Dive deep

New year, new…training?

Whether or not you conform to the “new year, new you” thinking at the start of January, an occasional shake-up or re-imagining does have its perks – especially when it comes to your employee training.

Forget the diets, budgets, and gym memberships (well, maybe don’t, if that’s your jam) and let’s take a look at your training content and see how a few small tweaks can make a difference.

1. Take Stock of All Current Training Programs
What programs are you currently using – are they working well for you? For your employees? Is the content relevant and up-to-date? Taking the time to peruse and assess your current programs will have a ripple effect throughout your company. Properly trained employees are informed and engaged, resulting in better performance, fewer accidents, and overall, time and assets saved. 

2. Check Employee Training Data
While you’re at it, check that all of your employees are also up-to-date on their training requirements. Administrative tasks like these often fall through the cracks, so consider running monthly (or weekly) automated reports to keep up with deadlines and data. Send email reminders to employees for upcoming or overdue training. Read more about reporting here.

3. Consider Implementing (or Revamping) Microlearning
Microlearning is an effective method for specialized training, refresher courses, and supplementing long-form training. It also boasts higher retention and engagement among users because of its often fun, easy-to-consume delivery. If you are already using microlearning in your training, see if there are additional courses you could add – look for gaps in training you noticed when you did your assessment.

4. Compile Existing Training Extras (and Create a Few New Ones)
Gather all of your existing training extras – info-graphics, charts, videos, PDFs – and decide what stays and what may no longer be relevant. Create some fresh additions to fill in those gaps that may be present. 

If you don’t already have a reference library, it’s a great tool to have in your training arsenal. Take all of the training content that you’ve updated, as well as the supplemental extras, and keep it all in one place. Not only is this a great organizational tool for you or your training supervisor, it’s infinitely valuable to your employees to have access to training materials, all the time. If you do have a reference library already, give it a little TLC – when’s the last time you did a little dusting, a little polishing?

We may scoff at the idea of new year, new anything, but let’s be honest -- it’s not a bad idea to rethink your training content to make sure you’re getting the most out of it. You’ve already done the work, make it work for you.

Better yet, make us work for you --

During my second year of college, I signed up for a macroeconomics class. I had only ever heard of microeconomics, but macro means big, right (?!) and I was considering opening a business. So, I decided bigger was better, and I went for it.  However, bigger does not always mean better, you guys -- and I quickly learned that in order to understand macroeconomics, one must have a firm grasp on microeconomics (a grasp I did not have, since I’d never taken microeconomics).

Micro, macro, what’s with the Greek prefixes? Well, besides confounding the English language (that’s a whole other blog post), they essentially mean small and large, respectively. Throw one of those bad boys in front of a word, and it changes the meaning. Like, macroeconomics or microlearning.  

What is Microlearning?

Microlearning is bite-sized, user-centric learning that is efficient and effective. Unlike macro-learning, where things can get in-depth, microlearning cuts straight to the point – without sacrificing relevancy or value of content.  Studies have found microlearning to be more engaging for learners, and not surprisingly, the knowledge retention rate is higher. 

Make no mistake about it -- you cannot just cut your same old training into smaller chunks.  Microlearning modules and learning paths should be specifically created to engage the learner, quickly convey the necessary information, and support the retention and application of that knowledge.

A good rule of thumb for your training is “Just long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to stay interesting.”

What are some examples of Microlearning?

• Show examples with short videos
• Use info-graphics and diagrams
• Provide concise text and step-by-step instructions
• Test learning often with just a few focused questions
• Build a library of just-in-time “how to” training items
• Require short follow up refresher courses to increase learner retention
• Incorporate quick online training modules and quizzes to supplement classroom training

How will Microlearning benefit me (and my learners)?

• It’s faster and easier to create and deliver than complex training
• It’s more engaging
• It leads to better retention
• It’s on-the-go friendly (and we all know that ease-of-use and accessibility are a top priority these days)

So what are you waiting for?  Microlearning is an invaluable tool for training and eLearning that can save you and your learners time, and make your training more effective. 

Got questions? Want to suggest a topic? Set up a demo? Let us know 😊

I was born right on the cusp of the digital era. Everything wasn’t digitalized yet, but things were rapidly changing – and I got to learn in both worlds. I learned how to type on a keyboard in first grade and write in cursive in second grade. By the time I made it to middle school, technology had become second nature, which on the surface might seem cool, but ... then my parents started using it. Oy vey.

Even after a considerable number of years showing them how to use the internet, create email accounts, and restart a router, I still get the (more than) occasional phone call – as if I am some sort of tech wizard (I google practically everything).

