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Keeping audience attention, delivering real business value, and ensuring employees gain valuable knowledge is the primary goal of every corporate learning professional. Oleg Zamyshlyaev, founder of Mozlab and Tellsy, and author of the Future Learning Telegram channel, shared important recommendations for effectively engaging with participants in synchronous corporate programs. These tips were presented during a webinar hosted by the eLearning Center and Mozlab, dedicated to learning abandonment and recovery. In this article, we highlight the key points of his presentation.
Why Not Everyone Is Engaged in Learning
Employee engagement in corporate training is directly linked to their motivation. Oleg Zamyshlyaev identified several levels of topics and skills that help determine the level of participant motivation. Each level of training influences the interest of participants and their desire to develop within the company. This emphasizes the importance of choosing the right content and format for training to improve employee engagement.
- The first level includes topics that directly impact students' earnings, status, and careers. In other words, people with "first-tier skills" are personally and directly interested in training. You don't need to come up with any special features for them; they'll happily embrace everything offered.
- Second-tier skills are topics that indirectly impact work results or career development. Audiences in this category don't immediately understand the obvious benefits of training, but with the right warm-up, they can grasp them fairly quickly. "There was, and perhaps still is, one of the most popular and expensive negotiation training courses in the world—Scotwork Negotiations. I attended there in the mid-2000s. They really engage you at the beginning: they tell great stories, explain why it's important. And I noticed that if people came who, for example, considered negotiation a second-tier skill, then you briefly, at the beginning, for about ten minutes, problematize it, tell stories, explain, demonstrate the personal benefit, and everything is fine. "They realized this, and everything worked out," Oleg Zamyshlyaev gave as an example.
- The third tier includes topics from which students see no benefit at all. "You've got, as trainers say, 'face-to-face tourists'—they don't care what's going on here; they don't feel a direct connection to money, status, career, and everything else. It's like presentation skills for accountants: it's unclear when they'll present next," the speaker explained.
Targeting the "third tier" is impractical, but there is an opportunity to change the situation. A systematic approach and strategic planning can lead to positive results. It's important to develop process optimization methods and identify key factors that contribute to improving the current situation. This will not only increase efficiency but also open up new horizons for development.
In order to transfer information from the third tier to the second, and then from the second to the first, a clear explanation from the immediate supervisor is necessary. They must convey the importance of this process to employees and explain their expectations within the program. Once these clarifications are made, the situation changes. A manager can create the conditions for learning, but it's up to employees to decide whether they want to use the knowledge they've learned. If a team leader convincingly argues their case, it can spark intrinsic motivation and a desire to develop. The first echelon requires programs that are not only cost-effective and relevant, but also immediately perceived as such. It is important that such solutions meet modern requirements and user expectations, ensuring high efficiency and ease of use.
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Advanced training helps strengthen employee confidence. Acquiring new knowledge and skills not only broadens professional horizons but also helps employees feel more confident in the work environment. This, in turn, has a positive impact on their productivity and the overall team atmosphere. Investing in training and development is an important step for companies seeking to enhance their employees' competencies and improve performance.
How to Engage People in Synchronous Learning
High student engagement in the educational process is an indicator of the active participation of the majority of course or program participants. Oleg Zamyshlyaev identifies several effective strategies that will help achieve this result. The main focus should be on creating an interactive environment where students are proactive, perform necessary actions, and engage in the learning process. It is important to consider students' interests and offer a variety of interaction formats, which helps increase their motivation and interest. The use of methods such as group discussions, practical assignments and feedback also plays a key role in increasing engagement.
"Most useful" implies meeting two key criteria: first, the quality of the information, which must be relevant and reliable; second, practical applicability, allowing the user to effectively apply the acquired knowledge in real life. This approach ensures high content value, which contributes to its popularity and improves its ranking in search engines.
- it is needed by students at a given time;
- it is linked to their critical actions.
To provide relevant content, it is necessary to determine what material is required and why it is currently relevant. The answer to this question can be provided by the training provider, who will also explain how the training is linked to key actions. This will create a targeted and effective educational process that meets the needs and expectations of the participants.
Expand the view Educating students about the value of learning is an optional and challenging stage in the educational process. It's important to emphasize how learning can be useful and beneficial for them. Experts emphasize that this process requires a significant investment of time, so the first two conditions should be a priority. Proper motivation helps students recognize the value of knowledge and skills, which in turn facilitates more effective learning and development.
Modern technologies have significantly simplified the process of creating user-generated content (UGC). Thanks to accessible tools and platforms, anyone can become an author and share their opinions, ideas, and creativity. UGC not only enriches the digital space but also fosters the formation of active communities. It's important to understand that user-generated content can significantly increase trust in brands and improve their visibility in search engines. Thus, companies can effectively use UGC to attract new audiences and improve engagement with existing customers.
