Learning in the flow of work is nothing new. In fact, a lot of research has already been done about the history of workflow learning, how to overcome common barriers and steps to take to make your strategy a success. But what has changed is the world around us — our technology, our evolving audience and our unique industry needs, especially in today’s market. What people needed five years ago doesn’t apply to what they need right now.

To keep up with these needs and make a greater impact, it’s critical for learning and development (L&D) leaders to embrace a new perspective of what it means to elevate their learner experience design (LXD), even if it means redefining learning in the flow of work to pave the way for the future.

Why Learning in the Flow of Work?

This type of learning matches how people actually learn and make the most of their available (often extremely limited) time. By learning and applying concepts directly in their environment, rather than solely through a hands-off approach, learners become more confident and competent faster. Even more, learning in the flow of work supports a culture of continuous learning where individuals can connect with their peers, get excited about their personal growth, and envision what they can accomplish with their career.

One study showed that employees who spend time learning at work are:

• 47 percent less likely to be stressed
• 39 percent more likely to feel productive and successful
• 23 percent more ready to take on additional responsibilities
• 21 percent more likely to feel confident and happy

Take a moment to think about the path that led you to where you are in your field today. What did you learn at work that made the biggest difference in your success? What do you wish you had more of an opportunity to learn and practice, before taking on more responsibility, to feel more prepared and confident at what you do?

How can you give that experience to others and inspire them to make their best even better every day on the job? A refreshed learning in the flow of work strategy may just be the answer.

Three Ideas to Incorporate Learning in the Flow of Work into Your LXD

What works for one organization won’t work for everyone. Before you begin, take a closer look at your upcoming organizational goals, as well as what your learners need right now, six months from now, and in one year.

Then, align these goals and needs to customize your learner experience design strategy to better target the results stakeholders and learners want to see. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do it from scratch: here are a few ideas to help you get started.

1. Embed learning directly into daily tasks. Make a list of daily tasks your learners typically struggle with, as well as the tasks that relate to the goals and needs you identified. For example: using certain tools or other technology, troubleshooting issues, preparing for a meeting — all of these relate to daily tasks that require specific skillsets, some of which may come naturally while others may need to be learned.

Next, ask yourself …

• What skills are required to complete these tasks?
• Will learners be able to learn and practice these skills immediately? Or will they need more support (like an eLearning module or a demonstration) beforehand?
• Who will provide this support?
• How can this practice be strategically paced to prevent burnout while improving confidence and independence in performing each task in the right way?
• How can each opportunity be made more engaging or fun to boost the way learners interact with it and see the personal value in learning these skills?

2. Use technology to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and reduce frustrations. In 2025, advanced technology has become more available than ever before (and surprisingly, not all of the options are costly). Especially with the evolution of AI, L&D leaders are in a unique position to do more with less, and learning in the flow of work is no exception.

Consider…

• What type of technology best supports the LXD and learning in the flow of work strategy you’re creating?
• How does this technology enable a frictionless, scalable learning experience that’s also enjoyable?
• How does this “ideal” tech infrastructure align with the technology your organization already has available? (For example, many organizations use Microsoft products in some way. How are you making the most of your licenses and subscriptions, such as Microsoft Copilot, to get work done better and faster?)
• What new technologies would you like to invest in, if resources were available? Alternatively, in what ways can you optimize your tech stack to get more out of your investment?
• How can technology such as tooltips, chatbots, or other embedded resources amplify digital components and facilitate skill transfer into real-world application?
• What support will learners need to become proficient with technology (new and old) on the job? What does proficiency look like?

3. Set measurement criteria early to gauge progress and prove ROI. Learning in the flow of work is driven by outcomes like improved performance, not content presentation. Your measurement strategy will make all the difference in proving to stakeholders that learning in the flow of work is worth the investment.

To gather meaningful data…

• What outcomes are the most important to organizational success? Which are the most important to learner success?
• What benchmarks can you set early on for comparison to prove that learning has resulted in the desired outcomes (e.g., improved employee satisfaction and retention, a decrease in injuries in a manufacturing environment)?
• How can manager observations or structured coaching opportunities allow you to check individual learner performance, praise their areas of strength, adjust their personalized learning path to better fill skill gaps and encourage their continued growth and enthusiasm for learning?
• In what ways can you use the technology you’ve identified to track the time learners spend on tasks or the quality of their work?

When all of these ideas are combined, the result is an elevated LXD strategy that’s uniquely tailored to your organization’s needs today, tomorrow and in the future. And your options don’t end there: If you want even more ideas for effective learning in the flow of work strategies, look to peers who have been where you are and who have overcome similar situations.

The American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) has a great example from their recent training rollout, which aims to create stability and better prepare nurse managers as they transition into a leadership role in a demanding field. Their flexible program expertly blends on-demand, self-paced digital learning with a parallel facilitated learning experience, in-person and virtual check-ins, on-site training, guided support resources and other hands-on opportunities to practice critical concepts and build the skills necessary to succeed. Ninety-six percent of learners who participated in a post-training survey agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Learning with a community of peers helped me feel supported in the challenges I face as a manager.”

Set Your Next Steps Today

As with any learning initiative, it takes time to finalize the design, get buy in, and gather the resources you need to bring your vision to life. But time is a valuable resource for busy leaders, and there isn’t always enough of it to go around — especially when you have a rapid timeline in front of you or big expectations to meet.

Start now by deciding on a few manageable steps you can take within the next few weeks. These steps may include scheduling a short meeting with a key decision maker to ask questions about their expectations and uncover more valuable information about upcoming organizational goals or gathering feedback from team members about where they could use additional support in their skill development. You may even choose to research external L&D or technology partners that can reduce the burden by taking on design, development, integration and delivery so you can focus on what matters most.

Regardless of whether the next action you take is big or small, you’ll be one step closer to reaching that future you envisioned.