Luckily, Ziiva is happy to be the helpful resource for your students – and you! (Sorry – you’ll still have to help your parents with their router.) As an admin, we walk you through the system until you’re comfortable with how it works. After that, everything else is a cinch! (And if it’s not, we’re just a phone call away to work through any hiccups that might pop up.)

The Student Interface

The top feature of the Prosperity LMS is the ability to be highly customizable, so when it comes to the student interface of your training system, it can be as simple as you want it to be.

We will match your existing website for a seamless experience for your learners and customize a layout and workflow that quickly gets learners where they need to go.  Start with one of our mobile-friendly templates, or let us know what you want and we'll make a site as unique as your business.

For Our Manufacturing Clients

Ease-of-use is the leading concern of manufacturers regarding their training. Employees don’t have the time for a complicated, time-consuming runaround. To make sure your employees get the vital training they need to do their jobs properly and safely while getting them on the job quickly, Prosperity LMS offers

• A training portal that is simple and easy to navigate
• The ability to include videos, visuals, and a reference library of related materials and how-to training
• A quick way to sign off on SOPs, work instructions and competencies
• A layout that works as well on a mobile device on the shop floor as it does on a computer

For Our Clients Who Sell Training

Clients that sell their training and content with an LMS are also interested in an easy-to-use student interface, but perhaps more so, they are looking for a visually appealing portal. When you partner with us to sell your training, we

• Brand your site(s), so you can maintain your image
• Let you decide how you want to market and sell training – bundles, a la carte, discount codes, bulk purchase
• U.S.-based tech support by phone and email available to you AND all of your users
• Are happy to share our experiences and best practices and always willing to work with you to come up with new or different solutions

Perhaps one day my mother will stop trying to use CNN as a search engine and my dad will be able to set up an email account all on his own. Or perhaps not. Either way, I'll be there to help them -- and Ziiva will be there to help you.

Howdy, Pardners

When we are working with our clients, we think of them as partners – not merely customers. Unlike many off-the-shelf LMS companies, we don’t just go in for the quick sale and then throw you to the wolves. We take the time to listen to your needs and concerns and answer all of your questions. You tell us what you need, not the other way around. Once we understand your pain points and objectives, our team will take the lead in putting together a solution that is just right.

The Prosperity LMS Approach

Here's a smattering of ways our company strives to work with you:

• Fit the solution to what you need; flexibility is our (unspoken) middle name
• Start with your desired outcome and reverse engineer to find the best path to achieve it
• Adapt to changes -- both planned and unforeseen; life happens -- we are always willing to adjust and develop new strategies accordingly
• Reports, compliance, and audits -- Oh my! Does a surprise audit have you scrambling, wondering who you're gonna call? Well, we've got your back -- call us (not those Ghostbuster goons)
• Our team will gladly share our experiences for pitfalls to avoid and best practices to follow -- just like those guys at Farmer's Insurance, we've seen it all

When you partner with us we are just a phone call or email away. Heck, you could even drop by and visit.  Just let us know first so we can make the coffee.

Set up a call today to discuss how you can benefit from partnering with the Prosperity LMS team!

Whether we realize it or not, we are all highly influenced by branding, and branding transcends space and language. People all over the world recognize the beckoning golden arches of McDonald’s, the bright and inquisitive typography of Google, and the mysterious sea-green siren of Starbucks.

A lot of thought is put into the branding of a company and their subsequent websites, marketing material, and overall image. So, when a company considers delving into online training, one of the biggest questions is, “Will it still look like our site?”

If you partner with Ziiva, the short answer is, “Absolutely!”

What Does Ziiva Do?

We provide a learning management system (LMS) – a platform that delivers your training content. Since we know the importance of branding and how it affects your business, we build your training sites in a way that maintains the look and feel of your brand – or even that of your individual clients. We will design the user interface to engage your learners and seamlessly integrate your existing website and materials with your logos, colors, fonts, and graphics. We can even custom-brand individual sites for your clients based on their unique needs, but all easily managed from your Prosperity LMS administrator portal.

More, More, More:

Here’s how we can make it happen:

• Integrate the LMS into your existing website for a seamless experience
• Build a standalone website using Prosperity LMS, branded to your business
• Offer multiple client-specific websites with unique branding and configuration, all easily managed in one place
• Target different customers with training websites focused on each target audience

How Do You Like it?

Referencing 70s disco hits is one of my more appealing personality traits, but really – what did you think? Are you ready to give us a call so we can custom-build your training site and keep you looking sharp?

Email me: kellyann@ziiva.com, or go ahead and put your boogie-self down on the calendar.