Now that right-skilling is at the top of many business agendas, it’s even more important for L&D to get the learning content right. Organizations that incorporate a diverse mix of training styles, formats, and delivery methods are seeing impressive results in performance and profitability.

So, what does it look like, and how can you do it too?

Variety Is the Spice of Learning

You need to offer your people a breadth of content as diverse as the performance challenges you’re trying to overcome. It’s a concept embraced by Stanford University, no less. They’re strong advocates of diverse content and say that the flexibility to learn in various ways means “you’ll learn more effectively.”

Rather than relying on any single method or learning tool, take full advantage of the abundance of technologies and training courses out there. Here are a few to consider.

Gamification

Gamification has become the glue that holds remote teams together for many organizations, uniting them through shared content and common goals. Gen Z will have grown up with gamified educational tools, so this fun and immersive pattern of learning will be familiar to them, but it has become equally popular with other age groups.

Gamification keeps users engaged by introducing elements of competition and giving a sense of progression. Leaderboards and challenges tap into employees’ natural competitive drives, motivating them to complete the training modules and gain the skills that meet business goals.

Video-Based Learning

The popularity of YouTube tutorials is a testament to the effectiveness of engagement with video-based learning. The ability to pause and repeat the content lets employees control the pace of learning.

According to a report by Wainhouse Research, 90 percent of employees surveyed found streaming video (live and on-demand) to be effective for communicating work-related information. Workers believe that online video tools help improve learning compared to traditional communication tools alone, making video an important part of the L&D content kit.

Microlearning

Here content focuses on a specific objective, doing away with the flannel to cut straight to the “how to.” It’s delivered in short bursts via methods including podcasts and infographics. And as it’s usually designed for smartphones, it’s ideal for just-in-time learning and fast-paced, changeable business environments.

Macrolearning

Macrolearning also has its place. Areas such as leadership training or compliance can benefit from a macro approach—think experiential learning or online courses spread over hours or days. Learners are more immersed in the subject and gain an in-depth understanding of complex matters.

Right Skilling Needs Smarter Content Curation

As an L&D professional tasked with right-skilling your workforce, you owe it to your learners to embrace a wide range of content. But skill requirements change quickly, so how do you keep up?

Many organizations turn to an online learning content marketplace. These massive repositories can make your life easier and offer access to a huge breadth of subject matter in various styles, formats, and delivery methods.

A large library of content allows you to deliver new learning in days rather than months. Go1 is the world’s most comprehensive online training library, gathering the top training providers such as Skillsoft, edX, and Thomson Reuters, into one place. With experts to help you curate the content, it’s a good choice for savvy L&D professionals keen to position their learning function as a strategic enabler within the business.

By calling on a wide range of content, L&D professionals can create a learning environment that leads to success and creates business impact. It’s the smarter way to approach right skilling and ensure learning has a seat at the table.

Hear from organizations using Go1 to train and develop their workforce at go1.com/customer-stories.

Editor's note: This post was previously published on the Go1 Blog.