How Podcasts Can Change the Way We Work
Learning and career development are crucial parts of any organization. Finding a delicate balance of technologies, learner needs, and preferences, while using new learning methodologies to deliver training that meets the needs of a multigenerational workforce is key. Personalized learning is not just about what employees learn, but also must consider how they learn. Organizations are tasked with reskilling and upskilling their workforce for the future. Podcasts are one modern modality worth considering. Let’s take a closer look.
What are the benefits of using a podcast for training in an organization?
Learners in today’s modern world, especially younger generations have fallen in love with podcasts. So it only makes sense that podcasts have made their way into the workplace.
- There are podcasts on almost every subject out there. If there is a topic your learner is interested in, there are likely podcasts available. According to a recent survey, there are over 700,000 active podcasts and 29 million podcast episodes available.
- Podcasts can deliver the information on phones, through email, or device of the user’s choice. Listeners are only limited by their own time and internet connection. Today’s technology allows us to pick and choose what we listen to and when. They are available 24/7.
- Training professionals can deliver the content to employees that they need to be successful at their jobs with ease. Most organizations already have the equipment they need to record a podcast. They allow opportunities for employers and employees to generate their own training content. Podcasts empower your workforce to share their own knowledge.
- Podcasts don’t monopolize your time. They allow us to use our time more effectively and stimulate our minds while performing other tasks, like commuting to work, filing papers, or taking a walk.
- Employers are able to deliver personalized training and establish a conversational framework within it’s workforce. The use of podcasts enhances the effectiveness of training and knowledge retention.
- Podcasts put employees in control of the learning process. It creates a self-directed learning pathway.
- Podcasts are an excellent option for training materials with a large amount of written content. They are relatively fast, easy, and inexpensive compared to full media courses.
- Offering a variety of learning modalities is important. People learn in different ways. Podcasts appeal to the 18-34 age bracket in particular.
- The more employees listen to content created by your organization, the more engaged they become with the company. They feel connected to you, which ultimately helps reduce workforce turnover.
What are some examples of how podcasts can be used in the workplace?
- Develop Soft skills – Soft skills are personal attributes and desirable qualities that are essential for personal and career success.
- New hire orientation
- Presentation recordings
- Interviews with experts – a podcast host could have a conversation with a leader of a new company initiative and reply to employee-submitted questions.
- Content creation by employees
- Address new initiatives, policies, or products – create a podcast with a more narrative style, like a conversation between executives, to address issues that have generated significant employee questions or interest.
- Showcase company values – what a great way to develop an exceptional company culture
- Keep employees informed with company updates, and other internal happenings.
What are some tips for creating your own company podcast?
One of the most important tips when adding podcasts to your e-learning or training program is to ensure good sound quality. You need to care about the quality of the content you are recording if you want your audience to stay engaged. It will be helpful to find an editing tool that you can count on. Invest in a good microphone and pop filter that will allow you to have clear audio. Consider creating an outline before recording the podcast. Good podcasts have a conversational tone but an outline will help you keep the conversation flowing more naturally.
Evaluating your training podcast effectiveness is crucial. Employees should be encouraged to give their feedback. This helps you analyze your content and make necessary adjustments. Feedback provides trainers the opportunity to determine if the intended outcome was met. Comprehensive feedback on the effectiveness in achieving business goals is invaluable to any business.
In this modern world, the workplace is constantly changing and growing. Skills gaps and employee turnover rates are increasing. Podcasts are an effective and convenient tool to use for engaging employee training. Employees can listen to episodes at their convenience while learning something new and staying connected with their company at the same time. Podcasts are a fun and modern way to present content to learners.
CABEM Technologies has 20+ years of experience developing custom enterprise solutions for organizations with the highest standards. Everyone has many tasks that they need to accomplish, and desired skills to be able to do so competently. Our system helps bridge this gap, to compile and create competencies in a logical way that institutionalizes enterprise employee knowledge.
We found that many training plans operate within a vacuum and are not formulated from the top down to address the needs of the whole organization. Our system allows organizations to create competencies and map them to departments, roles, locations, and other segments across the enterprise. Contact us today to get started.