How can you combine workplace design for learning with other training programs?

1 Identify your learning objectives and outcomes

Before you design your workplace for learning, you need to have a clear vision of what you want your employees to learn and how you will measure their progress. You can use a framework such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to set your learning objectives and outcomes. These will guide your decisions on what type of training programs to offer, how to align them with your business goals, and how to evaluate their impact.

2 Choose the right mix of training programs

Depending on your learning objectives and outcomes, you can choose from a variety of training programs to suit your needs. Formal training, such as structured courses, workshops, webinars, and certifications delivered by experts or instructors, is useful for teaching new skills, concepts, or procedures that require consistency and accuracy. Alternatively, informal training like self-directed learning, mentoring, coaching, and peer-to-peer learning driven by the learners' interests, needs, or challenges is beneficial for enhancing existing skills, exploring new ideas, or solving problems that require creativity and innovation. Blended training combines formal and informal training methods to create a more engaging and personalized learning experience – perfect for reinforcing learning, providing feedback, and facilitating reflection and application.

4 Align your workplace design for learning with your training programs

When creating a workplace design for learning that is aligned with your training programs, you should consider the content, format, duration, frequency, and assessment. What are the key topics or concepts that you want employees to learn? How will you deliver the training programs? Will they be synchronous, asynchronous, or both? How long will they last? How often will they take place? And how will you measure the learning outcomes? These are all important questions to consider. By aligning your workplace design for learning with your training programs, you can create a seamless and coherent experience that maximizes the benefits of both.

5 Evaluate and improve your workplace design for learning and training programs

To evaluate and improve your workplace design for learning and training programs, you should collect data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, analytics, and metrics. Then, use descriptive, inferential, or predictive statistics to analyze the data and identify patterns, trends, gaps, and opportunities. After that, communicate the data and findings to your stakeholders and learners with charts, graphs, tables, dashboards, and reports. Finally, use the data and findings to make informed decisions and actions to improve your workplace design for learning and training programs. Doing so will ensure that they are relevant, effective, and engaging for your employees and your organization.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?