Quiet Quitting. People are talking about it and a recent study by Gallup found that at least half the workforce is doing it. We know what it is, we have an idea of why it is happening. But how do we get in front of it? Can your Learning Management System (LMS) do anything to mitigate the risks of a disengaged workforce?
There’s nothing quiet about quiet quitting
Quiet quitters are doing the bare minimum at work and flying under the radar, disconnecting from their organization and the communities they serve. While for some, quiet quitting is a method to avoid burnout and keep a better work-life balance, for others it is caused by a lack of fulfillment at work. Quiet quitters tend to feel indifferent about their role in their current organization and end up looking for new job opportunities that better align with their personal and professional goals. The last step of quiet quitting, physical quitting, is the piece that really stunts the business. Gallup reported U.S. organizations lose over one trillion dollars annually in voluntary turnover. It's expensive to rehire, morale is affected, productivity is further impacted (most likely productivity was already stunted by the quiet quitter) and in extreme cases company reputation can be tarnished. The chain reaction caused by quiet quitting has raised the following questions for HR Leaders- How did we get here? And more importantly, how do we get out? At some point, the worker stopped caring which negatively impacted their attitude about work. One opportunity to ensure employee satisfaction is by making sure your team has the tools to do their job- and do it well.
Workers are learners
94% employees would stay with an organization longer if it invested in their learning and development (Rallyware, 2021). Not only are learning opportunities desired, they are expected. Over 90% of Millennial and Gen-Z workers expect employers to provide learning and development opportunities, (Ascione, 2020). For perspective, this group makes up over two-thirds of the workforce and they want to be invested in. But what is even more shocking, an even higher percentage of L&D professionals (99%) feel that skills gaps negatively impact their companies (HRTech, 2022). So on the one hand we have workers who crave learning new skills – on the other we have organizations that need upskilled employees. Everyone wants the same thing, success and growth. Hold on, if everyone wants the same thing, why isn’t it happening?
Burdened by learning system barriers
HR Leaders, it’s time to reflect. Think of your current organization and ask yourself, are there clear paths for career development for all employees? Do managers offer employees time to upskill? Does your leadership team curate a positive culture of employee empowerment and learning? Are there easy-to-use resources that provide quality content to help facilitate training? Can users customize their experience to match their learning style and nature of their jobs to get the most out of their learning? If you answered “no” to any (maybe even all) of the above, chances are it's not because you don't want to do all those things, it's because your technology options are failing you. LMS has been around for decades, some of them still look like they've been around for decades, but don't give up on them, because there have been many developments that will ensure your LMS gets you to a "yes" on the questions above. An LMS that aids upskilling and reskilling can positively impact employee ownership in their role, increasing productivity, motivation, and morale at work.
Let’s start with the basics: Learner engagement
Learner engagement is critical for making sure your workers are equipped for their job. Learner engagement is two-fold: engagement with content and engagement with systems (Garg, 2022). If employees find the technology difficult to use or think the course content stale, you've already lost the battle. Learning in the workplace can be done in many ways; classroom-based courses, interactive training, and online learning- or even a combination of the above.
Engagement with systems, in this case, refers to the usability of the software. This can include clear learning paths for internal mobility and easy-to-find reporting for individuals to track their own progress and obtain certificates or transcripts. It’s important to remember each learner is unique and needs to have customizable training that meets their needs.
Connecting the dots from learning to employee engagement
Having an intuitive and customizable LMS can promote learner engagement and empower individuals in the workplace. Employees who are excited about their work are committed to the future of their career and their success in an organization. Linkedin’s 2022 Workplace Learning Report found that internal mobility greatly impacted employee retention. Companies with high mobility kept employees for an average of 5.4 years, almost double the average length (2.9 years) of organizations with lower mobility.
Bottom line: Your LMS is a tool to combat quiet quitting
Leading with learners in mind creates a mutually beneficial relationship between your team members and your organization. See how our software was designed with Learner engagement top of mind.
.jpg)
.jpg)