employees are trained to provide stellar UX to consumers, they are also demanding their user experience be considered. With today’s learning landscape and associated technology evolving, the options to improve the employee experience across communications and learning platforms are growing quickly and opening a range of opportunities for the businesses.
Once user-friendliness is incorporated into these platforms and systems, then decision-makers will be able to meet revenue goals and provide customers with exceptional UXOpens a new window as well.
Why Consider UX for the Modern Workforce?
The modern workforce requires employers to invest heavily in user-friendly learning and development tools like never before. While previous generations relied on college degrees or technical training to further their careers, today, the half-life for that knowledge is a fraction of what it used to be.
Younger employees have grown up in an environment where information moves fast, and their success depends on staying in the know at all times, especially when interacting with customers that demand convenience and personalization across all touchpoints.
For example, in retail, customers expect to see floor staff carrying smartphones or tablets. While employees should always have the information that the customer requires at their fingertips, the same level of performance should be provided by platforms they’re using. When employees have the answers, customers feel confident and satisfied with their in-store or online experience.
However, if employees do not feel their employer is empowering them with access to UX-centric learning platforms or solutions, they are apt to provide less than desirable customer support and eventually seek other employment. With turnover costing as much as half the employee’s salary in recruiting and training costs alone, in addition to the loss of productivity until the position is properly filled, focusing on effective UX helps to incentivize employers to invest more in employee experience.
As much as employees demand UX and modern platforms for their career development and when interacting with customers, some organizations continue to lag. However, those who prioritize employee experience are reaping the benefits when it comes to employee engagement and retention. When your workforce is happy, your organization is, too. How businesses get there is by offering up the right type of programs that allow employees to take their career development and growth into their own hands.
Learn More: How to Train New Employees: 5 Steps for PlanningOpens a new window
The principles of microlearning in delivering great employee UX
Employees not only value ongoing training and culture that promotes UX, but they also prefer learning from peers, managers, and industry experts. Microlearning, instead of forcing a mass amount of information at once – think content-heavy courses offered in universities and training seminars – allows talent to take in tiny bursts of information in a shorter amount of time. With bite-sized lessons that take place in just a few minutes or less, staff can focus on the content at hand, limiting distractions.
Fundamentally, microlearning allows employees to utilize new information instantly. At the end of a short video or presentation, a person should be allowed to demonstrate what they learned and apply it in a real-work situation. Personnel can also leverage a microlearning platform to reference previously learned materials with just a few clicks, then apply it immediately to the task-at-hand.
When employees log into the platform, they want to feel like the information they’re about to consume moves the needle and gets them one step closer to their goals. To make this happen, the courses businesses provide should be mapped out in an easy-to-follow a syllabus. Users should be able to flip through, look at what’s ahead, and never have to guess what they should be doing or learning next.
Applying microlearning principles for training and education is one of the most effective ways for businesses to stay relevant and acknowledge the changing needs of a new workforce. For employees, consuming content via microlearning saves time and serves as a great launch point for continued growth and success.
Learn More: Top 8 Best Practices for Employee Cross-TrainingOpens a new window
The Future of Great CX Is Great Employee UX
As the business landscape continues to change, organizations need to empower employees with the tools they can use to succeed in the workplace and deliver a great customer experience. This means providing them with the technology-driven convenience and comfort in their learning programs that they are already used to outside the workplace.
By investing in user-friendly solutions for employees, organizations are not only putting the customer first but the employee first, ultimately improving the performance of the company.
Do you use training and development platforms to streamline employees’ user experience? Let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window .