Your favourite Go1 articles of 2017
As we approach the end of 2017, we’d like to thank all our readers and followers for your ongoing feedback and engagement throughout the year.
We’ve covered many exciting (and sometimes challenging!) topics over the past year, as we’ve explored all things learning and development.
From diving into the innovative world of gamification and VR, to talking about current trends in eLearning technology, our articles have discussed many interesting facets of the learning industry. We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about these topics as much as we have.
Here’s a look at your top five most-read articles of 2017!
#1. Structured vs Unstructured Learning in the Workplace
In this article, Ricardo asks: how can we take advantage of technology in order to enable a better blend of structured and unstructured learning, and better overall training and development results?
“In structured learning, information is presented in a structured manner (live presentations, offline slides, videos, documents, books, etc.), learning activities are done as directed, and assessments are used to check if the employee has learned what has been intended to be learnt. This is the traditional approach.”
“Unstructured learning includes learn-on-the-job approaches and happens with the natural experiences and interactions the employee has.”
Keen to enable more unstructured learning in your organisation? Here are some tips.
- Assign a peer coach or shadowing experiences;
- Create knowledge bases that are easy to search and access;
- Introduce job rotations;
- Have an active online internal social network and instant messaging tool;
- Provide collaborative online spaces where information is presented as it is being developed;
- Promote an open and positive work culture, where employees can ask questions and learn from peers while doing the job.
You’ll gain an understanding of the differences between structured and unstructured learning in the workplace, and why it’s important to use a combination of both.
#2. The Impact of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
2017 saw much discussion and media attention around the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace.
At Go1, we believe all employees have the right to work in a positive and non-threatening work environment, free from any form of sexual harassment. Yet sexual harassment remains a serious issue for many workplaces.
In this article, we looked at how sexual harassment impacts the workplace and the negative effects it can have for both individuals and organisations. Does your organisation have a strong policy around sexual harassment? You can commit to creating a positive and safe environment for your staff, by developing and implementing an effective strategy that prevents and addresses workplace harassment.
Read the full article to find helpful online resources containing more information about workplace harassment and how to navigate this important topic.
#3. How to Measure the Success of Leadership Development Programs
In an effort to make their managers and leaders the best they can be for the business, today’s companies are investing record amounts in leadership development programs for their employees. This is understandable – after all, your company’s long-term success depends on creating strong, successful leaders for the future.
However, with such large proportions of funds going into this area, it’s important for organizations to develop ways of measuring leadership outcomes, to see if these investments are paying off. Unfortunately, leadership is a lot harder to assess than other more tangible aspects of an organization, such as sales figures or productivity reports. So how do we go about measuring leadership development?
You can find out here.
#4. Can Manipulation Be Used in a Positive Way?
This article poses the question: have you ever thought about the potential of manipulation for positive change?
No one likes being manipulated. Whether it’s in our personal or professional lives, the idea of manipulation is generally considered to be a bad thing. Most of us associate it with negative connotations, such as people trying to take advantage of us or push us into doing something we don’t really want to do.
But manipulation can sometimes be a good thing – as surprising as this may sound!
Using a positive form of manipulation to motivate employees towards their goals can help to improve their performance and allow teams to achieve organisational goals. This good kind of manipulation is also used by non-profit organisations and ethical companies to persuade people to act, helping others in need and promoting positive change in the world.
If this has got you thinking about ethics in your workplace, and how you can bring positive forms of manipulation to your role as a manager, jump over here.
#5. The Difference Between Knowledge and Skills
These terms are often used interchangeably. But they shouldn’t be!
Knowledge and skills are two similar but separate terms that express two key elements of success in a situation or an accomplishment of a goal.
In this article, you’ll find explanations and examples of the different between knowledge and skills.
“A teacher may have a teaching certificate showing the requisite knowledge to educate young people, but without engagement skills, they’ll never be able to successfully transfer that knowledge.”
You’ll see how skills can be learned and improved upon. They can be honed and crafted through the practice of the practical implementation of their knowledge. And you’ll understand why this is so important when we’re talking about the skills gap within the current workforce.
Happy reading, and happy holidays, from the Go1 team.
