Employee retention is always top of mind among HR professionals but especially when recruiting is difficult and turnover is high. Employee retention is one of the many reasons employers look for ways to improve the employee experience and try to determine the best investments that will have the most impact on retention while providing a return on investment (ROI).
Right now, one of the trends we’re seeing in this space is the move toward using more employee apps. Employers have begun using apps for payroll services, the Human Resources information system (HRIS) (or something similar), social interaction, team communication, etc.
They’re finding that employee engagement levels remain high with new software if there’s an app version employees can use from anywhere. With the prevalence of smartphones, the vast majority of employees have become accustomed to doing more on their phones than ever before. Some HR functions have used employee access apps for years, while others have only recently become more prevalent. Either way, apps are a way to drive employee utilization numbers.
Learning and development (L&D) apps are no exception to this. Employees value employers that prioritize employee development, and making it easy to access training is a part of that. Apps can make it easier to practice new processes and reinforce new training and provide an easy way to complete larger training sets in smaller pieces. In short, L&D apps can make the learning process better while improving employee satisfaction.
Here are a few examples of L&D apps employers could use:
- Third-party standard apps that provide course materials or other learning materials.
- Other apps specializing in micro-content, such as video apps. (“Micro-content” refers to small pieces of information that are easy to quickly consume.)
- App access to industry information or industry software.
- App versions of industry-relevant magazines.
- App access to the organization’s learning management system (LMS).
- Simple apps that provide access to the employer’s regular training materials and FAQs so employees can access them on the go. This could also include additional information to allow people to explore further when they have time.
- Simple versions of how-to videos for specific job tasks.
These are just a few examples of how apps can be used in the L&D sphere. By giving employees easier access to development opportunities through apps, you’re demonstrating an investment in their future, thus helping with retention and increasing satisfaction and employee engagement. Employees will feel more in control and be able to accomplish L&D activities quickly and easily.
What has your experience been with implementing apps into your existing L&D programs?