The lion's share of corporate learning does not take place in training courses, but at the workplace: This is the central statement of the frequently cited 70-20-10 principle. Read this article to find out what action points we can draw from this principle and how you can use blink.it to design learning as a process.
Straight to the lion's share of learning success?
Learning on the job with blink.it
70% of learning success happens "on the job". With the blink.it learning platform, you can achieve exactly that: Accompany participants online for several weeks after training courses. Request your free demo now and let our blink.it expert show you how learning on the job works with the blink.it platform.
10% Learning in training courses
According to the 70-20-10 principle, a training course contributes to a very small extent to an employee's learning progress. The reason is obvious: training courses usually last one to two days, usually all at once. No significant change in behavior can take place in this short and content-wise highly condensed period of time.
This does not mean that training courses are ineffective per se or a bad measure! However, you should be aware that, according to the 70-20-10 principle, they only make up a small part of corporate learning.
10% Learning in training courses: Further training measures that do not take place in daily work deliver only the smallest part of the learning success.
20% Learning through interaction
Social learning comes in second place according to the 70-20-10 principle. First of all, this means: learning alone is less efficient than learning in interaction with others. This is not about classic group work, but about daily interaction: conversations between employees who give each other tips and thus encourage each other – completely without official training.
20% is attributed to social learning, which means: learning through interaction is about twice as efficient as learning in training courses. If you combine both, the learning effect is probably even over 30%! After all, anyone who talks to colleagues about the content after a training course will remember it longer. The colleague might have some additional advice – and so the original training content is actively passed on, consolidated, and further developed.
20% Social Learning: In daily exchange, colleagues benefit mutually from their experience.
70% Learning in daily work
The majority of learning does not take place in a training course or a workshop, but more or less unconsciously: during work itself. “Practice makes perfect” or “learning by doing” hits the core of learning in general very well. Or as learning expert Charles Jennings puts it:
Training is an event or a series of events. Learning is a continuous process.
A good example of the value of years of learning is self-employed professionals who charge several hundred dollars per hour – for an activity they have perfected over the years or decades. In plain terms, this means: you are not just paying them for the 60 minutes of work, but also for the many years of practice. The real value therefore lies in years of learning.
Important: In contrast to training courses, workplace-based learning takes place rather unconsciously: the learner is not aware that they are in the middle of a learning process. For HR developers, it is therefore important to first create awareness for precisely this everyday learning.
100% Learning by combining the three elements
If you want to increase learning progress in companies, combine these three elements. 10+20+70 = 100. Sounds logical, right?
Of course, this calculation is also only a guideline, but with a clear message:
Training courses are a good impetus for new perspectives.
Exchange with others is a good catalyst for putting perspectives into context.
Finally, the elementally important learning practice takes place in daily work.
The Blended Learning method aims precisely at this alternation between theory and practice: here, you combine classic transfer of knowledge in the training room with multi-week e-learning, which is integrated into daily work in small learning units. Combine classroom and online learning to avoid getting stuck at 10% learning progress.
Support with the 70% learning practice: E-learning with blink.it
The high proportion of daily learning “on the job” is not only extremely important, but is also often neglected. After all, the 10% through training and the 20% through social exchange are much easier to influence. Learning at the workplace itself seems more difficult to promote.
The solution: Support employees online with their daily learning! The blink.it learning platform is developed with the learner in focus. They can choose when and where they take the next development step. This freedom is important so that everyday learning is truly at the forefront and learning happens “on the side” – but with support. This is how blink.it sustainably integrates new knowledge in small steps into everyday working life.
How blink.it works: Gradually, very short learning content (“Blinks”) is unlocked for the learner. They decide when to engage with it: on the train, between two meetings, or specifically at regular intervals during working hours. A Blink works similarly to a mini-training: as a pure impulse for practicing or applying what has been learned. During the rest of the day or week, the learner integrates the content into their daily routine, thinks about it again and again, and does small exercises.
blink.it founder Michael Witzke explains in the video from LEARNTEC how blended learning with blink.it succeeds in small bites:
Conclusion: 5 steps for learning according to the 70-20-10 principle
The 70-20-10 model shows that sustainable learning does not happen in individual training courses, but through the continuous combination of learning impulses, exchange, and practical application in daily work.
We at blink.it see the success behind the 70-20-10 rule of thumb every day: learning requires a continuous process, and that means time on the one hand, and targeted support on the other.
In order to make learning at the workplace sustainable, we therefore recommend the following five steps:
Create awareness of the importance of everyday learning, e.g. through articles in the intranet or social media.
Provide impulses for new perspectives in training courses.
Enable workplace-based learning via an online learning platform.
Create space for social exchange. Constantly ensure links between learning methods.
Arrange an initial appointment with one of our staff members now and let us show you the blink.it platform in a demo of about 15 minutes! Afterwards, you can test all functions yourself as a course creator in peace: create content, experiment with the publishing settings, and get an idea of how easy workplace-based learning can be.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What does the 70-20-10 model state?
The model describes that sustainable learning occurs primarily through practical experience in everyday work, social exchange, and only to a lesser extent through traditional training.
Why is a single training course often not enough?
Training courses provide important impulses, but only application in daily work and exchange with colleagues ensure that new knowledge is retained in the long term and translates into behavior.
How does Blended Learning support the 70-20-10 principle?
Blended Learning combines classroom sessions with digital learning impulses and accompanies employees over a longer period of time. This continuously integrates learning into daily work.
How can companies specifically promote learning in daily work?
Companies create good conditions by providing short learning impulses, promoting exchange between employees, and creating opportunities to apply new knowledge directly in practice.
