2016 Top Workplace Training Stories
Over the past twelve months, eLeaP has posted on many subjects concerning workplace training, eLearning and mLearning. From time to time, we have also investigated breaking news stories and explored their impact on workplace training. This week’s end-of-year post recaps the year’s top stories in workplace training with an eye to analyzing how the will likely continue to effect workplace training over the coming twelve months.
Big Data Transforms Training
Big data continued to dominate the news in 2016 and to impact workplace training and talent management on many levels. In many respects, big data has always been part of eLearning and mLearning. Online, we can easily track students’ or employees’ progress, collect data on how long it takes them to complete and master tasks, and even track levels of engagement. But in 2016, big data applications in education continued to expand. With big data solutions expanding and growing increasingly mobile, the synergy between big data and learning continues to expand. For more, see 7 Ways to Use Big Data in Training and When Big Data Creates Big Stereotypes.
Safety Training for “Screeners” in the Workplace
At eLeaP, we care about workplace safety training. In 2016, people started to notice the need for a new type of safety training. Safety training for “screeners.” As reported in our earlier article, “An estimated 3 billion text messages are sent each day to and from people at work. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in workplace injuries and deaths related to text messaging and cell phone use.” Banning mobile phones in the workplace is not the right answer. After all, in many workplaces, they can and are used in highly productive and innovative ways. The challenge is to ensure workers don’t have accidents caused by mobile phone use in the wrong place at the wrong time. For more, see How to Manage “Screeners” in the Workplace.
Augmented Reality on the Rise
Just when we got our heads around virtual reality, augmented reality is beginning to impact education and training. Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality simply adds a layer of additional information or interaction to an actual situation. Still confused? Read on with Training in the Age of Virtual Simulation.
Cyber Security Training Becomes More Important
While cyber security training has been a major training concern for organizations nationwide for well over a decade now, in 2016, the trend continued. In 2016, 53% of U.S. organizations planned to hire more cyber security professionals. Alarmingly, 59% of U.S. organizations reported that when hiring new graduates for entry-level cybersecurity positions, it is difficult to identify who has an adequate level of skills and knowledge. So the problem is twofold. On the one hand, there’s a need for more workers to be trained to deal with cyber security issues. On the other hand, there’s a need to train HR staff to better recruit cyber security experts. Read more on cyber security.
The Internet of Things (IoT) Impacts Training
In 2016, the Internet of Things or IoT continued to gain ground. Still don’t know what it is? Today, small sensors are increasingly being embedded in objects of all kinds from running shoes to home appliances to hard helmets. These objects are in turn linked through wireless technologies to the Internet. When things become networked, of course, what they can do changes: objects can increasingly communicate with us and even with each other. To discover how this will impact workplace training, read on with The Internet of Things’ Impact on Training.
Diversity Training Continues to Be Necessary
At eLeap, we are deeply committed to helping organizations find more effective ways to deliver diversity training on every front. From creating workplaces informed by universal design to promoting a culture of inclusion for people of color and those who identify as LGBT community, we’re always on the look on for solutions and supports. For more read just some of our 2016 articles on how to more effectively promote diversity in the workplace: How a Venture Capital Firm Promotes Diversity; Promoting Diversity in the Face of Tradition; and How to Create an LGBT Inclusive Workplace.
Workplace Training for Active Shooter Incidents
In late 2015, a seasonal party in San Bernadino turned into a deadly shooting, leaving many people wondering, do we now need to offer training to help employees respond during an active shooter incident? While it may be a grim question to ask, in most U.S. schools, children as young as five are taught how to respond if and when a shooting incident happens in their school. In 2016, a growing number of workplaces started to offer comparable training for employees. Read on with Active Shooter Incidents in the Workplace.