The COVID-19 crisis has underscored a crucial truth for business leaders: a more capable workforce fosters greater business resilience. Even before the pandemic, organizations faced rapid change and the ever-present threat that today’s leading companies could falter tomorrow. Against this backdrop, the virus has proven how workforce capabilities and mindsets are the foundation for resilience and successful adaptation.
Unfortunately, the traditional model of corporate training was already failing long before the pandemic. Despite substantial investments in various capability-building programs, results have been inconsistent. According to a survey, U.S. companies invest more than $150 billion annually in employee development, but most of this spending does not yield the desired results. Alarmingly, only one in four senior managers believes capability investments are critical to business success.
That said, there have been successes in fostering behavioral change through capability-building initiatives. Only a select few institutions have achieved significant success by focusing on hands-on, in-person learning with real-world business scenarios or competitive simulations. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a halt to these gold-standard methods, presenting business leaders with a new and urgent challenge. They must now innovate quickly to adjust their capability-building strategies, and the consequences of this shift will extend well beyond the pandemic.
This shift is why business leaders are increasingly calling for a new type of capability development—one that works effectively in today’s virtual environments. This new model not only focuses on learning but also ensures that behavioral changes take root through daily application of new skills across the workforce. Such change is essential for building the resilient businesses of tomorrow.
Based on a series of case studies from the pandemic, this article explores innovative strategies organizations have adopted to address the COVID-19 challenge. Many of these new strategies go beyond merely adapting to remote work; they introduce new methods to ensure employees consistently apply their newly acquired skills. While we are still early in the workforce upskilling revolution, it is clear that leveraging learning science and behavioral change in real-world business contexts is not only possible but essential in the COVID-19 era. Companies that have embraced these technologies are witnessing long-term behavioral changes through high-quality digital capability development in a remote world.
The lessons from these initiatives emphasize three key areas of focus for businesses striving to recover and thrive. First, the need for new skills is greater than ever, yet traditional in-person training is no longer feasible for many workers. As a result, digital delivery of training must expand rapidly to meet the demand. Second, the physical and psychological gaps created by the pandemic require new tools and methods to engage learners and encourage them to change their behaviors. Finally, the ability to sustain behavioral change remains a significant challenge. In a remote work environment, businesses must implement novel reinforcement strategies that are both simple and effective.
Evolve Digital Delivery to Develop Remote Capabilities
While many businesses have integrated online training into their learning journeys, few would deem these programs a success. Historically, online learning has been seen as inferior to in-person, on-the-job development, often consisting of static videos, exams, and basic pass/fail assessments.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made traditional in-person training increasingly difficult, pushing organizations to innovate with digital tools. The new economic reality, with tighter budgets and widespread remote work, means that digital capability development will become the primary method of professional development in the post-pandemic world. Consequently, the bar for digital programming has been raised. Traditional, passive digital learning experiences no longer suffice; instead, remote learning must provide employees with essential skills while encouraging them to use those skills continuously to drive improvements in both behavior and performance.
One North American animal-health company responded to the challenges of COVID-19 by shifting its focus entirely to digital capability development. With in-person training no longer an option, the company decided to develop a digital program aimed at helping all employees understand the skills needed to drive business recovery. Rather than creating bespoke programs for each job type, management chose a unified approach, focusing on the core mindsets and behaviors required for employees to excel in their roles.
The Organization Built Their Playbook Around Five Key Elements
The first step in this transformation was a shift away from emphasizing technical expertise to focusing on foundational behaviors. For instance, every employee learned how to prioritize their tasks systematically, using a simple matrix to organize their work. Practical strategies like holding 15-minute daily check-ins helped staff manage their time more effectively. This fundamental shift positively impacted the entire business by strengthening core capabilities.
Digital delivery became the primary method of capability development, with every employee expected to engage with the digital program. The program had a consistent, engaging storyline and required employees to apply what they learned, rather than just memorizing concepts. For example, participants were asked to critique a sample milestone plan instead of simply designing one. After completing the foundational program, employees could access additional resources and examples from the company’s executives to reinforce key principles.
Leadership played a crucial role in driving the digital learning initiative. A weekly senior-team meeting featured a scorecard displaying completion rates for the entire organization, including C-suite executives. This not only created accountability but also fostered a sense of shared commitment, with 93% of employees having participated by the end of six months. Managers even scheduled work sessions for their teams to focus on the learning process.
Finally, the organization recognized that completion alone was insufficient. Behavioral change was the true measure of success. To track progress, employees were given checklists to assess their teams’ performance weekly, and the company emphasized ongoing improvement through weekly meetings that focused on specific strengths and areas for growth.
In Virtual Workshops, Bridge Both Physical and Psychological Distances
One of the most significant challenges posed by COVID-19 is the reduction in in-person interactions, which have traditionally fostered cross-functional collaboration, problem-solving, and behavioral change. Simply translating in-person events into virtual formats is not enough. Content must be adapted to suit remote environments, and facilitators must be skilled in conducting virtual meetings.
Some companies have taken a fresh approach to virtual training, emphasizing interaction over content. A multinational industrial corporation, for example, reduced the number of slides in its training from 80 to 20, focusing more on small group discussions and co-creating insights. This shift resulted in a more engaging and effective learning experience.
Another key lesson from successful virtual workshops is embracing technology rather than apologizing for it. Facilitators in a South American multinational logistics company made full use of video conferencing and interactive breakouts, which helped foster new connections among employees. Virtual workshops can break down silos and improve communication even in remote environments.
Leadership engagement is also crucial. With fewer in-person workshops, organizations can now involve top leadership more easily in virtual workshops. This has proven to be an effective way to bridge the gap between leaders and employees and foster a sense of connection and commitment.
Innovate with New Reinforcements to Keep Behavioral Improvements Going
Sustaining behavioral change has always been a challenge, but remote working has made it even more difficult. In the past, informal feedback loops in the office provided some reinforcement for changes in behavior. However, with remote work, these informal channels have disappeared, and businesses must now develop new systems to ensure behavioral change persists.
Some companies are experimenting with reinforcement techniques tailored to remote work contexts. For example, a telecom operator implemented virtual seminars, followed by “lunch and learn” sessions to reinforce desired behaviors. After just two months, 94% of employees reported feeling supported in developing the skills needed to manage remote teams effectively.
In some cases, companies are using mobile apps to send personalized “nudges” to employees, encouraging them to stay on track and providing real-time feedback. This approach has proven effective in maintaining engagement and reinforcing desired behaviors across diverse workforces.
While the shift to remote work has posed significant challenges for capability development, it has also created new opportunities for innovation. Organizations that embrace this opportunity and invest in digital learning, virtual workshops, and reinforcement programs are positioning themselves for greater resilience and success in the long term.
