Applying e-learning concepts to reduce employee attrition rates

Retaining the right talent plays a vital role in an organization’s success. But this is easier said than done, with constant employee churn being a major drag on business momentum. E-learning has been widely embraced by Learning & Development teams in the HR function to drive upskilling of the workforce – but the core human resource management function of employee retention has not really tapped into the potential of e-learning based solutions in their role. 

To understand the link between e-learning and retention, let’s first study the factors that result in high attrition in the first place.

Have you heard of the Peter Principle?

A theory laid out by Canadian sociologist Dr Laurence J. Peter, the Peter Principle is an observation that in an organization the tendency is for every employee to rise in the hierarchy through promotion until they reach a level where they lack competence. In simpler terms, it means employees are likely to eventually reach a position where their skill set may not suit their job role.

This process often leads to poor performance, lower morale, job dissatisfaction, and subsequently, attrition – with the organization losing a good employee just because it failed to properly equip him or her with the right tools at the right time.

A Branch for every learning need

The Branching concept in e-learning can be applied to counter the Peter Principle. In its typical learning and upskilling avatar, Branching helps to deliver a more relevant stream of content to each learner depending on what works best for their learning needs. 

We could build psychometric profiles based on responses to specifically designed questions, situations and decision-making points, and then provide the employees with contextual and appropriate eLearning.  Such an approach would be invaluable in identifying strengths and weaknesses, competencies and challenges, and suggesting ways to better their performance within the company. 

Every employee has a unique skill set, attitude, and competency. Psychometric profiling can help to assess personality traits of the employee, and these insights can help to place the employee in roles best suited to their profile through their journey at a company. Well matched employees and job roles mean strong and consistent performance, high motivation levels, and increased loyalty to the company.

Great ROI for employer and employee

Companies around the world spend up to $100 billion a year to train employees in the skills they need to improve performance – like communication, sales techniques, and so on. But the focus and spend on ensuring a good fit between employee and role remain low. The right strategy that taps into the power of e-learning can help with rethinking and reshaping the aptitudes and attitudes of employees.

To take this a step further, this journey towards lower attrition can even begin from the stage of recruitment. The psychometric data gathered from employees can drive models to identify the profile of prospective employees who are the best fit for different roles in the organization. This means that you can set yourself up for greater employee longevity right from the start, helping to unlock significant long term value for the business.

E-learning and its applications have evolved far beyond the confines of pure upskilling. To understand the various ways e-learning can help you improve retention and other metrics at your organization, do get in touch with us today.