Learning on the go: How Social Media can reduce costs and encourage social learning

I am generally anti-social media, so this article is a bit of a stretch for me. Still I am here to give you, impartially, the most 'up-to-date' learning practices that I can find. So let's go...

Social media gets a bad rap for shortening attention spans and fuelling dopamine addiction. But what if we told you these very platforms could be harnessed for good? That's right, companies are using social media giants like TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to transform employee training into an engaging, bite-sized experience.

Short and Sweet: Micro-Learning on the Rise

Ever checked your email during training? Imagine a world where training videos are no longer hour-long snooze fest. Social media's short-form video format allows companies to create micro-learning modules – bite-sized bursts of information on specific skills or topics. These can cover anything from technical software tutorials to soft skills development like communication or customer service. The beauty? Employees can easily consume this information during their workday, on their phones or on commute making learning accessible and efficient. The commuter point is interesting: its about companies thinking of ways to harness commuter 'dead' time for learning. It has it's ethical risks however.

Beyond the Boardroom: A Window into the Company

Forget dry presentations! Social media offers a unique opportunity to showcase the inner workings of your company. Short, behind-the-scenes glimpses into different departments and roles can educate employees while fostering a sense of connection and understanding across teams. Imagine a glimpse into the design studio or a day in the life of the marketing team – all through engaging, digestible videos.

Peer Power: Unleashing the Expertise Within

Employees are a treasure trove of knowledge. With social media, companies can empower each individual to share their expertise. Short explainer videos, quick tips, or best practices from subject matter experts become engaging learning tools. You can create script templates to make these explainer videos more interactive, and all of a sudden you move from 'sage on the stage' to a democratisation of learning! This peer-to-peer approach not only promotes knowledge sharing (i.e., socialising knowledge) but also fosters a collaborative learning environment and improves the presentation skills of your team.

Learning Gets Interactive: Gamification and Q&A

Learning must be fun to stick. This is what makes Lego on of my favourite companies on learning - I actually think they call their learning programme 'the playhouse!' Companies can create learning challenges or use specific hashtags to encourage employee participation. Imagine a challenge where employees create short videos demonstrating their newly acquired skills. This gamification element adds a layer of fun and motivates employees to actively engage with the learning content.

Live Q&A sessions with experts or leadership can be hosted directly on social media platforms. I also love the idea of an open town hall or open house. This real-time interaction allows employees to ask questions and get immediate answers, enriching the learning experience and fostering a sense of connection with leadership.

Imagine using hashtags and videos to help people 'learn in the follow of work' and deliver on demand learning, the way you simply google something you do not know or ask Perplexity.

The Modern Learner: On-the-Go and Mobile-First

Let's face it, millennials and Gen Z grew up consuming information in short bursts on their phones. Lets for a moment set aside the impact of this on the brain and focus on the fact that this is what actually happens, it's the reality. Social media-style learning caters perfectly to this mobile-first generation. Employees can access bite-sized learning content anytime, anywhere, whether on their commute or during a short break. This flexibility caters to diverse work schedules and learning preferences.

Cost-Effective Content Creation: Everyone's a Teacher

Creating engaging learning content doesn't have to break the bank. The beauty of social media is that videos require minimal resources. In fact, you can just use a decent phone. Employees themselves can contribute to content creation with an internet connection and a phone. This fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing within the organisation.

Concerns: A Balanced Approach

We've heard just how wonderful it is to basically utilise engagement tactics of social media to advance learning, but what are the risks?

While social media for workplace learning offers exciting possibilities, there are immediate and glaring concerns to consider before you go ahead.

• Security and Privacy Risks Platforms like TikTok collect vast amounts of user data, which could potentially expose sensitive corporate information. Some social media platforms may even violate regulatory requirements, especially in sectors dealing with sensitive data. There's also a risk of employees inadvertently sharing proprietary information or violating intellectual property rights when creating content. Companies should implement robust data security measures to protect sensitive information, ensuring that it isn’t leaked or shared.
• Addictive Design How can you ensure that incorporating social media won’t significantly decrease workplace productivity due to its addictive design? Even if used for learning purposes, social media’s format encourages prolonged browsing, potentially leading to excessive time on the app instead of actual work. Encourage responsible social media use and set guidelines to prevent excessive time spent on these platforms.
• Lack of Depth The short-form video format limits the depth and complexity of information that can be conveyed, potentially oversimplifying important workplace concepts or skills. As Charlie Munger says, “Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Combine social media with traditional learning methods for comprehensive skill development.
• Blurred Professional Boundaries The casual nature of TikTok content can blur the lines between professional and personal conduct, potentially leading to inappropriate behavior or content creation during work hours. Establish clear guidelines for appropriate content and behaviour on social media platforms, and consider asking staff if they’d prefer to use their own time, such as their commute, for learning.

By carefully considering these factors, companies can leverage social media to create a dynamic, engaging, and accessible learning environment for the modern workforce, while mitigating potential risks.