Why most corporate learning offerings suck (and how to fix it)

Pop quiz: What percentage of employees say they have the skills to do their jobs effectively?

It’s not most of them. It’s not even half. It’s a crushing 30%.?

Now, what percentage of employees actually use the skills they learn in L&D programs at their jobs?

12%.

If these numbers sound rough, that’s because they are. Learning and development (L&D) is critical to retaining top talent – but the vast majority of business education programs fall short, leaving employees uninspired and unable to grow.?

This doesn’t have to be our reality. Let’s explore why these programs fail, and what a truly engaging L&D solution looks like.?

Problem 1: Quantity over quality

Sometimes unlimited choice is a great thing – just not when it comes to finding relevant business courses. Because while having thousands of classes at your fingertips sounds like a great offering, this can actually leave students exhausted before the course begins. They end up spending too much time searching and not enough time learning.

Section4 for Companies takes a targeted approach by designing intensive, two-week sprints across strategy, product, marketing, and leadership, and working with your organization to recommend the best path for your team. Teams are encouraged to take one sprint at a time, increasing engagement and completion rates and ensuring you get focused learning instead of mindless clicking around.

This means your employees get specialized courses that will keep them engaged, improve their performance, and ultimately, help your organization.?

Problem 2: Mysterious outcomes

Bringing a new learning platform to your organization is a big investment. So wouldn’t you want to know how that investment impacts your employees and their performance? We think so. While many learning platforms report on usage, few report on real business impact.??

At Section4, we know data is key to developing an effective long-term L&D program. That’s why we follow up with all sprinters, including those from your team, to find out how the sprint has impacted their work one month and three months after taking the sprint, and we deliver that feedback to you.

Problem 3: Watching, but not engaging

With employee engagement falling in 2021, learning and development tools must go the extra mile to ensure the content isn’t just relevant, but deeply engaging. Unfortunately, few rise to the occasion. Udemy has a completion rate of 10% while EdX has a completion rate of just 3%.?

Section4’s completion rate is 70%. One reason for that is our professors are founders, writers, marketing professionals, and renowned thought-leaders; some of the most interesting people in their field and on the planet. After all, how many of your professors have gone tit for tat with Elon Musk??

Problem 4: Learning alone (after working alone at home) is not fun

Almost 50% of today’s workforce is working from home. Spending additional time learning over the computer, whether it’s during a lunch break or after work hours, can feel like a monastic endeavor without a learning community.??

We believe the learning experience is elevated by incorporating group learning and teamwork. Our community team brings the learnings from our videos and lectures into a conversational space, where your team can learn together and alongside hundreds of other sprinters. Additionally, sprints are divided into sections based on industry and seniority, where teachings assistants facilitate further discussion.

Problem 5: Pricing isn’t tied to value

Most competitors price per seat, which makes things complicated as employees come and go and team size changes. But keep in mind, it’s more than price. Leaders must consider the overall value that’s being brought to the table.?

With Section4, you get top tier business education that has a proven track record of helping organizations grow by giving employees the skills they need to stay ahead. Plus, we keep our pricing simple - and it scales as your team grows or changes.?

The solution: Let Section4 take your L&D to the next level

Supporting professional development and improving employee engagement is a critical priority for many leading companies, but it's not easy. It requires the best planning, the best teachers, and the latest ways to learn the most relevant information. It’s about giving employees the tools to discover concepts that open up new ideas and help them solve the challenges facing your business. If you’re ready to give your employees and organization a real boost, then get in touch.