How to Use Conversational AI for Employee Training and Education

Conversational AI-powered bots have already proven their value for employee recruitment. Now, HR leaders are also looking to conversational AI technologies for employee onboarding, training, and education. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made exponential progress over the past few years and shows no sign of slowing down. In a 2020 McKinsey global survey regarding artificial intelligence (AI), “companies plan to invest even more in AI in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its acceleration of all things digital.” The survey found that “50% of respondents report that their companies have adopted AI in at least one business function.”

With even more employees continuing to work remotely, it is essential to have tools just as mobile as the job itself. Aside from this, having access to conversational AI during all stages of the hiring process can be incredibly beneficial to the new team member themself as they are learning the job and how to do it properly. Conversational AI can help employees find the correct information to complete tasks and swiftly learn the systems they may not be familiar with. Below we outline the best ways to use conversational AI for employee training and education. 

#1. Conversational AI as a Digital Mentor

Conversational AI-powered tools can act as digital mentors to new employees. They are a great resource and a way to reiterate important information and reinforce training. Conversational AI can be far more engaging than boring emails, long videos, workbooks, or other reinforcement agents. It creates a sense of responsibility and engagement for new team members during the onboarding process, keeping them engaged and up to speed with essential information and tips. For learners, the goal of interacting with this “digital mentor” for extended periods during and after training improves their retention, and they can further apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills. 

#2. Keep the Conversational AI for Training Ongoing

Many organizations keep team member training, onboarding, or furthering education down to minimal time. Onboarding for new employees lasts, on average, a week. This can leave new team members feeling lost, confused, discouraged, and lacking resources. It is understandable that money matters when it comes to making these training sessions last longer. However, with conversational AI, employees can consistently have the support and resources to do their job well. Employees can access this conversational AI tool and ask questions, find solutions, and find contacts as they need them. When it comes to traditional onboarding, it lasts for about a week, which may not be enough time for the new team member to get acquainted with the job, the workplace, and the workplace culture. A longer onboarding process (about 90 days) has shown to yield better results. Conversational AI can help with this longer onboarding process and offer check-ins, tips, tricks, and training sessions for the new team members to find their place and workflow in no time. 

#3. 24/7 Availability

With AI-powered bots, team members can easily access onboarding resources at their convenience. These intelligent bots can be configured to answer questions on demand. This is incredibly helpful for team members who can then apply the lesson or information at the moment (when they need it the most). No matter the situation, new team members can train or develop their skills on their own time until they are ready to dive in independently completely. Conversational AI training can be just as convenient for existing team members who may be furthering their training. They may have important tasks to complete during their typical workday, so by accessing the training at any time, they can work on it as they need to or as they can.

This open availability can also empower team members to access their training material on their mobile devices, thus helping to reduce dependence on traditional classroom learning (which saves your business time and money). This constant availability shows team members that you value their time want them to retain and understand the material presented to them, and do not want them to be rushed. 

#4. Set Up Notifications

Notifications and reminders can be beneficial for new team members and keep them on track of their tasks and goals. It can help learners create a routine and schedule and cut down on the clutter throughout the day. Conversational AI can integrate with calenders and reoccurring messaging channels to send reminders right into their inbox or regular conversations. This way, there are no new platforms to learn or check; employees are already comfortable and now just have a reminder to keep them on track and improve productivity. 

Notifications can also be preconfigured by managers to be sent at specific times. Friendly reminders can be beneficial in understanding concepts, remembering them, and incorporating them. 

One System With Multiple Purposes

One single conversational AI solution can be designed in multiple ways to fit the needs of a company in many departments. They can be used in various training programs and can be incorporated into many educational experiences related to your business; a few of the most common examples are below.

• Onboarding and Employee Training: No matter the length of the onboarding process, conversational AI keeps the training resources and information at the front of a new team member’s mind. Especially during the first few days and weeks, much information is thrown at the new team member and can be a lot to digest. Conversational AI bots, for example, can check in, ask progress-related questions, and keep a team member on track with vital tasks, all while using positive affirmations.
  
  
• Diversity and Inclusion Training: Diversity and inclusion training is a standard training program that almost all employees must take. New employees take it at the beginning of their employment, and often, existing employees will take a refresher course. This training is essential to the workplace and enables more conscious behavior. Conversational AI bots can check-in, check on workplace morale and behaviors, and offer tips and tricks to make things even better.
  
  
• Leadership Training: New manager or leadership training can be incredibly beneficial for those striving to become even more effective and successful leaders. Even more, information can be thrown at a new manager and can be a lot to take in within a single moment. These AI-enabled bots can enable reminders, notifications, tips, tricks, and challenges sent to mobile devices. This can assist new managers and leaders stay on track, becoming better leaders, using the knowledge and training they received, and creating a strong team of employees. 

Conversational AI used in employee training, managerial training, and furthering education is here to stay because of positive HR and onboarding process changes. There is no longer the need to have one single team member responsible for training new employees and answering their questions explicitly. Conversational AI is an incredibly beneficial and modern tool that makes training processes easier than ever.

New and existing employees feel supported and now have even more time to learn and retain critical information. Employees can develop skills and acquire new ones in an overall better learning experience. With the proper organizational planning and department collaboration, conversational AI for employee training can give an all-around positive experience and handle a wide variety of work tasks. This can have a positive impact on the employees (new and existing) and improve workplace morale. Conversational AI can be implemented in many aspects of a company and yield positive results throughout many departments.