'Sticky learning' is a popular new buzzword in workplace training, but the concept is nothing new. When educators teach new knowledge or skills, their aim has always been for participants to be able to retain that knowledge and apply it. 

Presenting content in a way that makes it memorable can be the key to a successful lesson. Armed with the knowledge of the tools designers use to shape the learning experience, those responsible for learning and development can select quality learning content that will have an impact. 

In the 1960s, the ‘learning pyramid’ first appeared in educational research, and remains popular among learning designers and educators. The theory is attributed to the National Training Laboratory, although there are many different versions. Essentially, the pyramid is a guide as to the types of activities that are most effective for memory and retention:

Today, psychologists and neuroscientists argue that the pyramid is oversimplified and that a vast range of variables can affect memory, such as age, what facilitators instruct the subjects to do and a learner’s current knowledge of the lesson content. 

While learning designers and facilitators can take steps to improve retention, the responsibility also lies with the learner. Strategies such as focusing attention, structuring and organizing key points, and visualizing concepts can all help participants to recall important facts.

While the accuracy of the data reported in the learning pyramid is questionable by today's understanding of learning science, there are features those responsible for learning and development can look out for to select learning materials that will be 'sticky'. The following tips will guide you through the process:

Personalizing learning is the difference between content being engaging or boring. Content needs to address an individual’s learning needs as accurately as possible, and advancing technology is helping to make this more achievable.

If learning material targets the individual needs of an employee, they are far more likely to be engaged with the content, and hence more likely to remember it. If they see the knowledge as relevant and useful to their work, they are far more likely to recall it and use it in the future.

2. Look for a single, clear learning objective 

A critical yet often overlooked element of learning design is ensuring that a lesson focuses on one learning objective and sticks to it. When a session includes more than one objective, it lacks clarity and it becomes more challenging for learners to retain the material.

For any lesson to be effective, designers need to set the learning objective out at the beginning, and the learner needs to be made aware of what it is they are focusing on from the outset. 

Look for learning materials that map out learning objectives for each lesson, and make it clear how participants are going to reach that goal. 

Scaffolded learning is structured and supports participants in reaching the desired objective of the lesson. Designers can scaffold knowledge through the inclusion of certain activities or resources. They can design tasks in the session to gradually build towards participants demonstrating their understanding of the final objective. 

Before selecting learning materials for your colleagues, scan over the contents of the lessons. Does each lesson guide participants to help them reach the ultimate learning objective, or do the activities seem muddled and unfocused? 

4. Look for audio-visual, or storytelling elements

Attaching new facts to music or visuals makes it much easier for the brain to recall them. We can remember details from text alone, but audio-visual elements help to cement new facts in memory. 

When learning designers weave in a storytelling element, this is equally effective. Research shows that when teachers incorporate storytelling into learning, they help learners to retain content, no matter what their learning style is.

Uri Hasson from Princeton explains that a story is the only way to activate specific parts of the brain. When hearing a story, the listener automatically turns what they pick up into their version, which forms part of their experience. We are wired to listen to stories as a way of passing on and remembering essential facts, which is why a narrative structure works so well in a learning context.  

5. Encourage employees to develop good learning habits

While a well-designed course that meets an employee’s learning needs will significantly improve retention, learners can also take steps to help with their memory and recall. 

Attention is one of the essential parts of memory. For information to move from the short term memory to the long term memory, participants have to actively engage with that information, ideally in a place free from distractions. 

Organizing new facts can also help the brain with memory. If participants take notes while they complete online courses, or they collect additional resources, encourage them to keep materials on related topics in one place, or find ways of grouping the resources.

Using colors to organize information into groups can also help to jog the memory, and help learners to recall large amounts of information associated with that color.

A one stop shop for all things training, Go1 makes it easy to compare the best training options available, and find the right resources for your professional development, compliance, and business training needs. 

With courses that cover numerous business functions, we help your staff grow into their role by unlocking their potential. Content is at all levels of difficulty and is suitable for any employee, in any department, in any region.

