Leonardo da Vinci once wrote “Learning never exhausts the mind.” Unfortunately, da Vinci did not live in today’s world of ever-shortening attention spans and an ever-lengthening workweek.
Training industry professionals would agree that continuous education is important to almost every business. The challenge for trainers in today’s marketplace is when and how to present the information in a way that will be well received by all types of learners without risking productivity and profit loss.
A recent TIME magazine article stated that people typically lose concentration after eight seconds, according to a new study from Microsoft Corporation. This differed from the company’s findings in 2000, when the average attention span was 12 seconds. Conducting a training session in eight seconds is unrealistic. While a shocking statistic, it’s important for every corporate trainer to understand the underlying lesson in this research and adjust accordingly when developing new training methods to meet shorter attention spans of employees everywhere.
Below are four key points to consider when developing a training program that drives employee professional development while not affecting the bottom line of the business.
Keep it Short
Learning and retaining new information can be an exhausting process for anyone, so keeping training times down to a minimum is key. There are a variety of online tools, including templates, lesson plans and sample presentations that are exceptional resources for helping to shorten coursework. As an example, AAMCO, a leading total car care brand, was searching for the perfect balance of value and performance from their corporate continuing education training program.
Initially, AAMCO’s training program included 60- and 90-minute webinars that were to be completed by employees after-hours. The timing was quickly adjusted as employees felt that the sessions were too long. As a result, AAMCO developed a 30-minute Lunch & Learn webinar series that focused on a single subject and included a free lunch. This new approach not only allowed employees to consume information without having to put in additional hours after work, it also did not interfere with the overall business operations. In addition, employees retained more information because of the shortened timetable and singular focus.
Focus on Immediately Applicable Information
The purpose of a continuing education course is to provide employees with information they can immediately use. Most trainees thrive on instant gratification and quickly benefit from immediately applicable and relevant information that can be applied upon completion. These lessons can have a strong impact on their work and the company’s bottom line.
Explain the Value
All trainees need to understand how completing the coursework will benefit in the long run. It’s the training professional’s job to clearly explain how a lesson is going to offer an employee real world value from the start. Stressing the personal value of what they are about to learn can cause employees with short attention spans to be active learners during that lesson. For instance, if certain training could be used to bargain for a pay raise or promotion, an employee would be more likely to pay attention.
Be Interactive
Keeping employees engaged can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish during a training session. Learners with short attention spans are the most challenging groups to work with, so whenever possible, give them the opportunity to interact – whether through chat boards with a moderator; fun, short quizzes or even asking for volunteers to record on-camera demonstrations of what was just taught that can be emailed to the group at a later time.
Results
Systems, programs and practices are always evolving in the training industry and training professionals need to stay ahead of the curve. Even employees are constantly changing and evolving as well. It’s hard to believe, but 20 years ago most of the workforce did not know what the Internet was. Adaptation is a basic human trait, and in order for training industry professionals to continuously succeed at their job, adaptation is key. A solid training program should bring out the best in your team and always be tailored to an organization’s needs and its staff’s preferences.
Andrew Garrett is the dean of AAMCO University.
