When learning leaders at Ecopetrol rolled out a learning experience platform (LXP), they were surprised to find people in operations and maintenance roles—not only desk jobs—among the biggest early adopters. This engagement from frontline workers outpaced anything the award-winning L&D team at the Colombian national oil and gas company expected.
“They were looking for subjects related to their jobs but not exactly their positions. It was a huge insight,” said Monica Santos, Ecopetrol Schools Leader. “There were some things that were mandatory, and they were doing those. But they were also exploring. Some of them did it during shifts at night because there’s less activity in the plant.”
Finding new ways to engage—or re-engage—deskless workers can boost job satisfaction, keep the backbone of a business running smoothly, and take an organization in helpful new directions, according to Training Industry.
And while engaging the deskless worker is often overlooked, L&D can play a big role in fixing that.
“Although frontline workers are largely responsible for putting the company’s broader goals and values into action, they often lack the digital tools and solutions needed to do so,” Training Industry noted.
Indeed, a Forrester study commissioned by Microsoft found only 23 percent of frontline workers have access to the technologies they need to do their jobs. Even when they do have access, they’re often not trained on how to use those tools.
In March, the Harvard Business Review explored why frontline workers are quitting despite a 7 percent to 10 percent wage increase since the onset of COVID-19. Among other remedies, the publication urged companies to boost learning opportunities: “Invest in onboarding and skill-building programs and give workers time to utilize them.”
Build From Within
Companies upskilling and deploying talent effectively are emphasizing internal rather than external resources. They invest in data, tools, and processes that prioritize skills and opportunity. It requires taking inventory of talent and compiling a complete picture of the skills and experiences of all their people. The next step is figuring out future skills needs.Degreed’s research shows that most employees know the skills they need to perform better in their current roles and advance their careers. Organizations enable this by being nimble and democratic with learning opportunities.
Tenaris SA, a global manufacturer and supplier of steel pipes, gave its 22,000 employees across 30 countries more ownership of their learning and career mobility and saw immediate benefits to engagement and skill development. Adidas trained a couple thousand frontline retail employees on how to think like business innovators. Adidas solicited their ideas. The company then developed thousands of ideas, sharing them in open meetings. For some employees, it was the first time they were excited and inspired at work.
Guide the Change
A lack of time for professional development is one of the biggest obstacles to learning, according to the recent Degreed How the Workforce Learns report.To address that, you can shift your people to a learning-focused mindset. It isn’t easy. But when Deborah Wiest, vice president of learning and development at UnitedHealth Group, sees concerns about lack of time at her organization, she offers a thoughtful response: “Everyone has time. We all have time. How are you choosing to spend it?”
Learning leaders can be a powerful force in guiding culture change. If people don’t feel time spent learning is valued by their company and team, they likely won’t make time to do it, Wiest said.
Ecopetrol uses its LXP to engage workers like Luis Giovanny Barbosa Arias at the Barrancabermeja Refinery, who’s been given time to easily access videos, documents, and short articles to focus his learning, interact with colleagues, and share new knowledge. It’s a critical part of the organization’s efforts to prepare its workforce for global industry changes, shifting production away from hydrocarbons toward low-carbon alternatives.
And it’s important to note a positive learning culture doesn’t rise and fall on virtual options. At Fraser, learning leaders expanded beyond online learning, especially among frontline workers, said Daryl Page, leader of people development at the Canadian hospital group. The organization now sets aside time in morning huddles for workers to share new knowledge with colleagues and team leads.
Giving teams time to share their learnings during the workday shows people their organization prioritizes and encourages their learning, which helps create a more positive learning culture.
And remember: Successful upskilling requires doing. People need a chance to practice and master skills on the job.
This can be especially true for your deskless workers brimming with ideas, looking for inspiration—and craving exposure to opportunities otherwise out of reach.