Sophia is a freelance writer who specialises in thought leadership, opinion pieces and content creation for learning publications. Her work focuses on the latest research in learning theory and practice. She regularly contributes articles on workplace learning and professional development to the Go1 blog. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

False

How to make learning stick: a guide to 'sticky learning' 

In recent times, the rapid development of technology has created an urgent need for invention, new lines of thought, and inquiry.

In this social context, creativity and problem-solving skills are among the most desirable, yet sometimes challenging to develop in the workplace. 

Dr. Frederik G. Pferdt at Google explains that design-thinking helps teams to foster a culture of innovation. It helps to generate and test ideas creatively and effectively. 

He adds that the approach develops an individual’s capacity to innovate by encouraging them to practice a certain mindset. They can then apply these skills to a variety of tasks. 

Organizations and individuals across disciplines are adopting the concept, which is revolutionizing the way teams approach the development of new products, systems, and processes. 

Design thinking has roots in a range of disciplines, and gradually developed through the design of new products, buildings, and machines. The concept is now applied more broadly in response to the need for innovation in our time. 

This broadening of the concept’s applications has been criticized for trivializing the design process, but it is undoubtedly useful in many contexts.

Organizations can use the design thinking cycle as a roadmap for innovation at a team or individual level. The process has almost limitless applications and can help to remove the stumbling block of generating ideas. 

One of the great benefits of the cycle is that it trains people to become solution-focused. The goal of the process is to come up with answers, not create more problems. This mindset can help to boost productivity and positive feedback loops. 

The cycle involves six stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test, implement. Each stage encourages different thought processes and helps to build creative momentum:

Design Thinking 101  Neilsen Norman Group

To explain how the process might be used in the workplace, imagine your team is tasked with devising a new social media strategy. You can start by empathizing with different members of your target audience. What do they want to know? What are the pain points in their lives? What problems do they need to solve? 

Then comes the fun part, and your team can brainstorm content ideas together. You would then pick out a few ideas that represent key themes that pop up. After that, you would test run a few posts to see how your audience responds. If these ideas are received well, they could be built into your new strategy. If some don’t work, you could go back to any point in the cycle to find out why and problem solve. 

And the process doesn’t just apply to inherently creative tasks. Perhaps your team needs to come up with a new system to make a process more efficient. Each stage of the design thinking cycle could be applied in this context to ensure that the most effective idea is implemented. 

1. Requires employees to engage in higher-order thinking skills

Higher-order thinking skills, such as innovating, creating, and critical thinking, are now in high demand. This trend will continue as the need to develop new products, ways of working, and technologies increases.

When employees are encouraged to engage with higher-order thinking skills, they require more attention and utilize more brain capacity. As a result, they will be more motivated by the tasks and invested in the outcomes. 

The design thinking process is very active and participatory. When employees work in this way, they have the opportunity to learn experientially, through testing their ideas and learning from mistakes. 

According to the 70:20:10 model for learning and development, 70 percent of learning in the workplace is experiential — learning through practice and experience, followed by reflection, critical analysis, and application.  

3. Strategies and ideas can come from anyone

A generally held view is that strategy is the sole responsibility of those at the top of an organization. Those in leadership set the strategic direction of the company and steer the team in that general direction.  

While executives do need to take charge and make final decisions about which way to head, this approach can lead to missing the ideas of those working at other levels of the organization. Employees are generally an untapped resource of creativity and innovation - implementing the design thinking cycle can help to uncover this.

When employees are encouraged to use higher-order thinking skills such as creativity, this automatically boosts engagement and motivation to complete a task. 

Researchers have also linked better engagement in workplace tasks to the retention of staff. Staff retention is a problem across organizations in the modern workplace and can have a direct impact on productivity.

If team members are using the design cycle to come up with new ideas, processes, and concepts for their organization, they will invariably hit stumbling blocks along the way. Perhaps they aren’t confident in collecting reliable data to develop an understanding of customers. Maybe low self-confidence holds them back from contributing ideas to a brainstorming session.

Wherever the problems arise, they provide employees with an opportunity for learning and professional development. If an employee wants to learn more about collecting data, she could enrol in an introductory course. If he has an issue with self-confidence, an online course might help to reframe his thinking.

A one-stop shop for all things training, Go1 makes it easy to compare the best training options available and find the right resources for your professional development, compliance, and business training needs. 

