To effectively train your teams in the field, rely on formats Courts, Accessible at any time and adapted to their daily lives, in order to promote fluid and immediately applicable learning.
In a world where skill needs are evolving as rapidly as the seasons of our favorite series, continuing education is essential. Far from being spared this forced adaptability, field workers must particularly cultivate their versatility by regularly acquiring new skills related to products, services, and tools. However, these populations are often the most overlooked in strategies for vocational training. This is why it is becoming urgent to rethink training strategies to fully include them and guarantee their skills development.
The need for lifelong learning
Today, between the start and the end of training, new jobs are created and the skills acquired can quickly become obsolete. 85% of the jobs of 2030 do not yet exist, a fact that should not constitute a threat, but a challenge to be met: it is becoming necessary to adopt a culture of lifelong learning. Learning to learn becomes a mantra, an essential skill that opens the door to professional adaptability and individual development.
In this era of rapid transformation, the vocational training paradigm is changing, placing learners at the center of their own skills development. The individualization of training is becoming the key, transforming learners into proactive actors in their skills development. This approach is based on the principle that each individual, with their unique strengths and weaknesses, should be able to personalize their training path to meet the specific requirements of their professional role. It is therefore necessary for each company, through its strategic choices, to build learning spaces and training courses.
An ideal, but what is the reality? Who are the profiles trained today?
The training dynamic is now part of a reality where the divide between office workers (desk) and workers in the field (deskless) requires particular attention.
The deskless/desk divide: how to train people on the ground?
Access to training for these field workers is a complex challenge. Often perceived as time-consuming and unattractive, training often excludes some employees. However, 64% of them would like more extensive development and learning opportunities.
Deskless people, or local populations living far from offices, are often left behind when it comes to digitalization and training. Whether they operate machines, manage inventory, care for patients, or fight fires, these key players are struggling to find their place in the digital world. Their possible absence of a professional email address and the lack of access to digital spaces at work create digital discrimination with multiple consequences. People on the ground feel excluded, demobilize, or even resign, thus worsening the shortage of workers in sectors that are already tense.
Training of local populations: the means and methods of action
The digitalization of training is emerging as a flexible and adaptable solution to hybrid work of field employees. Mobile learning is becoming the main tool, eliminating the constraints associated with physical presence in business. The objective? That learners can learn anytime and anywhere. It is that “last mile of training”, namely the people at the end of the chain, who are not in the offices and who need to have access to training in a different way. Choosing the right one LMS also allows you to train your employees in the field.
To meet the mobility of deskless people, training courses must therefore be designed for mobile devices, accessible without connection and adapting to flexible schedules.
Mobile learning allows learners to learn in formats that are digestible, rhythmic and powerful. For example, microlearning courses, lasting an average of 3 to 5 minutes, concrete and impacting, are particularly suitable for populations on the move or in the field.
The formation of field populations is also characterized by the diversity of subjects. We are of course thinking of Hard Skills : product presentation, precise technical gestures, stock management, know-how is and will always be decisive in companies. But the Soft Skills are also important: for example the ability to communicate effectively with customers or colleagues, the resolution of problems in the field or even the management of stress in sometimes demanding environments, there are many examples! These relational skills should not be relegated to the background, as a harmonious combination of the two, namely technical and relational skills, is essential to ensure the success and effectiveness of professionals in the field.
Following adapted paths and progressing at your own pace are becoming key elements for populations with diverse jobs. To personalize learning, creating virtual communities plays a crucial role. Learners can exchange business tips, “tips”, in various formats, organize challenges, participate in games... For workers who are often isolated, it is also a way of feeling integrated into a team or community, thus reinforcing the feeling of belonging. In this environment, gamification is emerging as an additional driver of interaction between learners.
Beyond personalization and interaction, immersive learning is transforming the way field workers learn new skills. Immersed in virtual environments that faithfully reproduce their professional daily lives, these learners can train in conditions that are close to reality. A technology therefore particularly adapted to this type of learner.
The idea is for employees to be as active and committed as possible to their training process.
Give back all the place to field experience
By allowing workers in the field to train and progress, the company is sending a strong message: every employee counts and every experience is valuable. In addition, this reinforces the training culture within your company!
These workers are often the first brand ambassadors, being in direct contact with end customers. They are also the main driver of commercial performance, especially in the retail and catering sectors. Their operational efficiency has a direct impact on the company's reputation and financial results. Focusing on the training of local populations also means overcoming the shortage of workers.
Training for field workers is therefore not limited to the acquisition of skills; it is a powerful statement of their importance and value within the company.
Beyond developing skills, training these teams means giving them increased visibility, highlighting their essential role at the heart of daily operations. It means recognizing that their expertise is a cornerstone of the company's overall success.
