Think about the last movie you saw: Chances are, it began with four or five new movie trailers, designed to hype whatever Tom Cruise action flick you absolutely cannot miss. And there’s a science behind previews: They create a first impression that stays with the viewer until the movie is released by showcasing the very best parts of the film.
Now, contrast that idea with eLearning. When engagement is low, the chief culture officer (CCO) can act as a trailer, helping to hype new programs and shine the very best light on learning and development within an organization. Like a movie trailer, the CCO has the power to whet appetites and set the tone for training initiatives.
Learning and development has experienced a distinct shift in past years: The importance for continual learning is finally being realized, so if your organization already has a CCO, you’re ahead of the game. The inclusion of a CCO on your payroll proves that your organization understands and values office culture as a tool for productivity and employee success. By teaming up with a CCO, the L&D department can get employees excited about what comes next in out-of-the-box ways.
1. eLearning Production.
It’s a CCO’s job to check the pulse of an organization and act accordingly, with a unique perspective on what employees want. Turn to the CCO when producing new content: He can improve engagement by working to produce new training videos or video updates instead of newsletters, which better capture the attention of employees.
2. Setting the Tone.
If you’re asking how to get employees interested in learning on an intrinsic level, turn to the CCO for help. The CCO is responsible for setting the tone in a workplace, so she has the ability to create a culture where employees see learning as a perpetual and impactful way to improve their careers, rather than a forced requirement.
3. Creating an Emotional Connection.
Let’s face it: Not all training material will have employees handing over an Oscar, but a CCO can help suggest ways to create an emotional connection between target learners and the material. A CCO might be the team member that understands employees the best, so he can help create more meaningful modules.
4. Improving Communication.
Learners typically benefit from visual communication; a skill found in most CCO’s wheelhouses. A CCO can help locate ideal media to improve everything from daily memos to microlearning.
5. Showcasing Achievements.
An employee goes above and beyond by finishing a non-essential course online; another gets a high score on a post-course quiz; how do you reward these learners? A CCO can take over the recognition portion of eLearning, especially since an atmosphere of recognition and achievement is part of an organization’s fundamental culture. Leave it to the CCO to motivate learners through regular recognition and kudos.
By getting the CCO involved in your eLearning efforts on a cellular level, you combine workplace culture with learning and development: A lesson in on-screen chemistry if we’ve ever seen one. In fact, adding a CCO to your eLearning cast might be the secret to blockbuster-level success – no hype needed.