For more insights, be sure to subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

Help your employees to innovate using the design thinking cycle

While there are several compelling reasons for organizations to invest in professional development, employees must be engaged in the learning process before anybody can reap the benefits. 

In a recent article for Go1, I considered the barriers to learning that organizations come up against and how to mitigate them. One of the most significant hurdles employees face is failing to see the bigger picture. They don’t understand why they need to learn or how it is relevant to their work. 

Many employees might also have had negative experiences of learning in the past. School might have been tedious or stressful, and they aren't interested in more formal study. 

Part of the challenge for L&D professionals is selling the idea of learning, and helping employees connect to the broader purpose is a crucial part of the process. 

Ultimately, if learners are engaged, they will retain information, be able to apply it, and be more satisfied in their jobs. 

Data from the LinkedIn Learning 2019 Workplace Learning Report reveals that 74% of employees want to learn during their spare time at work. The desire to learn is not an issue for the majority. 

If the drive to learn is there, employees can be intrinsically motivated to engage with content. It is the systems around learning which are preventing them from connecting. 

The report also shows that there are broader benefits to learning at work. When compared with ‘light learners’ (those learning less than one hour per week), ‘heavy learners' (those learning five hours or more per week) were 78% more likely to know where they wanted to go in their career, 48% more likely to have found purpose in their work, and 47% less likely to be stressed at work.

Sharing this data with employees could help them to connect with the process of learning on a deeper level and understand how it will benefit them. Other strategies can also be useful. 

Helping your colleagues connect with the purpose of learning

1. Develop the learning culture in your organization

For employees to connect with learning, those in leadership need to focus on the learning culture in the organization. While employees both want to learn and have the best intentions to do so, they will find it challenging if the rest of their team or superiors are not interested. Everyone has a role to play in developing a strong learning culture, but it begins with those in leadership prioritizing and valuing learning. 

2. Communicate the broader benefits of learning

There are many benefits to learning beyond being a diligent employee. A regular learning practice can alleviate stress, help employees to define the direction of their career, and help them to find purpose in their work. 

If employees understand that learning can have such a positive impact, they are far more likely to connect with the purpose. Immediately, they will be able to see how it can benefit them, their colleagues, customers, and the organization as a whole. 

Before employees can connect with learning, resources available to them have to be both relevant to their role in the organization and appropriate to the level of knowledge or skill. 

Lev Vygotsky, the psychologist whose theories underpin educational practices today, developed the concept of a ‘zone of proximal development’. This term describes the point at which a learner can use their current experience to construct new knowledge or skills, through interaction in an appropriate social environment. Along with suitable content, the environment or organizational culture needs to enable learning and keep employees moving forward. 

4. Look for opportunities to personalize the learning experience

Personalizing learning is the difference between content being engaging or boring. Content needs to address an individual’s learning needs as accurately as possible, and advancing technology is helping to simplify this process.

If your colleagues have access to learning materials appropriate to their learning journey, they are far more likely to see the purpose in the activities and understand why the content is meaningful to them. 

The best way to understand whether or not employees connect with the purpose of learning is to ask for regular feedback on their experience. Of the employees who engage with learning platforms, find out why they choose to log on regularly or ask what they think the purpose is.

You can ask for feedback through informal conversations, but anonymous surveys may give more accurate results as respondents will feel they can be more honest. Also, be aware that their time is limited, so finding a way to glean feedback quickly would also be beneficial. 

In the current workplace environment, employees want to direct their learning. Deloitte Insights explains that corporate learning departments are changing from education providers to content curators and experience facilitators. Their task is to develop innovative platforms that turn employee learning and development into a self-driven pursuit.

Employees should keep track of their professional development and manage their time. The more independent the process is, the more organic and engaging it will be.  

Overcoming barriers to learning: help your colleagues connect with the purpose 

Like it or not, barriers are a natural part of life. Things are rarely as simple or as straightforward as we want them to be. Whether there's a trial to pass or an obstacle to overcome, barriers often get in the way of our best-laid plans. However, these challenges make success all the more rewarding. And workplace learning is no exception. 

