Choosing Bookboon as a Learning and Development Opportunity for Professional Growth
Before I started my Churchill Fellowship report, ‘Building Inclusive Work Cultures for disabled employees to Drive Innovation,’ I knew that I wanted the research to be as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, including in a learning and development opportunity context. Like all areas of life, the education system is not always accessible to disabled people, and, of course, it’s important to me that access and inclusion run through the heart of everything I create.
What’s the point of gathering all these findings, for it to only be available to a limited amount of people? How can I make the research accessible so everyone from your Junior employee to C-suite executive can start improving access and inclusion on an individual and collective level? As soon as I started writing the report, I wanted to ensure I could offer the information in as many different formats as possible. We all learn differently too – whether you’re a visual or audio learner, or if you learn by doing.
Talking with the professionals from my report, it was clear that a barrier for business leaders in improving access is a lack of time and resources for access and inclusion initiatives. I needed to find a platform that makes it easier for employees to learn and grow with a solid, accessible, online professional development option that supports business goals while fostering employee engagement and continuous learning, especially around DEIB. The more people take time to learn about this topic across a company, the more welcoming and inclusive a company is likely to become!
All of this to say, introducing… Bookboon!
Bookboon for Personal and Professional Growth and Development
Bookboon is a digital learning platform that offers a vast library of eBooks and audio learning materials on various topics, including academic subjects, business skills, and personal development. It focuses on providing concise, practical, easily digestible content for students and professionals to facilitate continuous learning. eBooks are typically under 50 pages, and audio content is in short, focused segments.
You can access content online or download it for offline use, making it convenient for learning on the go. There’s even an extensive collection of free textbooks for students, supported by advertising within the books. It’s also a brilliant learning and development option for businesses, as it has eLibraries for employees. All of this makes it an ideal, accessible platform for spreading the findings and messages behind my research to more people.
Why I Chose Bookboon as an Effective Learning and Development Opportunity
These intentions on access and inclusion mean translating my research into as many different formats as possible over time so that people with different learning styles, circumstances, disabilities, and neurodiversity can learn from the report and start implementing change. Working with Bookboon was the natural next step when the report was finally published!
Short audio is accessible to people with different disabilities, neurodiversity, and people with time constraints who can only learn on the go, or grab a free 20 minutes between busy meetings. It is an accessible option for people with motor skill difficulties, dyslexia, visual or perceptual processing disorders, and/or visual impairments.
But it also caters to a much broader audience. For example, it can be a valuable tool for multilingual learners, helping them improve listening comprehension and pronunciation, and especially helpful if written materials aren’t available in their native language. Short, focused audio segments can sometimes be easier to absorb in a noisy environment than trying to concentrate on reading. People who want to add learning and development time to their commute or multitask (within reason) through busy or stressful times often appreciate audio as an option. People who enjoy variety will benefit from audio as another format to make learning more engaging.
If you’re not new around here, you’ll have heard me say access benefits everyone, not just disabled people. And that’s the key. When we design for accessibility, we’re not just accommodating a small group of people but creating a better experience for everyone. A ramp isn’t just helpful for someone in a wheelchair but also helps anyone pushing a stroller or pulling a suitcase. Closed captions aren’t just for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; they’re also helpful for people watching videos in a noisy environment or learning a new language.
Similarly, audio learning benefits people with visual impairments or learning disabilities and can enhance everyone's learning experience. By offering information in multiple formats, we create more opportunities for people to engage with it in a way that suits their needs and preferences. This expands the research reach and enriches the learning process. It’s a win-win: a more equitable and enriching learning environment for everyone.
What I Cover
You can find my 5 Bookboon titles on my Bookboon profile, which are:
Accessibility as a Key to a ‘culture of belonging’.
Here, I discuss how inclusive practices in recruitment, design and policies empower all employees and drive innovation. I also offer practical tips for engaging leaders and taking a holistic approach to accessibility in the workplace.
Start discussing disability and accessibility.
People often avoid the topic of disability in the workplace. If you’ve ever struggled to talk about disability, worried about saying the wrong thing or know others who do, this episode is the one! You’ll learn key accessibility concepts, practical steps for starting conversations about disability, and how removing barriers can enhance your organisation’s culture.
Unexpected Accessibility Beneficiaries.
Accessibility goes beyond ramps and special software. It’s about removing barriers for everyone. Flexible work helps carers and parents. Remote work options support those priced out of local living. Clearer communication aids all learning styles. When workplaces prioritise accessibility, they create a culture of inclusion and innovation, ultimately benefiting everyone.
Accessibility: Why is it Needed?
The one about small changes significantly impacting your business with real-world solutions to real-world problems!
Accessibility and the Power of Language.
Learn about the impact of language on building an inclusive workplace culture and creating a more welcoming environment.
How Bookboon Works
Browse. Explore the Bookboon website to find the eBooks or audiobooks you want. Whatever your interests or priorities, the site has a wide range of categories, making it easy to discover relevant content.
Free vs. Premium. You’ll see which resources are free (ad-supported textbooks) and premium (require a subscription).
Subscription. If you want premium content, choose a subscription plan and create an account.
Access. Once you have a subscription, you can access all premium eBooks and audiobooks. You can typically download them for offline use or stream them online.
Pricing: For the first 30 days, a Professional Plus subscription is free; after that, it’s £5.99/month. Sign up for the 30-day free trial and create an account, and you can start listening to all five audios.
If you’re a company looking to invest in learning and development opportunities to enhance business performance and skills training, Bookboon is available with the Access Group. Book a demo to explore how Bookboon can help you upskill your team efficiently as part of an L&D strategy with over 4000 bite-sized audio learning resources, eBooks and live virtual classrooms, all of which can be viewed on demand.
Do you want to explore another area of focus that can improve access and inclusion and, in turn, support learning and performance? Read about ‘Why you Need More Stress Awareness in the Workplace this Stress Awareness Month’.