Design Your Training with Every Learner in Mind
Employees want to work for organizations that offer opportunities to grow their talents, and by providing that perk, companies reap the rewards. In fact, 93% of employees said that well-planned training programs positively affect their level of engagement and 76% of Gen Z believe learning is essential to a successful career. When your team members are feeling fulfilled, it further leads to improved performance and increased retention.
While many Learning & Development (L&D) and Talent Development (TD) professionals are well aware of the benefits, it can be challenging to find or design a training solution that resonates with all team members.
To streamline your approach, I encourage you to consider programming through the lens of the Emergenetics® Attributes. The Attributes are universal, so when you intentionally include elements that speak to each preference, you can deliver instruction that connects for every learner. At Emergenetics, we carefully craft our workshops and digital courses with the Attributes in mind, which has led to their success and contributes to participants finding them to be so useful and motivating.
As you take a closer look at the Attributes, I invite you to brainstorm opportunities to transform your delivery or offering to inspire greater engagement.
Appeal to Every Learner’s Preferences
Analytical
Those with an Analytical preference likely want to understand the value of the training before investing their time. You can appeal to this Attribute by selecting a development solution that provides data-driven insights as well as making connections to the relevance as it relates to their job. Use bullets, charts or graphs to present information and provide opportunities to solve complex tasks or problems as part of the program.
Structural
Individuals who have a preference for Structural thinking typically enjoy having a detailed outline of the session and an understanding of what success looks like. Honor this Attribute by outlining the step-by-step process for completing the training and providing clear expectations and timelines. Support knowledge retention by including hand-on experiences and time to practice.
Social
Social thinkers often want to collaborate and learn alongside others. Meet the needs of this Attribute by designing an experience that includes a mix of group discussion, peer feedback and team projects in addition to direct instruction. Spark their interest using stories with emotion and personalizing the content when possible.
Conceptual
Team members with a Conceptual preference typically enjoy variety and opportunities to create. You will engage this Attribute when you vary the format of delivery as well as use visuals and experimental activities. Allow for trial and error and provide the freedom to participate in their own way.
Expressiveness
To support both ends of the Expressiveness spectrum, which reflects one’s tendencies around displaying emotion, ensure your offering includes opportunities for participants to process internally and externally as well as work independently and in groups. Allow for moments of quiet reflection prior to calling on participants in addition to facilitating lively discussions.
Assertiveness
To create space for people to advance their thoughts at their preferred pace, schedule time for questions as those in the first-third may not otherwise ask and give those in the third-third an opportunity to express their perspective. To meet the needs of all learners, include activities that can be self-directed and make sure you keep the facilitated portions moving along productively.
Flexibility
To support learners with varying preferences for Flexibility, honor those in the first-third by sticking to decisions and when the unexpected occurs, offer a clear explanation for why the diversion supports the overall objective. For those in the third-third, provide room for them to accomplish a task in a variety of ways so they don’t feel boxed in.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to learning, so it’s important to take a holistic approach and use a variety of techniques to support learning retention. Considering the needs of each Attribute allows professionals in Learning & Development, Training and Human Resources to design programming that inspires a broader audience.
If you’d like to improve your employee development suite of solutions, our Buyer’s Guide can help you discover new considerations and understand how Emergenetics is designed to engage all team members.
Find out how Emergenetics’ solutions amplify learner engagement in your programs. Visit our website or fill out the form below to speak with our staff today.
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