Investigating the Employee Learning Table
I love a good Learning Management System (LMS). Indeed, I do! I have spent nearly two decades in the field of Education and Instructional Design and have certified courses in some of the best LMS software. Why then, when it comes to employee learning, are so many organizations moving away from traditional LMSs? Let’s see if we can shed some light on this question.
The Evolution Of The Learning Technology Landscape
LMS platforms have long been the backbone of corporate learning, providing centralized control of training, course catalogs, and compliance tracking. But guess what? The workplace is changing, and so are the needs of employees. More than ever, there is a need for learning that is fast, accessible, and embedded directly into the tools that employees already use every day. This change is part of a larger trend around the concept of “workflow learning,” as described by noted industry expert Josh Bersin.
Bersin says that historically, the state of learning technology has evolved in different phases. In the 1990s, companies replicated traditional classroom settings online, giving birth to eLearning courses and LMS platforms. The 2000s saw a shift to talent management programs that focused on knowledge and work-related learning methods. However, in the last decade, we have seen the proliferation of continuous learning solutions, microlearning, and the first mobile libraries, catering to today’s working conditions. However, even these programs do not fully address one important issue: employees do not have time to engage deeply with formal learning programs.
According to Devlin Peck’s research, 68% of employees prefer to learn and train while on the job. Read that again. A whopping 68% of employees want to do professional training and learning while on the job. So what does that mean for employers?
First, it means employers need to find ways to make learning more easily fit into employees’ workflows in the apps they already use, rather than forcing them to log into different systems. This is where integrating learning directly into an organization’s intranet becomes revolutionary.
From LMSs to Online-Based Learning
Modern workers are no longer interested in learning to consume endless amounts of content. Unlike consumer platforms like Netflix or Facebook, where engagement is driven by endless content consumption, corporate learning is different. As Bersin points out, the goal of business learning is to help employees learn quickly, apply what they’ve learned, and return to work equipped with the skills needed to improve performance.
Bringing employee learning to the company’s intranet fits well with this change. Many organizations have intranet software, so it makes sense to integrate learning into a place where employees go to communicate, collaborate, and access important information. And we’re not just talking about linking your LMS to your intranet. We’re talking about personalized, engaging, embedded training courses that employees can choose from, or, those “required” training courses that managers require employees to use. This approach reduces the need for employees to switch between programs, creating a seamless learning experience that fits into their daily workflow. And the best part, this technology already exists!
On-the-Job Learning Through Online-Based Learning
Embedding learning on the intranet promotes a “learning in the workflow” model, where employees can access key learning content when they need it. Whether it’s sales training, leadership development, or technical problem solving, learning materials are delivered in context—without interrupting the workday. This model is particularly powerful because it speaks directly to one of the biggest pain points identified by both staff and learning leaders: lack of time.
Bersin’s research shows that workers have only 24 minutes a week for structured learning. Instead of expecting employees to spend dedicated time for long training sessions, intranet-based learning meets them where they are. If an employee is in a project meeting and needs quick information on a new tool or process, they can access the learning content directly through the intranet, helping to solve the problem in real time, rather than having to log into the LMS and try to remember. where that information resides.
The Future of Learning is Embedded
As organizations look to simplify their technology stacks, moving away from standalone LMS platforms and integrating learning into an intranet is a natural progression. By embedding learning into daily workflows, companies can provide employees with quick, actionable information that drives efficiency and supports career development.
Online offers a solution for organizations that see a need for continuous learning but want to eliminate the friction of traditional LMS systems. As Bersin suggests, the future of learning lies in its ability to adapt to the needs of the workforce, bringing learning into the workflow while reducing time spent away from critical job functions. Online learning isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessary shift in how we approach business education in the digital age.
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