L&D resources for employee engagement during the holiday season
The holiday season is typically a time of joy and reflection for employees, but it can also bring significant stress and challenges as workloads peak before the Christmas holidays. As a result, many employees tend to become distracted and neglect learning and development activities, which can ultimately have a negative impact on their overall productivity and progress. However, choosing the right L&D resources can help keep your staff motivated and engaged, and help them continue to develop their skills. This article describes eight L&D resources for employee engagement that you can leverage as the end of the year approaches.
8 L&D resources for employee engagement
1. Training workshop
A great way to keep your employees focused on learning during the holiday season is to change course. Instead of regular training materials, enrich your L&D library with courses on time and stress management, work-life balance, project management, task prioritization, and more. By providing learning opportunities that fit into their daily lives at this time of year, you can improve their performance and help them manage tasks more effectively.
2. Gamified learning experience
The use of gamification can be very effective in attracting employees who want to enjoy a break from their daily routines. We offer a game-style learning experience that is quick and easy to complete so that they can fit it into their busy schedules. Making it accessible from mobile devices is an even better idea, as it allows employees to learn on the go or during their lunch breaks. Don’t hesitate to incorporate a holiday theme to make your modules more appealing and boost employee morale.
3. Collaborative activities
Focusing on collaboration is always a good way to boost employee engagement during this demanding and mentally taxing time of the year. There are a variety of L&D resources available to foster collaboration and support employee development. For example, you can host in-person or virtual workshops where employees need to solve problems through cooperation and teamwork. These activities help employees improve their skills and strengthen relationships with co-workers while reducing stress.
4. Microlearning module
It’s understandable that you don’t want holiday workloads to interfere with your employees’ learning. However, it is important to keep in mind that time is limited and mental workload increases during this period. In the new year, ditch long, detailed learning courses and focus on bite-sized L&D resources that take just minutes to complete and provide immediate feedback and value. These include short video tutorials, podcasts, infographics and quick articles.
5. Personalized learning path
If you want to implement a company-wide learning course, the last month of the year is never the best time. Instead, focus on the employee’s individual learning path that you have discussed throughout the year and ensure that it aligns with the organization’s goals as well as the employee’s personal goals. Specifically, we recommend short online courses that align with your short- and long-term goals and motivate you to complete them. And be sure to give your students the flexibility to take these courses at their own pace so they don’t get overwhelmed.
6. Performance review
Another L&D resource to foster employee engagement is to conduct performance reviews using a personal development plan template. Additionally, the end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months, identify goals you achieved and missed, and set new goals for next year. Take the time to support your employees through this process by offering dedicated one-on-one sessions or hosting a webinar on setting SMART goals. This way, your employees will be more engaged in the goal-setting process because they know they will be guided by you every step of the way.
7. Flexible learning options
Flexible learning during the holiday season is so important that it deserves a separate section. Employees are often very busy and pressed for time to complete their responsibilities. An employer who doesn’t respect that is the last thing an employee wants. We’ve already mentioned that reducing course length is essential, but what else can you do? Online learning platforms allow employees to access courses at any time, even when they’re not in the office . This gives you the freedom to complete modules even when you are late or outside of working hours, such as while commuting.
8. Social learning opportunities
The final L&D resource for employee engagement that we recommend leveraging is social learning opportunities. Give your employees opportunities to learn from each other as you navigate the increased demands and challenges of this time. Social learning platforms and forums provide employees with insight into the best practices their colleagues are implementing to cope with stress and maintain productivity at desired levels as they tackle the hard work weeks leading up to the end of the year. .
conclusion
L&D efforts and resources during the holiday season go beyond the primary purpose of skill-building. It can also increase employee engagement, encourage self-reflection, strengthen relationships between colleagues, and support personal growth. It all depends on the specific resources and topics you focus on. At this time of year, a focus on flexibility, concise content, relevant goals, and collaboration are essential. If you implement the L&D resources suggested in this article, you’ll notice that not only will your employees be more engaged, but they’ll also be more productive in the years to come.
