What are the learning styles?
There are different types of people in the workplace. Employees are diverse, and each one has a specific way of learning style. This is because people have a preference when it comes to receiving information. They learn best when they are approached by the kind of learning style they have.
The four main learning styles are: visual, kinesthetic, auditory and reading focused learning styles. Each has a specific component that would make it easier for a manager to give information to their staff if this learning style is identified. (To know more about these different learning styles, you can read: Do you understand the 4 learning styles in the workplace? And Learning Styles in the Workplace: Why you should care)
Everyone absorbs information differently and has a different pace when it comes to learning. If a manager can identify how their team learns best, then it would help the department and the company as a whole.
Importance of knowing your employee’s learning style
Easy communication
Once you know how your staff retains and receives information, you’ll be able to present data easily. Thus, this improves your communication because you’ll learn how to talk to them, and they know how to grasp this information. Eventually, it’ll help in doing projects and tasks successfully.
Increased job satisfaction, hence, increases the company’s performance.
When the employee feels they are being considered and taken care of by the management, this increases their performance and efficiency. When your team knows that their learning style is recognized, they’ll feel important and valued. When that happens, their job satisfaction also boosts, affecting how they perform at work.
Different learning styles
Visual Learners
These learners love to see graphics, pictures, charts, maps and symbols. If you were explaining processes, flow charts would help them. They absorb information more when you include any of this.
Kinesthetic Learners
What’s different with kinesthetic learners is that they acquire information when they can do it themselves first. When teaching them a new task, let them do it by themselves first, then guide them or correct them during the process.
Auditory Learners
This type of learners prefers listening to information. They get it immediately when they hear instructions or directions. With auditory learners, managers can use voice-over videos, audio recordings, podcasts if necessary. As long as they’ll be able to listen to it again and again, then it can help them.
Reading Focused Learner
These learners absorb information fast when they read the instructions. They learn best from textbook-style manuals or handouts from PowerPoint presentations.
Using learning styles to manage better the team
You can use various styles to cover different learning styles.
- During meetings, incorporate charts, videos, or graphics when explaining a new goal or objective for the team.
- Record the presentation to have audio recordings you can send after the meeting in case they missed out on some details.
- Give handouts or outline of what you just talked about
- Letting some of them do the task while you talk (if applicable and necessary)
Results of teaching learning styles
According to an article published by lessonly.com, here are the expected results from applying these learning styles:
Increased employee engagement
Employees would be eager to learn more when they are being taught the method they prefer. With that, they become more enthusiastic and gaining new knowledge would be more straightforward.
Better performance evaluation for each employee because of knowing their learning style
Knowing their weaknesses and strengths gives you an objective view about them, and you shouldn’t be comparing one employee to another.
Reduction of time to learn new skills
Once you know how your employees learn fast and effectively, using that would make teaching and mentoring easier. At the same time, the management can take care of its staff, knowing that no one gets left behind. Eventually, this will help in implementing new changes or setting new goals for the company.
Summary
There are different types of people in the workplace. Some learn through seeing graphs and chart, others learn better through hearing, or through reading manuals, while some prefer trying a task first. Diversity is part of having a team. The good thing is that identifying how they learn best will benefit the company as a whole.