Get Disruption-Ready by Reskilling Your Frontline Workforce — How Learning Management Solutions Deliver Bottom Line Value

In this LinkedIn Live episode of the Futurum Tech Webcast – Interview Series, I’m joined by JD Dillon, Chief Learning Architect of Axonify for a conversation about what it takes to prepare your workforce to be resilient in times of disruption — and a lot of that has to do with having the ability to reskill your frontline workforce. If we’ve learned anything in the last year, it’s that our frontline workforce is critical to business operations. Beyond resilience, as it relates to both frontline workers and the organization as a whole, learning management solutions can, and do, deliver bottom line value.

One of the things that I find most impressive about JD, apart from the fact that he’s flat out brilliant, is that his career path has been a fascinating one, and a tribute to what I mean when I call him “brilliant.” He has led Learning & Development at Walt Disney World, and from there he went to leading the Learning & Technology Development at Kaplan Higher Ed. Today, JD leads all things learning-related at Axonify, an award-winning team of software developers and learning specialists based in Canada’s world- renowned technology hub, Waterloo, Ontario.

I should also mention that JD is the founder and principal of LearnGeek, an independent practice that provides advising and education services to organizations and professionals that want to provide better workplace learning and support experiences for their employees. He’s an author, an advisory board member at HR.com, and, well, you’d be hard pressed to find a better resource when it comes to learning management and insight on how to use technology to power your learning and development initiatives. Which is exactly why I was excited to feature him on our Interview Series.

In Times of Disruption, Frontline Employees Are Even More Critical Than Ever

In our conversation, JD and I discussed the fact that companies of all sizes have experienced quite a bit of disruption in the last year and many weren’t ready to deal with the myriad challenges that presented. But one thing we know to be sure, in times of disruption, frontline employees are even more critical than ever.

But we also know that as we’ve navigated a global pandemic during the course of the last 18 months, things are especially challenging for frontline employees. These employees, from cashiers to grocery store and retail workers, to medical personnel, were (and are) learning as they work in order to keep up with disruption and also do their part to keep business operations on track. This impact is still being felt across the globe, but could the right learning platform lessen the burden for these employees and help organizations be better prepared for the future? That’s what JD and I dove into in our conversation.

Learning Management Solutions for Frontline Workers Deliver Bottom Line Business Value

Our discussion around tech-focused learning management solutions for frontline workers was far-reaching and focused on how these solutions can and do deliver bottom line business value. Our conversation touched on the following:

The attributes that make frontline employees unique within the global workforce. How effective businesses have been at supporting frontline employees in the last year. JD shared insights on what Axonify is seeing with their customers. The critical areas companies have focused on for upskilling and reskilling employees that either returned to work after being furloughed or changed jobs. JD shared why the frontline employee experience is so unique and requires a new way of thinking for reskilling and training. We explored how Axonify’s learning platform delivered the digital experience that frontline employees require, as well as how it fits alongside existing solutions like SAP® SuccesFactors® We wrapped up the conversation with a discussion on what people can do to help their organizations get past the obstacles that stand in the way of meaningful learning and development.

For SAP SuccessFactors customers, using Axonify is truly a game-changer. You can find Axonify on the SAP Store, along with an Infosheet that our team produced: Improving the Efficacy of Frontline Training Programs with Axonify.

It was a terrific conversation and if you’re looking to reskill your frontline workforce, or even make sure that what you’re currently doing is on target, it’s one you won’t want to miss.