Abstract:

With the proliferation of e-learning in the workplace, organisations demand new ways to transform the employee's learning experience, maintain engagement with learning and ensure that it is sustained into continuing growth and development. Ensuring that new and emerging digital training methods are fully integrated within organisations and aligned to their existing practices is crucial to navigating the path to organisational success. Managing Minds at Work (MMW) is a digital learning intervention that provides line managers with the skills and knowledge necessary to promote and support mental well-being at work. The intervention consists of five interactive modules delivered through a digital platform as self-directed learning. In a randomised pilot and feasibility trial (involving 224 managers from 24 organisations), MMW was delivered as a stand-alone e-training package that participants completed individually. While the feedback from line managers indicated positive outcomes and overall satisfaction with the e-training, findings highlighted scope for development of an enhanced blended learning programme for MMW, termed MMW+. Here, we report on the methods for developing the additional activities alongside the core digital MMW intervention to suit a blended approach to delivery. Extensive literature supports that delivering digital training through facilitated sessions and group-based activities maximises the benefits to organisations, line managers and employees. Furthermore, group-based peer support programmes, peer-leader training support and participatory workshops can create a stimulating environment promoting broader engagement amongst participants, allowing them to reflect on what was learned during the online modules. Considering the numerous perspectives and evidence, it is imperative to investigate the most effective methods for implementing digital training to accomplish optimum levels of learning and ultimately, improved outcomes for line managers, employees, and organisations. In order to develop MMW+, we worked collaboratively with two organisations to co-create a programme of activities tailored to each organisations’ specific context and resources. Task and Finish groups were established to develop tailored ways to integrate MMW+ alongside existing organisational policies and practices. In conjunction with Task and Finish groups, focus group discussions with the representatives from respective organisations were conducted to gain insight into the organisations’ learning approaches and current practices. This paper will present the tailored activities co-created within these organisations to support engagement, implementation, and integration with the current MMW digital training, and the generic lessons including wider implications for training and education across all settings that can be learnt from these. In conclusion, by adopting a more embedded and integrated approach to delivering and implementing digital training, employers can promote a culture of learning and support which enables learners to increase their self-efficacy and ability to put their learning into practice, going beyond any increase in their knowledge and skills.

Keywords:

e-learning, digital training, growth, development, self-efficacy, embedded approach.