More and more organizations are implementing blended learning into their learning offers. But what are the success factors for this format of learning? In a webinar, Brian Heydenrych from CONTRACT South Africa interviewed Julian Wonner, Head of Business Development at troodi, and Fabiane Wolters, Team Lead Learning & Development at Trusted Shops. The discussion covered the reasons why Trusted Shops switched to a blended learning format and their experiences with it. They also explored typical challenges when implementing blended learning and how to successfully overcome them. Additionally, they looked at future trends in blended learning and where it is headed.

CONTRACT: Welcome! Today we will talk about blended learning and how it can be successfully implemented. As guests, we have the L&D experts Julian Wonner and Fabiane Wolters. Great to have you here.

Julian: Thank you for inviting us.

Fabiane: Thanks, I am looking forward to our conversation.

CONTRACT: Julian, just so that we are all clear on what blended learning is, could you briefly describe what it means to troodi?

Julian: At troodi, we started by implementing digital learning solutions and quickly realized that digital learning worked well for some organizations, particularly those where self-learning was already a natural part of their culture. However, in other organizations, we noticed that employees struggled to find the time to work on digital programs and structure their learning. This highlighted the difference in learning maturity between organizations. As a response, we began designing blended learning journeys, which combine digital self-learning with facilitated live-sessions, either in-person or online. For us, blended learning brings together the best of two worlds: it provides individualization and flexibility through digital learning, where most of the input happens, while live-sessions help with commitment and practical application. Our understanding of blended learning is that it integrates digital self-learning with social learning in groups.

CONTRACT: How does troodi position itself in this space? Are you primarily a development company, a content company, or something else?

Julian: We offer a wide range of people and organizational development services. We have developed our own learning platform and so far created around 100 digital learning programs on future skills such as empowering leadership, communication, and diversity. Additionally, we provide live training and coaching. However, most of our projects take place in the blended learning space, where we combine digital and social learning elements.

CONTRACT: Fabiane, could you give us some insight into why Trusted Shops decided to use blended learning and work with troodi?

Fabiane: Our collaboration with troodi began when the pandemic fundamentally changed the way we work at Trusted Shops. We moved towards a hybrid work environment and realized that learning also needed to adapt. We saw the necessity of balancing synchronous and asynchronous learning to meet the needs of this new way of working, where work and learning are closely integrated. Before that, we had a more traditional approach to people development, relying heavily on external training and seminars. However, we found that this approach was not sustainable because it did not provide enough touchpoints to reinforce learning. It no longer suited our organization. As a result, our Learning & Development department shifted its focus from simply sending employees to training sessions to supporting them in recognizing their learning needs and taking ownership of their personal development journey.

CONTRACT: How has this new way of learning been received by your employees?

Fabiane: In general, the feedback has been very positive, but we are still in a transition phase. We have early adopters who act as multipliers and champions for this approach within our organization. At the same time, there are some employees who prefer the traditional ways of learning because that is what they have always known. However, blended learning is gradually gaining acceptance, as employees recognize that it fits into their daily work more seamlessly. They see that they can implement what they have learned more easily and transfer it into their work environment.

CONTRACT: What conclusions have you drawn from implementing blended learning so far?

Fabiane: We can see a shift happening, and we receive positive feedback through surveys and personal conversations with employees. The majority of employees see the benefits, but there are still some who are not entirely on board. Change is always uncomfortable, so our role in L&D is to create awareness and drive a shift in learning culture. One of the biggest challenges for employees is taking more responsibility for their own learning journey. They need to be enabled and empowered to do so. Our goal in the L&D department is to provide individualized learning journeys, act as a strategic partner, and work closely with employees to support them.

CONTRACT: Julian, you have worked on learning projects with many different organizations. What challenges do companies typically face when introducing blended learning, and how can they be successfully overcome?

Julian: The most critical factor for success is a strong learning culture. Some organizations want to implement digital learning but are not willing to invest in their learning culture. That approach does not work. You cannot expect employees to transition from traditional classroom training to fully self-organized learning overnight. It

is essential to empower learners. Organizations can take several steps to facilitate this transition. They should help employees acquire self-learning skills, sensitize leaders to the importance of learning, and ensure that top management is on board and serves as role models. Additionally, companies need to set clear rules, such as designating learning time as working time.

CONTRACT: What future trends do you see in blended learning? Where is the field headed?

Julian: The biggest trend for me right now is artificial intelligence. AI is impacting not only what we need to learn, but also how we learn. It can be used to produce or curate learning content, making content creation more efficient. AI can also support individualization by automatically designing personalized learning journeys based on prior knowledge and personal content preferences, such as video, audio, or gamification elements. Another exciting development is AI-powered learning chatbots, which can help deepen understanding by asking reflection questions and reminding learners of their learning goals.

CONTRACT: Thank you, Julian and Fabiane.

Blended learning is an effective way to combine self-learning with social learning. However, for it to be successful, organizations need to strategically develop their learning culture and empower employees to take charge of their learning journeys. At troodi, we support organizations on their path to a modern learning culture. Through our digital and blended learning formats, we promote self-directed learning and future-relevant skills.

If you want to learn more about blended learning, our Blended Learning Course for people development experts might be a good starting point. Book a meeting with our Business Development Specialist to get started.