As technology continues to advance, learning at work is no longer an optional luxury. It is an essential benefit that no team can do without. Senior commentators at Deloitte explain that "in a competitive external talent market, learning is vital to an organisation’s ability to obtain needed skills."

Despite this, multiple barriers prevent employees from engaging in workplace learning. From time to access to a lack of technical skills, we'll analyse the most common barriers to learning at work and offer practical suggestions for how to overcome them.

If you wanted to learn a new skill at work tomorrow, would you know where to begin? Does your company have clearly defined processes for workplace learning and development? Does your boss encourage upskilling, or see it as a waste of time? Does your company foster a culture of learning, where employees feel safe and comfortable exploring new skills? Do you have the appropriate access and training to make the most of your organisation's LMS? 

In theory, every business should want to encourage its employees to learn. After all, IBM finds that every dollar invested in online learning results in $30 worth of productivity. In practice, these are just a few of the most common barriers that get in the way. 

In a 2022 study published in Educational Philosophy, Sebastian Anselmann explains that barriers to learning come in many shapes and sizes. He says, "barriers can occur on the individual, team or organisational level. Research indicates that motivational factors, social interactions, the general structure or equipment of the workplace, and further career development can all be learning barriers. In turn, these barriers can be external, internal, or refer to problems with organisational fit."

Thus, while online learning tools have made it easier than ever for employees to access study materials that are appropriate to their needs, barriers still abound. According to the Learning and Work Institute, just 17% of people say they face no barriers to learning at work. This leaves the remaining 83% experiencing the following barriers to learning: 

Even getting started with workplace learning can be a daunting challenge. Although some employees won’t have long graduated from high school or university, many would have finished formal learning years ago and may need help reconnecting with the process. Like any other muscle, your brain needs constant exercise and stimulation, so it can take a while to get back into the rhythm of learning. 

And these issues are just the tip of the iceberg! Other common hurdles that prevent employees from engaging in workplace learning include: 

Employees not connecting to the broader purpose of professional development

Businesses failing to invest in the appropriate learning tools

As you can see, there is no shortage of barriers to learning at work. So, the question becomes, how can businesses overcome these barriers and see their learning culture thrive? 

Now that we understand  some of the most common barriers to learning at work, let’s look at how organisations can overcome these challenges and make learning at work a more realistic and sustainable goal.

In the modern workplace, access to technology has enabled us to work whenever we want, wherever we want. For many, remote work has been a blessing. However, with this shift, the sense of community that employees once experienced at work has diminished. 

Professional learning and development relies on networks. According to the 70:20:10 model, 20% of all learning occurs through incidental social interactions. Today, there are many more ways to communicate (messaging platforms, email, video calls, etc.) but fewer opportunities to have spontaneous conversations about learning. 

To overcome this barrier, it may be beneficial to encourage employees to meet up face-to-face throughout the learning process. Bringing in a social element to workplace learning will boost motivation and give learners a chance to explore any concepts they find challenging. 

Many employees might have had negative experiences of learning in the past. School might have been tedious or stressful, a previous boss might have discouraged workplace learning, or they might be hesitant to undertake more formal study. 

For those in leadership positions, it is essential to show employees that modern learning has come a long way from the strict classrooms and rigid rules of the past. Learners can now select content that is relevant to them, as and when they need to. Alternatively, they can work with their colleagues to complete courses in groups. The learning process is far more flexible, targeted, and personalised, making it significantly more engaging.

It may be a question of attracting staff to engage with workplace learning by showing them how much learning has changed. Learning doesn't have to be dull and stressful — it can be engaging and rewarding! 

Ultimately, it all comes down to building a strong, robust learning culture, where employees are rewarded for seeking new skills and knowledge. For tips on how to achieve this, check out our article on creating a sustainable learning culture. 

Finding the time for learning is also a significant barrier in a time-poor world. There is always something more pressing to do, so upskilling tends to get pushed to the bottom of the pile.

Industry analyst Josh Bersin explains the average employee has only 24 minutes per week for formal learning. What's more, while 94% of workers say they see the benefit of making time for learning, just 49% make time to do so. Further, a recent survey found that 61% of employees think that time is the biggest barrier to their development. Other common barriers to workplace learning include money and a lack of formal direction. Clearly, employees struggle to find the time for workplace learning. 

