Five Essential Tips for Increasing Adoption of Your SkillBurst Digital Learning Programs

Congratulations on investing in SkillBurst's digital learning courses for your law firm! You've made a strategic move toward empowering your lawyers and business professionals with cutting-edge training. But now comes the crucial step: getting everyone on board and engaged.

Here are some creative training program implementation approaches we’ve learned from hundreds of our law firm clients that have helped increase the overall adoption of their digital learning programs, using our Professional Essentials (“PE”) subscription as an example.

1. Empower Your Team with "Training in a Box"

With SkillBurst's Professional Essentials subscription, you're equipped with a treasure trove of resources, including handy "Facilitator Guides" These training how-to guides make it a breeze for anyone to lead a training session. Imagine the impact when various stakeholders within your firm step up to lead sessions tailored to their expertise. Not only does this foster knowledge sharing, but it also cultivates leadership skills among your team members. It's a win-win scenario for everyone involved.

For example, someone from the finance department can lead a session on Levers of Law Firm Profitability. Hosted virtually or in person, the session facilitator can gather a group of associates to watch a module together and then host a discussion or answer follow-up questions given their expertise in the area.

2. Align Training with Firm Initiatives for Maximum Impact

Integrate your digital learning initiatives seamlessly into your firm's strategic objectives. Whether it's gearing up for performance evaluations or championing mental health awareness, there's a SkillBurst module to support nearly every initiative.

For instance, before the annual performance evaluation period, assign modules like Leading Productive Performance Evaluation Meetings and Successful Practices for Preparing Your Self-Assessment to evaluators and self-assessment participants. Then, you can follow up with specific skill-based training tailored to each individual's needs post-evaluation. It's also an opportune time to encourage feedback through modules like Inviting and Embracing Feedback.

During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, consider assigning one or more of the “Well-Being modules” from our Professional Essentials series.

If mentorship is part of your firm’s growth plan, assign new mentors Getting Started as a Mentor and ask mentees to complete the corresponding How to Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships module.

By explicitly linking these initiatives to broader company objectives, you highlight the relevance of ongoing learning to overall firm goals, nurturing a culture of growth and development.

3. Leverage Pre-Work to Enhance Live Sessions

By familiarizing participants with essential concepts in advance, you can dive straight into advanced topics during the session. This not only optimizes time but also ensures that discussions are more focused and impactful.

For example, assign Timekeeping Best Practices to all participants a week in advance of the live training so they arrive already familiar with the fundamentals. By having employees complete some work up-front, you’ll be able to skip the basic information and how-to’s of timekeeping and focus on more advanced concepts and guidelines.

4. Incentivize your Training Program

Who doesn't love a little extra motivation? Offer enticing incentives to encourage participation in training programs. Whether it's a $10 coffee shop gift card, exclusive firm swag, or the chance to attend a coveted event, these rewards will not only boost engagement but also generate buzz around your firm's training initiatives. You can also consider creating an internal certification program that allows learners to get “certified” in a certain topic such as interviewing or communication.

5. Rally Firm-wide Support for a Thriving Learning-Centered Culture

Harness the power of collective support by involving firm leadership in promoting your training programs. There are several ways to engage stakeholders when implementing a new training program. Whether it's through endorsement emails or hosting dedicated sessions, the backing of senior members can significantly amplify engagement.

Use the influence of persuasion – and the FOMO that might come from attending an event with a senior member of the firm. The more backing you have across the firm, the more your lawyers and business professionals will want to take advantage of the training opportunities you’ve worked hard to provide.

Ready to Take Your Training to the Next Level?

These tips are just the beginning. Reach out to your Client Success Manager to explore more innovative strategies tailored to your firm's needs. And if you've discovered a winning approach of your own, don't hesitate to share it with us.

Are you just starting out with your digital learning and training strategy? Contact us today to learn more about how SkillBurst can help.