What is learner engagement and why should you monitor it?

Learner engagement is one of the most important metrics for L&D departments. Given that engaged learners can generate 24% higher profit margins, it shows learner engagement can drive you toward your departmental and organizational goals.

But what is learner engagement? And why should you pay attention to it? We answer these questions and more in this blog.

• What is learner engagement?

• Factors that influence learner engagement

• How to monitor learner engagement

• Why should you monitor learner engagement?

• Why is learner engagement so important?

What is learner engagement?

Learner engagement represents an individual’s interaction with learning, enhancing the effectiveness of the knowledge consumed.

Factors that influence learner engagement

Learner engagement is impacted by numerous factors, ranging from the style you decide to invest in to personalization and the quality of the content.

IBM discovered that its employees consumed five times more using online learning than offline methods.

• Relevance of learning - Ensure your employees are enrolled in the relevant courses to increase learner engagement. They're more likely to switch off if they aren’t gaining anything from the learning or it isn’t directly applicable to their role.
• Method of learning - Whether it’s an online platform, webinar, in-person or bootcamp style, the type of learning will affect the level of engagement due to how impactful it is on the learner.

• Quality of learning - The quality of the material will have a direct impact on learner engagement. Consider whether the provider is accredited, partners with any organizations or academia and even try out a free trial to see what they offer.

• Design - Design and functionality have a big part to play in online learning platforms. Learners are less likely to be engaged if it isn’t easy to use. That’s why it’s essential that you consider SSO and LMS integration when choosing online learning platforms.

• The additional extras - Does the provider offer 1-1 support? Is there a student community? Can learners comment on resources? The learning doesn’t stop once the lesson ends — the best platforms foster a collaborative learning environment. 

In fact, 39% of people surveyed say functionality is the most significant priority when choosing a new LMS.

How to monitor learner engagement

The best way to monitor learner engagement is by looking at the numbers. The best online learning platforms offer reporting functionality, so you can gather and analyze data to see where there’s room for improvement.

• Sign-up levels - What percentage of your employees have signed up for digital learning? Since online learning has been predicted to increase retention rates by up to 60%, chances are most of your organization will want to get involved.

• Completion rate - What’s the completion rate of lessons and courses? How many learners dropped off? If this latter figure is high, you might want to investigate.

• Time spent learning - Are your learners truly engaged or are they skipping through content to finish ahead of time? It isn’t just about the amount of learning they complete but also the time spent doing it.

• Application of knowledge - Are you experiencing any evidence of the learnings being utilized in employees’ day-to-day tasks? This shows how valuable the learning is and how much knowledge has been retained. 

Why should you monitor learner engagement?

So why should you monitor learner engagement? Why does it matter?

A recent survey found companies that invested in training have up to 218% higher revenue per employee.

• Effective - Engaged learners will gain new skills they can apply in their roles daily, driving business performance. Not only will this help them to progress personally, but it’ll also have financial benefits for your company.

• Value for money - The best digital training platforms will require investment, and as an L&D department, you’ll want to ensure you’re achieving a good ROI. Increased learner engagement will enhance the skills learned and used in the workplace, improving the overall ROI.

• The overall impact - Are you progressing towards your L&D goals? How does learner engagement affect this? By being aware of the bigger picture, you’ll be able to pinpoint the areas to focus on to achieve learning success.

Why is learner engagement so important?

Learner engagement has the potential to make or break your L&D goals — it’s one of the key metrics of success. To find out more about why learner engagement is so critical and the impact it will have on your company, head over to our learner engagement page to learn more.