Tuning Up Training

Bigos Uses Yardi eLearning

By Erica Rascón on Jun 27, 2017 in News

The modern workplace must accommodate different learning types and different generations of learners. Heidi Fuller, Training Consultant at Bigos Management, explains how she uses Yardi® eLearning to educate employees of all ages and learning styles.

Cross-Generational Technology

Millennials compose more than half of the current workforce. To these young adults, technology isn’t a luxury; they expect technology to play an integral role in job training. According to a recent article in Forbes, Millennials see technology as a necessary tool to work efficiently and intelligently.

Fuller builds training courses with tech-savvy new hires in mind.

“Millennials have a greater need for technology and learning. I create a lot of webinars, videos and ways that they can use mobile technology. In terms of industry training, that is where we’re going.”

While preparing for the future is important, Bigos also strives to support its current staff. Bigos employs learners with less exposure to virtual and mobile technologies, many from Generation X and the Boomer populations. Learners who are accustomed to traditional, instructor-led courses face a learning curve when it comes to virtual learning formats.

“Integrating technology is easy with the younger new hires,” observes Fuller. “They don’t know any different. The challenge is with the people who aren’t quite ready, getting everyone on the same page and getting them used to using new technologies.”

Bigos turned to Yardi eLearning to develop a cross-generational learning management system. “We use more of a blended approach,” Fuller explains. “eLearning courses are paired up with instructor-led courses as well as on the job training with their managers.”

Multi-format training is necessary to reach a cross-generational staff base. But more importantly, blended training is necessary to reach different styles of learners, as described by the Kolb LSI.

One study reveals that a blended approach is most suitable for a broader range of students:

“Students with the Assimilator learning style (these learn best through lecture, papers and analogies) and the Converger learning style (these learn best through laboratories, field work and observations) achieved a better result with the e-learning method.” Accommodator (feeling and doing) and Diverger (feeling and watching) students benefit from instructor-led courses.

By using eLearning in conjunction with instructor-led courses, Bigos is able to train each employee appropriately.

“Yardi eLearning has really improved the way that we do onboarding,” says Fuller. “It really is designed to couple with the different curriculum and make it an effective learning process for everyone.”

Customizable Learning

Yardi eLearning offers editable, built-in classes to guarantee that course content is as relevant and concise as possible. eLearning users can create their own courses as well.

“I love that I can create classes from scratch. We can really customize them towards office, maintenance, leasing, and such,” Fuller says.

“More of these classes are 15-minute bursts rather than the 3-hour courses that we had on [a competitor]. It’s a better user experience for our employees. They train better and more efficiently. Then they can focus on applying what they’ve learned and development,” says Fuller.

eLearning for Professional Growth

eLearning has equipped Bigos with the tools needed to onboard new hires more efficiently, creating time and resources to explore professional development programs.

“With the previous training consultant, onboarding is all that she would have time to do. There were no new projects or time to even think about professional development courses. But now–oh my gosh–I have so much more time,” laughs Fuller.

She is using her newfound time to create continuing education courses and training tools that Bigos employees crave.

Professional development programs prepare Bigos to obtain and maintain young talent. Forbes reports that a noteworthy 87 percent of Millennials say professional development is an important part of their job. Learning systems such as eLearning are essential for retaining young talent, allowing them to grow at their own pace and develop new skills that can help them excel in the industry.

“Yardi eLearning really brings a lot of value to our organization,” says Fuller.

To learn how your organization can excel on Yardi eLearning, join a webinar.