Nimble Elearning's advice for Learning at Work Week 2023

It’s Learning at Work Week this week, and the focus is on the theme of ‘Create the Future.’  This year Business West is celebrating 200 years of future thinking for the region so we asked Chamber Member Nimble Elearning to tell us about the work they do and share what they think the future of workplace learning should look like.

Here at Nimble, we’re always thinking about workplace learning! Organisations of all sizes and from a range of sectors – from charities and retailers, to airports and leisure destinations – use Nimble’s tools to easily and efficiently share learning opportunities with their teams. We’re constantly in touch with our customers talking about what they find most useful in workplace learning, and wanted to share some of our insights with the Business West network for Learning at Work Week. 

Introducing Nimble Elearning

Nimble began with a seed of an idea in 2009. Our founders were working in the online training industry where they could see the huge benefits of delivering training digitally – but also how expensive and laborious it was to create bespoke content. They knew there must be a better way. 

From their base in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire they began work creating the product that would become the core of Nimble today – tools that would make it super-easy for organisations of any size to build their own engaging online courses themselves, and release them to their people and track results. 

Fast forward to 2023, and Nimble is used by over 6,000 companies, with 450,000 active learners and over 16,000 courses created by Nimble customers.

Elearning allows workplaces of all sizes to produce their own bespoke training materials and share them with their teams at the click of a button, as well as keep training courses efficient and up to date. 

How do organisations use Nimble for learning at work?

Nimble makes it super-simple to deliver online learning in any workplace. While every workplace will have its own training requirements, there are three key areas where elearning can offer fantastic opportunities for learning in the workplace. 

1. Covering essential compliance topics, such as Data Protection, with annual training and refresher courses so teams can maintain up-to-date knowledge.

This is an example of learning at work that many of us will be familiar with. Most employers will have a need to cover some form of compliance training as part of their legal responsibilities. As it’s recurring, you want the information to be up-to-date, and the learner experience to be as smooth as possible so you avoid moans when the request goes out! With Elearning, you can often chose to buy a ready-to-go course on common topics, or create one yourself with the exact information you need.

“Since implementing the Nimble platform, we have had a significant uplift in our H&S training results through the ease of use.” – Bonnie, Forest Holidays

2. Onboarding new starters who join the organisation, so all their essential information is in one place for a smooth start to their new role.

Starting on the right foot by setting expectations clearly and having all documentation in one place is really important for new starters. Elearning tools allow employees to access courses in their own time and on whichever device they prefer, making inductions flexible and less intimidating. 

3. Creating bespoke training just for their organisation, whether on how to use equipment, sell a product, or work effectively as a team 

Creating your own elearning courses is easier than you might think, and we have a tool called Nimble Author which allows you to do this seamlessly. 

“The product is simple and effective and has thoroughly helped our employee training delivery and engagement.” – Holly, JoJo Maman Bébé

If you already have slides or training notes from when you deliver a session, it’s possible to take the time to transfer these into an online course, and then learners can be enrolled in an instant without waiting for you to be available in person. This is particularly useful as teams grow, and it becomes a challenge for one expert in your organisation to speak with everyone – elearning can help share detailed key information quickly to a wide audience.  

Elearning vs Face to Face learning 

As an elearning provider we’re obviously huge fans of online learning, but we recognise that there are times where face-to-face learning is simply the best approach to a particular training need. 

Many organisations look for a ‘best of both worlds’ approach by offering blended learning for some of their most important training. Blended learning describes when different delivery styles are mixed when covering one topic. Combining an online learning course with an opportunity for everyone to come together for a face-to-face training session, can really make the most of that time together in-person. 

With a trend towards hybrid working – mixing office and home-based work – it’s more of a challenge to get everyone in a room together for face-to-face training. Elearning can help to deliver some aspects of your training easily, and still maintain the quality and the personalisation you want to have. So, when you do get that precious time together in the office, it’s used in the best, most valuable way. 

Nimble’s top tips for Learning at Work week

Every organisation will be in a different place with the learning they currently provide, and will have different ambitions of where they want to go! Whatever your situation, here’s some general advice from Nimble of where to start making improvements. 

Focus on your learner experience

• Talk with your learners about the current learning offer and what could be improved
• Make any learning you provide as relevant to the person and their role as possible
• Check that it’s easy for learners to access materials, and that they know where to go for information
• Be mindful of where and when can learners access the learning – ensure managers allow time in everyone’s schedules, and that it’s easy for teams who are not desk-based to access the materials 

Know your ‘big picture’ goals

• What are you delivering the learning for? Think about your aims, and what you hope will be improved in the future following the learning you deliver
• Make sure key people across the organisation are also working towards these aims, from leadership to motivated learners who can act as ambassadors for the learning 
• Integrate learning into daily life so that looking for learning opportunities is normal for everyone throughout your organisation. A learning culture doesn't happen by accident – you need to build it! 

By always keeping in mind both your learner experience and your overall aims, you’ve got the best chance of having a meaningful impact on both individuals and their personal development, and on the organisation as a whole. 

Find out more about Nimble and meet some of the team in this Video by Learning News.