Focusing on in-person or piecemeal employee training can be a barrier to productivity and engagement in a remote work environment. Learning in the flow of work (LIFOW) is an increasingly common training concept that integrates training seamlessly into employees’ daily tasks.
In this article, we’ll discuss how LIFOW can benefit remote workers, the challenges organizations face when implementing it, and the key elements of a successful LIFOW strategy. We’ll also explore how you can transform training, drive productivity, and retain top talent in your remote workforce.
What is learning in the flow of work?
Coined by Josh Bersin, a leading Learning and Development (L&D) expert, Learning in the Flow of Work (LIFOW) is based on the idea that learning should be integrated into an employee’s workday or work life. Instead of requiring employees to attend dedicated training sessions, LIFOW provides learning opportunities that align with their current tasks and responsibilities.
By aligning learning with the natural flow of work, organizations can empower employees to upskill and enhance their capabilities without disrupting their productivity. This approach is particularly advantageous for remote workers, who may face challenges in accessing traditional in-person training programs due to geographical constraints.
The benefits of integrating learning into the flow of work are numerous, especially for remote workers. By providing learning resources at the time of need, LIFOW ensures that remote employees can stay compliant with industry regulations, acquire new skills, and expand their knowledge. In addition, LIFOW can help facilitate collaboration among remote team members by helping them to understand and adopt best practices and methodologies. This can create a sense of community and improve overall team performance.
How learning in the flow of work benefits remote workers
LIFOW is an approach that is particularly well-suited to the unique challenges and needs of remote workers by improving accessibility, reducing the need for inconvenient and costly in-person training sessions, and improving employee morale through more personalized and relevant learning opportunities. Here are a few of the benefits of learning in the flow of work:
- Learning in the flow of work maximizes remote worker productivity – LIFOW helps increase productivity by making learning more accessible. Remote employees can access training materials and resources when they need them, rather than having to wait for a dedicated training session. This can help create a culture of continuous learning, and can help employees quickly acquire the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs effectively.
- Learning in the flow of work makes employee training more convenient and less costly – LIFOW diminishes the reliance on conventional formal training programs. Remote workers often encounter limited in-person training due to their dispersed locations and varying time zones. Offering digestible learning formats, such as microlearning and just-in-time learning can help remote-first or geographically dispersed organizations provide engaging content that can be quickly applied to an employee’s job-related tasks. This not only conserves time and resources but also guarantees that employees are equipped with the most current and relevant information.
- Learning in the flow of work boosts remote employee engagement and satisfaction – LIFOW caters to the diverse learning preferences and schedules of remote workers. By offering flexible learning options, employees are empowered to steer their own learning and professional development. They can select the pace, and timing of learning that aligns with their needs, whether through online modules, video tutorials, or practical on-the-job exercises. This adaptability fosters engagement and knowledge retention, contributing to a more proficient and versatile remote workforce. In fact, research by Bersin shows that learning at work can be shown to reduce stress and improve a sense of success on the job by 47% and 39%, respectively.
Strategies to integrate learning into the flow of work
Timely information and self-directed learning opportunities are key components of LIFOW, improving engagement for remote workers. When remote employees perceive support for their professional growth and development, they are more likely to remain committed to the organization and contribute to its success. Here are a few strategies to successfully integrate learning into the flow of work:
- Foster a culture of continuous learning – Advocating for a learning in the workplace can be challenging, especially for organizations with remote-first or hybrid teams. To encourage a positive attitude toward continuous learning, organizations must prioritize and support learning initiatives. This can be achieved through various means, such as recognizing and rewarding learning achievements, providing opportunities for knowledge sharing, and encouraging managers to incorporate learning into team goals.
- Deliver learning on platforms your employees are already using – The best way to slip learning directly into your employees’ workflow is leveraging the channels and platforms that they are already using. Integrations and APIs that connect your LMS to the systems your team uses for work can ensure that your microlearning modules, just-in-time resources, courses, and learning paths show up wherever your employees are active.
- Measuring and optimizing learning initiatives – Tracking and measuring the effectiveness of LIFOW initiatives is also crucial for understanding their impact and making any necessary adjustments. Organizations should establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to assess the success of their LIFOW programs. This includes tracking training completion rates, employee engagement, and the overall impact of training on job performance.
Tools to support learning in the flow of work
Organizations have leveraged several technologies to make LIFOW a reality. Here are a few of the tools that can help make learning more accessible, engaging, and relevant for distributed teams:
- Learning Management System (LMS) – As a centralized platform for managing and delivering training content, tracking learner progress, and assessing learning outcomes, an LMS can help organizations monitor learning initiatives, build and curate learning experiences, and find opportunities for growth. Finding an LMS that integrates with your CRM and HRIS systems can help your organization align learning with valuable data to deliver targeted interventions and more effectively measure the impact and ROI of training.
- AI Learning Platforms – An AI-powered learning platform can also be a great option for organizations looking to make training more streamlined and accessible. Litmos offers a suite of embedded AI tools for learners, managers, and administrators. The Litmos AI Assistant helps managers generate learner progress insights and instantly assign relevant training to direct reports. Learners can ask the AI Assistant to provide course summaries and recommendations without needing to re-take a course. AI playlists can be generated with natural language prompts, for a self-directed and personalized learning experience.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platforms – CRMs help organizations manage interactions with current and potential customers. Having access to CRM is a crucial aspect of the daily tasks for sales and customer support teams. Organizations can use data from CRM systems to identify specific training needs for customer-facing employees; by tracking customer satisfaction and retention metrics, for example, managers might be able to provide targeted learning opportunities to improve customer service.
- Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) – HRIS platforms are used to manage employee data such as payroll, benefits, and performance evaluations. Integrating an LMS with an HRIS system can provide a holistic view of employee development and performance, allowing managers to identify skills gaps and provide relevant training to support career growth and improve overall productivity. Such integrations can also streamline administrative tasks, making it easier for HR teams to assign and track training for employees.
- Video Conferencing and Collaboration Tools – These tools empower remote teams to communicate, collaborate, and learn together virtually. They facilitate synchronous learning sessions, workshops, and discussions, enabling employees to interact with trainers and peers in real time. Interactive features such as screen sharing, breakout rooms, and polling enhance the learning experience and encourage active participation. To ensure that learners can easily attend virtual instructor led training (vILT) with their video conferencing tools of choice, look for an LMS with connectors to top webinar applications, that lets you configure recurring days, waitlists, and approvals, automate attendance taking, and easily schedule instructors, locations, and resources.
By applying the strategies and tools above into L&D initiatives, organizations can foster a supportive environment for learning in the flow of work. To fully optimize your training initiatives for remote employees, consider implementing an LMS with embedded AI tools, that integrates with your CRM, HRIS, and other business productivity tools.
Drive productivity and retention in your remote workforce. To see how Litmos can help, sign up for a no-obligation, free 14-day trial today!