In this working environment, organisations must prioritise learning. More importantly, they must tell employees that learning is a priority, not an afterthought. If staff understand that their development is integral to company strategy and that it is valued, they are far more likely to set aside the time for it. 

While it can be tempting to complete five minutes of study here and there (and ultimately this is better than nothing), employees should set aside dedicated blocks of time to focus on workplace learning. As usual, this is easier said than done. 

Finding time for workplace learning should be a top-down process, with managers and team leaders encouraging everyone to find time for learning. If your manager tells you to set aside time for learning, you are far more likely to do so than if you are left to find time for learning independently. 

Managers and leaders must set a positive example to foster a robust learning culture. For example, team leaders could encourage everyone to set aside half an hour before lunch on Fridays, followed by a team lunch to debrief and share what they learned. Structured sessions can make the process more social, while also easing the time pressure on employees. 

Perhaps the most significant barrier to learning is finding a space to focus and get started. Although the standard working environment has changed considerably to suit the needs of millennial employees, it can still be challenging to work uninterrupted. Offices are open-plan, and there is a consensus that it’s ok to speak to somebody at their desk. 

In fact, Time Magazine finds that the average office worker is interrupted a whopping 56 times per day! It's hard to find time to complete all your work in between these interruptions, let alone carve out extra time for learning. 

Interruptions can be particularly problematic for learning, which requires 100% focus and attention. According to one study, it takes the average employee 25 minutes and 26 seconds to completely refocus after being distracted. This lack of focus time makes workplace learning nearly impossible. Imagine trying to learn a complex, intricate new skill, only to have your concentration broken every few minutes. Worse still, it takes over 20 minutes for you to completely refocus! Clearly, this is far from the ideal learning environment.

With this in mind, we suggest using the following tips to make your employees’ learning space as quiet and calm as possible: 

Avoid all other distractions when learning 

Set clear boundaries with other colleagues

For more ideas on how to reclaim your focus time, see our article on reducing interruptions.

While online courses have simplified the learning process in many ways, some platforms can still be clunky and awkward to use. Additionally, some staff members — particularly older ones who aren't digital natives — may not have the necessary technical skills to access and operate their company's online learning platform. 

This should come as no surprise, as digital literacy expert Elizabeth Marsh recently found that 88% of organisations have not taken any action to tackle their employees’ lack of digital skills. 

If these issues are troubling your employees, then this is an excellent opportunity to practice upskilling. Focus on equipping your employees with the required knowledge, access, and skills to navigate online learning portals with confidence. Don't simply assume that everyone is starting from the same base of technical skills and knowledge!

For tips on improving your team's digital literacy, see our article on the importance of digital literacy for your workforce.

From time to access to a lack of technical skills, we'll analyse the most common barriers to learning at work and offer practical suggestions for how to overcome them.

Barriers to learning at work and how to overcome them 

In the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, managers across the world are advising employees to work from home to limit the spread of infection. Employees accustomed to spending their days in the office now find themselves having to adapt, and quickly. 

This sudden change to routine has the potential to limit productivity and damage businesses. However, there are steps both employees and managers can take to ensure everyone remains effective and engaged in their work. 

For many, being forced to work alone will be a new experience. While some employees will have experienced partial remote working, consistently working alone requires a different mindset. 

Although it can take some getting used to, with the right approach, working remotely can be a success - even a benefit for businesses. 

Increasing in popularity over the last 20 years, the bank of research into remote working is growing. Not only is it becoming more accepted, is it a sought after feature of the workplace. Between 1996 and 2016, The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that the number of companies offering remote working options had tripled.  

Remote working can benefit both employees and employers. Zara Greenbaum at the American Psychological Association (APA) explains that for employers, remote working can reduce expenses and overheads. Removing geographical limitations also opens up the talent pool - leaders can hire from wherever they like. Employees gain flexibility, save time, and reduce transportation and child care costs. 

Greenbaum adds that while there are definite advantages, leaders need to consider their approach to remote working to ensure productivity, creativity, and morale are maintained.