Oleg Zamyshlyaev gave an example of ranking and expanding lists, which illustrates how to effectively engage with an audience. When a meeting moderator or expert presents a group of participants with a list of issues and asks them to rank them by importance, most attendees are likely to respond. This occurs not only out of a desire to share their opinions but also out of interest in the views of other participants. The resulting user rating can then be used as a standalone content element or as a way to engage the audience. Using such methods facilitates deeper analytics and understanding of the target audience's needs, which is an important aspect of content marketing.
UGS, or user-generated ratings, in its basic sense is a list compiled by experts and ordered according to specific criteria. This approach allows for the objective evaluation and comparison of various elements based on the opinions of specialists in a given field. Oleg Zamyshlyaev noted that this method is an effective tool for generating high-quality information and simplifying decision-making. There are also more sophisticated approaches to handling objections. Participants can search for solutions to a pre-ranked list of objections and then rank the solutions they find according to varying levels of difficulty. The process takes only four to five minutes and generates lively interest from the audience. However, according to the expert, it is important to first offer a simple task to ensure that participants are truly engaged in the process. Another way to supplement the list before ranking it is through active audience engagement. Oleg Zamyshlyaev cited the example of a 90-minute session at an HR conference, which was divided into three 30-minute blocks. In the first two blocks, experts shared their knowledge and answered specific questions for 20 minutes. Then, for 10 minutes, the audience could offer their own options, which contributed to the creation of a more diverse and comprehensive list. According to the expert, at the session's peak, 125 of the 150 people participated, highlighting the importance of collective thinking in decision-making.
UGC, or user-generated content, is a crucial aspect of modern marketing. In a rapidly changing environment with high uncertainty, users are the ones who best understand their real needs. As Zamyshlyaev noted, their opinions and experiences are valuable sources of information for brands seeking to adapt to audience demands. Effective use of UGC can significantly increase trust in products and services, as well as improve customer engagement. Thus, UGC is becoming an integral part of strategies aimed at satisfying user needs.
The speaker presented another example: a course titled "Communication with a Business Customer" for IT specialists. While communication may not be of interest to this audience, using content that employees find important can significantly increase their engagement. Developing materials that take into account the needs and interests of IT specialists will improve the quality of interactions with business customers and increase team efficiency.
The created and structured content, titled "Top 12 Main Problems Developers Face with Business Customers in April of Such-and-Such Year," went viral. This material attracted attention and interest, creating high demand for the course. People are eager to study, listen, and attend it. User-generated content (UGC) plays a key role in creating relevant and in-demand content.
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Managers were trained in the basics of IT recruiting, which positively impacted their professional skills and abilities. The training provided a better understanding of IT recruitment processes, a key element in successfully building a team. Having mastered the fundamental principles and techniques of IT recruiting, managers were able to significantly improve the quality of hires, enhance interactions with candidates, and optimize selection processes. This training not only deepened their knowledge of modern IT trends but also developed effective communication skills with technical specialists. As a result, companies began attracting more qualified specialists, which positively impacted their competitiveness and innovation.
During periods of turbulence and stress, survival issues become a priority for employees. They are concerned not so much with training opportunities as with the future of their jobs, the company, and the market. Oleg Zamyshlyaev proposed considering such situations through the lens of "Maslow's pyramid in crisis." This concept allows for a better understanding of the most pressing employee needs during challenging times. Satisfying basic needs becomes an important step in restoring confidence and motivation in the team.
The first level of questions an employee asks is: "Will I stay with the company?" This is a question of survival. Until this question is answered, the person will not be able to focus on training and development. This may sound exaggerated, but the essence remains clear. The second level includes questions about what the employee is paid for and what tasks they face. They want to understand their authority and the limits of responsibility, the so-called "glade", which managers sometimes mention. It is important to understand where the employee fits in the new structure and what changes await them. Only after the first level of questions is addressed can one move on to training, development, and improving efficiency. Without resolving the initial issues, further development is impossible, as the expert explained.
To improve the situation, according to Oleg Zamyshlyaev, it is advisable to involve the immediate supervisor, who can provide frank answers to employees' questions. This doesn't mean they'll be publicly announcing layoff lists; rather, their job is to explain the current situation. Management should provide up-to-date information and address the most common questions, which can be collected and systematized in advance. This approach will help create transparency and build trust within the team.
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Research shows how career anxiety impacts learning motivation. Psychologists have found that anxiety levels associated with professional development can significantly reduce a person's desire to acquire new knowledge and skills. This negative impact can lead to lower academic performance and limited career advancement. Understanding the connection between career anxiety and learning motivation is important for developing strategies that will help people overcome these barriers and focus on learning and self-development.
Manuals can be a useful tool in training, as they are the ones who can convey the importance of the learning process to students. They can explain what skills and knowledge are necessary for successful work and the achievement of goals. Understanding the value of the learning process helps motivate learners and promotes deeper learning.
