To say that the power of mobile technology has changed our world, would be stating the obvious! Every single person who has a mobile device is holding a wealth of information, literally, in the palm of her or his hand. With great power, comes great opportunity – Or does it?
The following article discusses how access to employee training can easily be provided through individual employee mobile devices.
Click here to read the article.
Since the technology is already in place, it appears to be a natural step in the evolution of training methodologies to push workplace programs through mobile technology. If employees are playing Candy Crush Saga during their ‘lunch breaks’ on their mobile devices, why not provide them with training applications and games that promote workplace knowledge at any time?
This is where the boundaries of work/life distinctions start to become blurred. Just because the technology is able to provide the training, should employees be willing to participate? What if the employee uses their mobile device to do work place training after working hours? Will we need to pay for overtime? Who owns the technology? Is the device the property of the employee or the employer? Will we need to track employee access patterns 24/7?
These questions will continue as long as technology continues to drive increasing changes into our workplaces. Our job, as HR professionals, is to figure out how we can catch up to these changes. We have the choice to, either shape how technology should be used or be shaped by the technology that we must use. We may not like what the later option looks like.
Discussion Questions:
- Why would employees be resistant to workplace training through mobile devices?
- If you had to use your mobile device to access workplace training would you do so after ‘working hours’? If yes, why? If no, why not?
- What types of training would be easiest for employees to access through mobile devices?
- What types of training programs do you think you would not want employees to access through mobile devices?