Leaders debate the pros and cons of virtual development
Micro learning. Virtual training sessions. Hyper-personalised experiences - or ‘Netflix of learning’. These are currently the biggest trends in the world of learning and development, but make no mistake, they’re hardly new concepts in the field. L&D professionals have been discussing them for years and finding ways to transform the employee experience in hopes of enabling a strong culture of learning. The difference, post-2020, is that going virtual is no longer just an option. Thanks to the global pandemic, it’s the norm. As Shaakun Khanna, head of HCM strategy & market development, JAPAC at Oracle told us - as with all things, the pandemic has led to an “invasion of technology” into our lives – and L&D hasn’t been left out.
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The accelerated adoption of virtual learning
“Before the pandemic, L&D delivery was still very dependent on face to face, four- or five-hour long curriculum,” he tells HRD. “Then technology invaded and the way L&D [was delivered] completely changed. I don’t think that we’ll go back to that world where you and I would go for three- or five-day workshops and get locked into a room for hours. I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon.”
The mass adoption of remote working was vital in enabling that shift from classroom learning to an entirely virtual experience. Even so, Khanna explained that organisations that had their doubts about the feasibility of online learning were forced to adopt it anyway. Before the coronavirus, or B.C. as he puts it, organisations were split into two camps: one that believed in the value of in-person training and another that was ‘all in’ for an e-learning environment. Both stood firm with their beliefs and poured all their L&D investment into what they thought would work best for their culture and the business.
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“Then the distinction suddenly disappeared, and L&D became ‘digital first’,” he added. “It was not an option anymore and it became an imperative. So as everything became digital, how do you go about delivering something virtually? I remember a lot of trainers, facilitators and coaches had to first recalibrate themselves to the digital world. Now organisations have hugely invested in digital platforms and gone virtual.”
Is this the end of ‘classroom learning’?
Even though he doesn’t believe that we’ll return to those long, drawn-out training workshops, Khanna believes classroom learning still has a place in our lives. “There are certain aspects of L&D that will only run in a classroom scenario,” he added. For instance, leadership development programs. “The nature of those programs is not just to impart knowledge and develop skills in people, but it’s an immersive experience,” he told HRD. Such experiences as thus best done in an interactive, classroom setting.
That points to one of the downsides of virtual learning: digital platforms lack the necessary level of interaction and feel too impersonal to make learning an engaging experience. Despite this, Khanna thinks the importance of classroom learning will “significantly drop” in time and will only make up a small portion of the overall L&D effort. All future initiatives or programs will likely have a digital element to it in some way or another.
The pros and cons of virtual learning
Dr Robert Coles, CEO at Roffey Park Institute shared similar sentiments around the negatives of online training sessions. “A lot of workplace leaders are complaining that education now seems to consist of somebody in a box talking to them or just reading things that they’re already reading on the screen,” he told us. “The level of dialogue and inquiry around the topic in question has reduced a lot.”
Many organisations and leaders have been finding ways to make online learning more interactive, such as using platforms that are ‘social media-esque’. These platforms allow users to like and share ideas or lessons on a feed, engage peers in a discussion, or recommend classes to co-workers. Dr Coles, however, doesn’t think technology can fill that void. “Technology cannot answer the problem of interaction. Tech is not the answer to everything – definitely not for human interaction.”
But he does believe that digital learning can enable a faster exchange of information and the transfer of essential, functional skills. It’ll help meet learners’ needs to fix short-term issues on the spot, for instance if you need to learn a new skill to solve an urgent issue at work, you can quickly watch an instructional video online and apply the skill immediately. Virtual learning can thus enhance our on-the-job training experience and ensure we actually apply and practise what we learn.
An ideal L&D strategy
As for learning longer-term qualities that requires any sort of mindset or behavioural change, for example leadership development, virtual learning alone will likely be insufficient. What you can do, according to the CEO, is effectively apply the 70-20-10 model of learning. This means splitting your L&D efforts to: 70% learning through on-the-job experiences, 20% learning through interaction with others, and 10% through structured courses and programs.
The 10% can be fully done digitally, while the other two aspects can have a mix of both online and offline experiences. “I foresee a role for classroom in the practise and understanding level [of skills],” he says. “But equally, there’s a role for digital in all three of those levels. It’s just a case of being absolutely clear on what you are trying to do.”
The future of L&D
With tech-led learning being the norm right now, what will the future of L&D look like? For Sarah Danzl, head of global communications at Degreed, she thinks it’s “hard to tell”. “We’ve got some big challenges in front of us,” she told HRD. “I hope that we will see L&D and HR teams become more dynamic. I believe strongly that many L&D and HR teams are rooted in traditional ways of thinking about people’s development.
“I am hoping that we will start to see more modern views of what learning and skills development and supporting people through their careers could look like. I think that means supporting people in the jobs they have now, but also in the ones they want for the future. It means thinking about careers differently – that you don’t have to just move your people from full time role to full time role, but that you can help them grow new skills with stretch assignments, internal mobility with short-term projects and other teams, as well as through mentoring and coaching. So, I hope that it becomes a little bit more fluid.”
Shaakun Khanna, on the other hand, hopes that the momentum built during the pandemic can extend beyond the crisis. The times when people used to dread those week-long training sessions may soon be over as the industry transforms into a more personalised experience that caters to a professional’s schedule and needs. He believes that now professionals have a strong desire to grow in their careers, so there’ll be a natural “pull” towards attending training sessions. “We don’t have to push people to complete or show up and attend things anymore,” he explained. “People now want to do it themselves. I think that’s the biggest thing that will happen: L&D will shift from a push-based function to a pull-driven function.”
Another positive from the pandemic is how learning has been democratised. This could also be a reason why more individuals are keen on learning and how the sector will continue to progress. “Most of the world have now realised that it’s good to learn without a specific requirement or end use in mind,” he told us. “A lot of learning that was perhaps seen as a waste of time or not important [now has value].
“I think value addition has increased in the L&D function. Today it’s about enabling people with higher-order learning. How do you inculcate values and ethics in the organisation? How do you evolve the culture? How do you focus on well-being, relationships, and networking? Higher order learning has taken a front seat. Those days when we were trying to put competency models and trying to create clones within the organisation are over.”