Despite the current need for people to work from home, in the digital era, it is helpful for everyone to consider how to be more productive and engaged when working outside of the office environment. Of course, not all employees can work at home, but for those who can, it makes sense to learn how to optimize the process. 

Five strategies to optimise performance when working remotely

When teams work remotely, there are fewer opportunities to engage socially and bounce ideas around. This isolation can negatively impact productivity, team morale, and creativity. 

To avoid this slump, and maintain working relationships with teammates, it's crucial to make an effort to be involved in Skype meetings, video chats, conference calls, LinkedIn groups – whatever it takes. This connection will help you stay in touch with your colleagues and managers, as well as be in the loop with networking or career opportunities.

This course from Cegos Training highlights that effective communication is not just recommended, but is a vital key to success for remote teams. The content includes tips on how to manage team members’ activities as well as how to boost motivation. 

Trust is an integral part of any professional relationship, and this is put to the test when employees work remotely. For the most part, managers are unable to see what is going on when employees work from home until they deliver a piece of work or tangible contribution to a project. 

Building a relationship of trust works both ways. Employees can set boundaries with their line managers, and those in leadership need to make their expectations clear. 

If you are new to working at home, being productive can be a challenge. In theory, there are fewer distractions than in the office, but even if you are at home alone, there are plenty of new ways to procrastinate. 

Being a successful remote worker takes a lot of discipline and structure. It's essential to establish a good routine and a realistic schedule that works for both you and your employer.

This means figuring out what hours you’ll work, as well as the hours you won’t work. Remote workers are susceptible to working around the clock, being available and switched ‘on’ at all hours. It may take a while to figure out the best work schedule for you that fits in with your lifestyle and personal working habits.

This course from Biz Library teaches employees and managers alike how to take advantage of remote working, starting with a focus on productivity.

Many people derive motivation to work hard from being in the same space as their colleagues and managers. The physical presence of others who are working away at their desks is incentive enough to keep up with the pace and not fall behind. 

When working from home, this particular motivation disappears, so you need to find out what else motivates you to complete your work to a high standard. 

Motivations and rewards drive us forward. Without a reward after completing a task, we will find it challenging to be motivated to repeat it, work efficiently, or put in 100% effort. 

This series from CreativeLive focuses on tricks for setting up for success in a remote role and ensuring a smooth transition from the workplace. 	

When teams aren’t in direct contact with each other, celebrating success can sometimes feel forced or formulaic. In this situation, it is crucial not only to find a way to acknowledge team achievements but to reward yourself regularly. This mindset will help to boost your motivation and keep you engaged with the work. 

Before moving on to the next task, acknowledge either your achievement or compliment a colleague. 

Five strategies to optimise performance when working remotely 

It’s no secret that gender-diverse organizations are outperforming homogeneous ones with a staggering stride. 

McKinsey’s 2018 report on diversity in the workforce states that “companies in the top-quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21% more likely to outperform on profitability.” Given this fact, it stands to reason that we’d see more women in leadership roles, right? Unfortunately, the reality is that today, women are stalled from obtaining executive roles, and it can’t be blamed on attrition. 

At the heart of gender underrepresentation are organizational failures to address key setbacks for women in the workforce. From recruitment to professional development, women regularly experience unequal investment in their abilities and potential, as well as social isolation and harassment. And the response from employers has been lackluster: Companies are creating HR and L&D strategies that focus on meeting bare-minimum requirements and providing generalized, procedural training that puts the onus on employees (e.g., self-led harassment training, instructions on how to file a report against a colleague, etc.).  

To develop a robust L&D strategy that can actually move the needle on gender parity, L&D professionals must think beyond traditional approaches and embrace diverse one-on-one training and mentorship for female employees — and make a business case for investing in these measures. So far, only 13% of companies that are aiming for gender parity are taking this critical step.

In our ebook, “Your Learning & Development Assumptions: Truth or Lie?” we exposed the myth that leadership training as it exists is helping women to advance. Here, let’s take a deeper dive into the top factors holding women back from the leadership roles throughout the employee lifecycle, and what your company can do to achieve gender diversity every step of the way. 

