Cross-Industry eLearning For SMB Growth
Growing a thriving small or medium business (SMB) culture requires extensive training, and an understanding of how to implement new technologies along the way. Most entrepreneurs know they must stay up-to-date on the latest tech advances in their industry. It’s also important to stay on top of general advances that might impact the world around you, and eventually change the way you do business.
Benefits Of Tapping Into Cross-Industry eLearning Strategies
A simple way to know what’s impacting other sectors is utilizing cross-industry eLearning strategies. There are many benefits to embracing training procedures from outside your field:
- Save money by tapping into premade programs
- Expand your perspective
- Discover new trends that could impact your industry in the future
- Reduce time to create new programs
- Collaborate with other businesses and form valuable partnerships
- Learn about technology you may not hear about in your own field
Many SMBs use cross-industry training to build a well-rounded training program and ensure they cover all points effectively. How can you make the most of cross-industry eLearning methods?
Tips To Leverage Training Methods From Various Industries
Cross-training is a tried and true concept. Manufacturers have used it for decades to improve employee motivation. However, growth in the eLearning sector means all sizes of business can now tap into the power of cross-industry training. Statista estimates the online learning platform market will reach $75.52 billion by 2029 [1].
When employees feel you’re investing in them, they’re more likely to stick with your company. Improving retention means you keep the most talented staff. You’ve invested in their growth and if you provide adequate promotion opportunities and an excellent culture, they’ll have little reason to leave your employment and go to a competitor. Here are some of the ways you can learn from other brands and drive performance and worker growth.
1. Tap Into Microlearning
You can use short, focused sessions to help employees pick up new skills or understand technology better that might impact your enterprise. One interesting implementation of cross-industry training can be seen in the MRI design by GE Healthcare. A designer learned about human-centered design to create an MRI machine that was less frightening for children [2]. Such cross-training creates new products that solve pain points for consumers and drive business growth.
2. Build A Stronger Culture
Building more cultural intelligence (CQ) helps your team adapt to new problems and work together to solve them in creative ways. A better CQ across your staff also creates a community of people working toward a common goal. Research shows organizations with higher CQ have a 750% higher profitability margin than those who ignore culture building [3]. Some industries are well-suited to team building, such as marketing agencies. You can learn a lot by jumping in on their training sessions and seeing what methods they implement.
3. Build Internal Cross-Functional Teams
Consider ways your departments can learn from one another. One example might be a local restaurant where the front of the house and the kitchen workers stay separate. However, during peak times, the kitchen may need some extra help or the front counter may need someone to check out a customer. When you use crossing-training with all employees, anyone can jump in and complete the necessary tasks to ensure customer satisfaction. Whatever electronic training methods you use with the front house staff, you can also use with the back of the house workers.
4. Enhance Customer Satisfaction
Some sectors are adept at customer service. Tap into their training modules to ensure your staff gives customers the best experience possible. Focusing on creating positive interactions with users boosts profits 95% [4] and gives your brand an excellent reputation over the competition. Look to team up with service-oriented businesses—such as HVAC, restaurants, and others who work directly with the public—for training. The chains are more likely to offer eLearning modules your employees can tap into for skill-building sessions. Short informational sessions are perfectly suited for microlearning and skill building.
5. Reward Learning
Develop a company culture where you reward employees for learning new things and bringing outside skills in. Encourage them to seek new skills on their own. Various sites offer digital learning opportunities. You can also create a list of growth opportunities and let people work their way through various tiers on their way to promotions. Consider the skills you want your workers to develop and base the eLearning options around building those elements into what they already do. Expand learning opportunities to things such as eBooks on various topics and listening to TED talks. Think outside the box to expand your reach and offer as many areas of growth as possible.
6. Develop A Community-Led Mindset
True innovation occurs when leaders let their work community come up with new ideas and drive innovation. Utilizing cross-industry collaboration and learning is one way to introduce fresh perspectives your team otherwise wouldn’t think of. Start-ups benefit from innovator communities, and organizations such as the World Economic Forum offer opportunities to team up with people around the world. Opportunities to brainstorm and learn from others creates an enterprise with a growth focus. You want employees who feel comfortable sharing what seems like a crazy idea. The team can take the germ of what will work and brainstorm something fresh.
7. Understand New Technologies
Unless your business is in the tech sector, understanding new technologies as they arise and how they might impact your company can be complex. For example, the advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are impacting nearly all organizations in every industry. How well you adapt to the changes can determine if you stay ahead of the competition. One way to understand AI is to team up with a company developing apps and software. You could also pull in your IT team and see what they can teach you about the backend coding of programs. Even a basic understanding of the capabilities of technology can drive innovation and help company leaders know what is possible.
Expanding Knowledge
Taking certification programs and adding skills can give your brand leverage and make you stand out from the competition. Your customers will notice you always seem to have the latest innovations and your team will feel the excitement of learning new ways to do things. Adding training opportunities shows your entire team you care about their development and the future of the business. Customer and employee churn will lower and you’ll see the fruit of your efforts in increased revenue and company culture.
References:
[1] Online Learning Platforms – Worldwide
[2] Changing Experiences through Empathy – The Adventure Series
[3] Mastering Emotional Intelligence
[4] 5 Reasons Product Management Training Matters for Small Businesses