In business, the goals set by the immediate supervisor play a key role. They impact salaries, income, bonuses, reputation, the risk of dismissal, and career advancement opportunities. In the stress and uncertainty of today's world, the importance of a manager's direction increases. When a manager says, "Go learn for such-and-such reasons," it becomes a valuable resource unavailable in the open market. Thus, competent leadership and clear recommendations can significantly improve team performance and ensure its development.
Ideally, the client requests the training in person, but recordings can also be effective, the expert notes. For example, you could record a short two- to three-minute video or send an email with answers to two key questions. This approach will better convey information to participants and improve the quality of training.
- Why is training necessary now, given the current company environment?
- What does the manager expect from the training team as a result?
This advice concerns interaction with students after the event. If a synchronous lesson was recorded, there is no need to publish one long recording, for example, a two-hour one. It is more effective to create an annotated video, allowing users to independently select the sections they are interested in, and also to prepare a long read, summary, or slides, according to Oleg Zamyshlyaev. This approach significantly improves the ease of information comprehension and increases student engagement.
A synchronous program can take the form of an interview with an expert, where they answer pre-prepared questions. This doesn't require a comprehensive program; a few slides outlining the main topics to be discussed are sufficient. This approach allows you to effectively convey information to your audience, focusing on key aspects and ensuring interactivity.
Over the course of two to three days, you can host a webinar, prepare an auto-webinar, and create some user-generated content using an interactive platform. You'll have an annotated video that's already cut. Creating a longread is a technical matter and takes only five to seven days. The result will be a finished course that can be replicated for an LMS. You can also add a flexible element, such as a constantly updated list of key objections and answers to them, relevant as of a specific date, on your website. This is especially useful if your webinars are held regularly.
How to understand that students are truly engaged
Oleg Zamyshlyaev presented a number of key metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of synchronous corporate programs. These metrics help analyze results and optimize processes, which in turn contributes to increased productivity and improved collaboration within the team. Key indicators include the level of employee engagement, the speed of task completion, the quality of communication, and the degree of goal achievement. Using these metrics allows organizations to manage resources more effectively and achieve high results in their work.
- 85-100% of the total number of participants are actively interacting.
Most users actively participate in interactive elements, send messages in the chat, and can answer questions.
At corporate events, the level of participant engagement should reach 85-100%. This is entirely achievable. An engagement rate of 60% is questionable, while 30% is a serious problem. Oleg Zamyshlyaev shared these findings, emphasizing the importance of active employee participation for successful corporate events. High engagement not only fosters a positive atmosphere but also improves team bonds, which in turn impacts overall company productivity. To effectively validate this metric, it's important to engage the group in active interaction every 10-15 minutes. This can be done using ranking lists, open-ended questions, and requests to rate various aspects. Regular interaction increases participant activity and improves the quality of the data collected for analysis.
- The number of questions asked in the system ranges from 15-25% (large group of participants) to 30-50% (small group).
If your corporate group asks less than 1/6 or 1/4 of the total number of questions, this may indicate that the topic of discussion does not interest them. The situation when there are no questions may indicate that you have conveyed the information well, but such cases are rare. In small groups, the likelihood of questions arising is usually even higher.
- The number of likes on the top question is 25-40% of the total number of participants.
Oleg Zamyshlyaev argues that if you have a high engagement rate, you can consider yourself a leader in your field. For example, if out of 100 participants only 5 people liked an important question, this indicates a low level of interest. In such cases, it's worth reconsidering your approach to content and audience interaction. A high level of engagement is a key indicator of success and popularity, so it's important to strive to increase it.
- The percentage of participants answering multiple-choice questions is 85-100%.
During communication, various questions may arise, for example, about your position, your assessment of certain aspects, or your attitude toward a particular phenomenon. If the desired results aren't achieved, it's worth considering what might be going wrong, noted Oleg Zamyshlyaev.
To increase participant engagement in discussions, it's recommended that at least half of them answer open-ended questions. This is difficult to track in chat, so the expert suggests using an option in which posts with collected responses are displayed on the screen. This approach allows you to establish a response counter, which helps build trust. Participants see their opinions combined with those of others, creating new content based on collective insight.
- The percentage of participants who fully complete the feedback questionnaire is 20–50%.
Oleg Zamyshlyaev emphasizes that participants will need time to reflect and that they must be encouraged to take action. The questionnaire will consist of five to seven questions, which will allow for the effective collection of the necessary information.
To achieve the desired indicators, it is necessary to focus on the first and second echelons, using user-generated content and active actions. Even if the initial attempt to develop activity fails, analyzing metrics will help identify errors and determine where to adjust your efforts. This will help improve the effectiveness of the strategy and achieve the set goals.
It is important that the participant feels valued during the interaction. They should feel that their opinion is taken into account, and that this creates an interactive atmosphere. The participant should receive answers to their questions, which confirms the opportunity to ask them. Enjoyment from participation also plays a key role. It's also important that they understand the meaning of their actions and are given tools that will help them do their job more effectively. This creates a positive experience and promotes their engagement in the process.
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