1. Uneven investment in female employees 

Global training company The Knowledge Academy reports that male employees were 17% more likely to be given training opportunities than their female counterparts. Training for men also tends to be of higher quality and more curated to build the skills needed to be an effective leader. 

With women facing different obstacles than men in the workplace, McKinsey reports that not only should one-on-one mentorship be provided to women, but also that training courses focused on the following topics should be made available:

Building visibility and executive presence

For male counterparts in senior leadership, McKinsey encourages companies to train according to these questions:

“How can we counteract trends causing women to move away disproportionately from line roles and P&L responsibility?”

“How do senior, external, and lateral hires affect our pipeline? Are they diluting gender gains?”

“Which executive men and women are using — and publicly supporting — work-flexibility programs? If none have done so, which leaders would be the most effective work-flexibility champions?”

“Who is sponsoring and mentoring our senior high-potential women?”

Consider this: 98% of companies report having adequate learning programs in place to combat workplace sexual harassment, while 55% of women in senior leadership report experiencing harrassment, according to McKinsey. Furthermore, in the same survey, only 32% of all women employees reported feel that complaints are handled rapidly and effectively. So where are companies falling short?

Chief Learning Officer reports that companies are relying on educating rather than training employees on sexual harassment. The key is that education is about knowledge, whereas training is about behavior. Most companies have invested in educating about sexual harassment — providing information about what is and isn’t legal, and how to report violations — but are falling short on actually training employees through real-life scenarios. 

However, Chief Learning Officer calls on companies to start delivering content that is relevant to employees’ everyday environments. For example:

Unconscious bias: What is it and how to recognize it in your daily work life

How to speak up when someone unintentionally steps over the line

How to intervene when you see harassment, inappropriate behavior, or suspicious behavior

Women in leadership positions often find themselves isolated. McKinsey reports that 1 in 5 women say they are often the only woman or one of the only women in the room at work. That number doubles for senior-level women and women in technical roles. The recommendations to tackle this issue of isolation requires a cross-departmental effort — from HR to executive leadership. Some courses to consider to make your workforce more inclusive for women are:

How to avoid incorporating biases into business decisions and promotions

Sponsoring and mentoring high-potential women and minorities

Recognizing and eliminating microaggressions in the workplace

To close the gender gap and create a gender-balanced workforce across all stages of an employee’s career, companies need to move past bare-minimum and policy-focused education. Instead, organizations need to begin training and mentoring their leaders — men and women alike — with the support of learning content that is curated to the real-life needs and obstacles that are preventing women from moving ahead. 

Women in leadership: what’s holding them back, and what can you do about it?

In today’s workforce, it's increasingly common to be a remote worker, with more companies supporting and encouraging the idea of employees working from home.

In fact, these days many companies are comprised entirely of remote team members, working across different continents and time zones, from various office locations or home workspaces.

Remote working can have a bunch of great benefits for both employers and employees. It allows staff the freedom to choose where and when they work, with the opportunity for more flexible hours and a greater sense of autonomy.

For workers taking care of a family, or dealing with health issues, remote work enables them to continue to use their skills to contribute to organisational goals, while managing their individual needs and lifestyle. Many creatives, such as writers or designers, for example, can also really benefit from remote working arrangements, preferring to deliver projects from their own home workspace rather than the traditional open office working environment.

Whether you’re telecommuting for a company or working for yourself as a freelancer or contractor, it’s important to know how to make remote working a success for you and your employer.

Working from home gives you the opportunity to create your own dream workspace, exactly as you’ve always wanted. Spend time creating a home office space, decorating it with things that make you feel uplifted and energised, like your favourite books, artworks or house plants. It may sound trivial, but by doing this you’ll be establishing an area of your home that’s dedicated exclusively to work.

This is an important psychological step as it helps delineate your work from your home life, which is vital to avoid burning out from work. Although some people may think that remote workers have it easy, lounging around at home in their pyjamas, the risk of burning out is still high – perhaps even higher, as remote work is often very deadline driven and there’s no one around to tell you when to stop!

Besides, working from your bed or couch isn’t going to cut it in the long run. It might be a novelty in the beginning, but you’ll soon realise you need a proper office set-up to feel productive and efficient.

