While the trend in corporate learning has been towards digitalization, many organizations are beginning to forget a critical component of the learning process: expert coaching. Coaching is more than just a buzzword. It’s an essential element that will only grow in importance as we move further into the next age of AI and other advanced technologies.
Hybrid learning is the future of upskilling because it combines coaching with modern technology. Nowadays you can consume content from just about anywhere. But it’s not enough. In order to truly upskill your team there needs to be both application and feedback from subject matter experts who can guide you on the path to transformation.
Here are 4 benefits of hybrid learning that will show you why it’s the way to go to upskill your team the right way:
1. It will save you SO much time.
The hybrid learning model is the best of both worlds. Through today’s mobile platforms, learners are able to consume high quality content at their own pace and whenever it’s convenient for their schedules like in between calls, over lunch, or even in the bathroom. It doesn’t matter where they are, as long as they’re able to focus fully on the learning process. As a result, the whole team has more free time for other critical tasks like meeting with clients, building sales plans, and adding to the company’s bottom line.
2. It’s great for retaining information.
As a learner in the hybrid model, you’re not only developing at your own pace (which pays tremendous dividends for every type of learner) but you’re able to get real time face time with a subject matter expert to receive feedback on your progress. This has an incredible impact on retention levels because there is never any confusion. Learners are then able to avoid fossilizing bad habits right from the start.
3. It makes managers’ lives a lot easier.
Managers who use hybrid learning to upskill their teams are able to do so without wasting time, money and resources developing a training program from scratch. All they have to do is find a hybrid learning model/platform that supports their methodologies and the rest is history. The hybrid learning model gives managers insight into the growth of each employee through the digital platform while also affording them the convenience of receiving further details on their employee’s progress from a human coach at any given moment.
4. It’s content agnostic.
Hybrid learning can be applied to any industry and any school of thought. If a manager has a unique approach that he/she would like to integrate into their team’s modus operandi, the content can be easily dropped into a hybrid learning platform allowing each employee to be coached by experts that are internal or external to the organization. In a hybrid learning model, it doesn’t matter which expert is doing the coaching, as long as the learning can happen digitally and then be reinforced in the field.
Technology is great. But it doesn’t mean that the human aspect of learning is out of the equation. Nor should it ever be. At least not if we want our employees to perform at their peak. This isn’t a battle of humans versus the machines. Hybrid learning is simply the best of both worlds. When we capitalize on the convenience of modern tech and the expertise of our industry’s most knowledgeable experts, we’re positioning ourselves for a much more direct path to true upskilling.
