Boost Employee Engagement and Productivity through the Learning Process

You’ve done everything by the book, and you’re confident you have a team of highly engaged and productive employees.

Except, all of your new hires, who were so optimistic and energized before, have faded. They are sluggish, their output has decreased, and their great attitudes have disappeared. How could the attitudes and engagement levels of your new employees be so drastically different from their pre-hire selves? The problem may not be them. The problem could be the learning process at your company.

The Learning Process

Every new employee you hire goes through an onboarding process, as well as a learning process which involves learning new tools, new software, and new procedures to complete their required tasks. The learning process is a time to convert your new hire into an advocate for your company, where they can take what they have learned and improve on it and spread the wealth to other parts of the company. In return, these employees are expected to drive more revenue because of their high engagement and productivity levels. On the other hand, a study by Training Magazine shows that if an employee cannot grasp and master the new tasks and procedures that you teach them, they are going to become disengaged and won’t improve.

Turn up the Neurons

To improve employees’ learning ability, and increase their output, you must create an optimized space that promotes learning and eliminates anything that creates a distraction or barrier to learning.

When people learn something new, that is when they are most engaged. This causes the neurons in their brain to start firing and making connections to other parts of the brain. This helps the student process what they just learned, store it for later, and recall it when needed. If something disturbs or prevents the neurons from firing, then learning something new becomes very difficult. Disruptions can be physical, cognitive, or emotional and should be addressed or eliminated for optimum learning.

Barriers to Learning

• Lack of concentration because of sleep deprivation or noise pollution
• Overwhelmed by the volume level of the training
• Lacks interest in the subject
• Doesn’t understand the value of the subject
• Dim lighting, uncomfortable room temperature, and confined space

Enhancements to Learning

• Understanding relevancy to topic
• Interactive subject matter
• Quality sleep and a quiet space
• Engaging instruction
• Supportive and productive teams

Create a Foundation for Learning

Companies that want their employees and business to succeed must invest in an optimized learning environment. Organizations can start by putting thought and effort into when, how, and where they choose to teach their employees. This includes setting aside a room just for educational purposes, understanding employees learning styles, and creating an environment that nourishes learning.

NBRI’s employee experience survey program and onboarding surveys help organizations discover the right formula for optimum learning and how to improve employee engagement and productivity.