You should also spend some time organising your virtual desktop. Setting up clear folders, tabs and bookmarks on your computer will make everyday work life so much easier. Messy workspaces, whether it’s your physical desk or virtual desktop, won’t help when you’re having a busy day.

Being a successful remote worker takes a lot of discipline and structure. You need to establish a good routine and a realistic schedule that works for both you and your employer.

This means figuring out what hours you’ll work, as well as the hours you won’t work. People who work from home are susceptible to working around the clock, being available and switched ‘on’ at all hours. It may take a while to figure out the best work schedule for you that fits in with your lifestyle and personal working habits.

For example, while some people are more focused in the early hours of the morning, others may feel at their best in the afternoon. You can schedule different tasks for different times of the day depending on your personality, which is one of the best things about flexible work arrangements. Falling into a night owl routine can be a risky trap for freelancers though, and isn't the best for your health.

Once you’ve made decisions like switching off at 5 pm, or not checking emails on weekends, stick to it! If you’re feeling intimidated at the thought of working alone, or feel like you could use some guidance in setting yourself up remotely, look into online courses for remote workers. You’ll learn skills and helpful techniques to avoid and resolve some common problems faced when working remotely.

Take proper breaks when working from home

When you create your work routine, don’t forget to factor in proper breaks. In offices, you’re more likely to take the time to grab coffee with a colleague or go out for lunch as a team. Social interaction reminds us to stop working for a second and have a chat or a snack.

Remote workers can be guilty of forgetting to take enough breaks, eating lunch at their desks, or deciding to just push through and get things done. It’s well-known that taking breaks during your workday increases productivity and efficiency, so it’s important to practice that. You’ll return to your desk after your break with a clearer head, feeling energised and ready to continue your work.

Getting outside is also important as a remote worker. Switching off from technology, even just while you walk around the block, is vital for your well-being and mental health. To help you stick to this, you can use an alarm on your computer or phone to remind you to take a break or shut down. If you need the discipline of hard stop times, set the alarm for 15 minutes before your break or end of the day, to give you time to wrap up what you’re working on before switching off.

While collaboration technology is making remote teams just as efficient and productive as traditional workplace environments, as a freelancer you will be missing out on face-to-face interactions with colleagues and managers.

An article in Forbes discussed how important it is for remote workers to remain networked as closely as possible with peers and leaders in the office.

“While working at home can be beneficial for both companies and workers, it can also lead to ‘invisibility’ that can limit opportunities for career advancement,” Ana Dutra, chief executive of Talent Consulting says.

To avoid this, and maintain working relationships with teammates, it's important to make the effort to be involved in Skype meetings, video chats, conference calls, LinkedIn groups – whatever it takes. This will help you stay connected with your colleagues and managers, as well as in the loop with networking or career opportunities.

Last but most certainly not least – be sure to celebrate your achievements! Working from home means you won’t be getting the same kind of feedback on your personal or team work as you might in an office environment.

Finishing up a big project, securing a new client or hitting that important deadline is harder to celebrate when you’re working by yourself. But it's a good idea to take the time to acknowledge your achievement before simply moving on with the next piece of work.

Celebrating that sense of accomplishment and satisfaction will reinforce your subconscious to keep up the good work, so it’s an important step in building your confidence and career. You might not have an actual office full of people you can celebrate with, but you can share your milestones with friends, family or your professional network connections.

As Maren Kate Donovan, CEO of Zirtual – a company comprised entirely of remote employees – says, “when you finish a big task, celebrate your accomplishment through sharing it with your team and getting that extra latte just the way you like it from your favorite coffee shop down the street.”

On the flipside, when you do find yourself working in your pyjamas at midnight, fuelled by coffee and deadlines, don’t be too hard on yourself. Because days like this will happen and no one is perfect. Just try and get back to your proper routine the following day.

Marking your achievements, establishing a proper workspace and routine, and maintaining connections to the outside world will go a long way towards making your remote work life a success.

How to be a successful remote worker

Remote workers have become increasingly common in today’s workforce, with more and more businesses supporting and encouraging the idea of employees working from home.