By Ricci Masero
While companies pour money into lengthy courses that demand full attention and perfect conditions, employees are multitasking, moving, and simply too busy for bloated content. The solution isn’t more “hyper-engaging videos” or “interactive workflow simulations”; it’s audio-first podcast-style eLearning that fits into real life.
Evidence shows that people want to learn during their commute, 94% prefer audio learning formats, and around 600 million people globally already listen to podcasts. Meanwhile, screen fatigue affects more than half of us, and countless employees in hands-on jobs can’t access computer-based training during work hours.
Podcast-style training solves these problems by delivering focused, practical lessons that people can consume while walking, commuting, or working. It’s accessible, private, convenient, and proven effective. Best of all, you can create professional podcast training in minutes using AI tools like Google’s NotebookLM.
Traditional training doesn’t fit real life
Your employees aren’t sitting in quiet rooms waiting for the next corporate training video. They’re juggling emails while listening to webinars, scrolling phones during presentations, and frankly struggling to find 30 uninterrupted minutes for that mandatory course.
Traditional eLearning assumes people have screens, silence, and undivided attention. But many Gen Z and Millennials want to learn on their commute, and most workers are constantly multitasking. When your training demands perfect conditions, it simply doesn’t happen.
The numbers tell the story. Companies invest millions in learning programs with engagement rates that would embarrass a YouTube channel about paint drying. Meanwhile, on average people consume 9 podcasts per week, proving they’re hungry for audio content that fits their lifestyle.
Screen fatigue is crushing your training ROI
More than 50% of us suffer from screen fatigue, and research shows vision problems are higher among online learners due to increased screen time. After eight hours staring at monitors, the last thing employees want is more screen-based learning.
Podcasts offer a break from digital eye strain while keeping productivity high. Instead of adding screen time, audio learning removes it entirely. Your workforce can rest their eyes while strengthening their skills.
Audio learning reaches more people
Traditional training excludes huge portions of your workforce. Construction workers, nurses, drivers, and warehouse staff don’t have constant computer access. Millions of people live with sight loss, making screen-based content challenging or impossible. Neurodivergent employees often find audio helps reduce over-stimulation and sensory challenges.
Podcast-style training works for so many more people and situations. It requires only a mobile device and headphones—technology that a huge majority of the working population already carries. No special software, no perfect lighting, no quiet conference rooms required.
There’s love for podcast-style eLearning
The global podcast audience is estimated to be 600 million people in 2025, and they’re not just listening for entertainment. Shows like Diary of a CEO, HBR’s Ideacast, and even light-hearted programs like No Such Thing As a Fish prove people actively seek knowledge through audio.
This habit reveals something crucial: people don’t resist learning—they resist inconvenient learning. When education fits seamlessly into daily routines, consumption skyrockets.
People don’t resist learning—they resist inconvenient learning.
Create podcast-style training content in 4 simple steps
Creating professional podcast-style training based on your content used to require expensive script-writing, recording equipment, eLearning voice-over experts, and editing skills. Now, AI tools like NotebookLM generate educational audio content in minutes from your existing training materials.
Step 1: Go to NotebookLM
Navigate to NotebookLM and sign in with your Google account. The platform is free and requires no special setup.
Step 2: Click create new
Look for the “Create New” button, typically in the top right corner of your screen. This opens your workspace for the new podcast project.
Step 3: Add Your sources
Upload your training materials through the pop-up box. NotebookLM accepts multiple formats:
- PDF files and text documents
- Google Workspace content
- Website links
- YouTube videos
- Pasted written content
- Audio files like MP3s
Step 4: Generate audio overview
After adding sources, click “Audio Overview” to create your podcast. The AI will also offer study guides, mind maps, and flashcards if needed. Generation takes just a couple of minutes, then you can download the finished audio file.
Top Tip: If you click the edit pencil on the tile, you can tweak the settings and add some guidance for the AI, e.g., What should the hosts focus on in this episode?
The result sounds like two professional hosts discussing your content in an engaging, conversational style. No recording studios, no script writing, no editing required.
The learning styles myth (& why audio still wins)
Despite popular belief, research shows that learning style preferences don’t translate to effectiveness. You’re not a “visual learner” who needs pictures to understand concepts.
However, this false belief doesn’t eliminate the case for audio. Some people simply enjoy podcasts more than videos. Enjoyment drives engagement, and engagement drives results. If your learners prefer audio, that preference alone makes it more effective than formats they avoid.
Audio + everything else: The blended approach that actually works
The argument for podcast-style learning isn’t about replacing your entire training library with podcasts. It’s about using each format where it excels most. Think of audio as your training foundation: It dominates at delivering the “why”—the context, motivation, and behavioral foundations that make everything else stick.
A seven-minute podcast episode can explain why a new safety protocol matters, how it connects to company values, and what success looks like in practice. That understanding and motivation becomes the scaffold for everything else. Then supplement with focused visual materials where they add genuine value.
This blended approach fixes the core problem with monolithic training modules: They try to be everything at once and end up being effective at nothing. Instead of cramming context, procedures, and motivation into one overwhelming package, separate them strategically. Use audio for high-level concepts and behavioral change, then layer in visual elements for specific, procedural needs.
The result? Employees understand why before they learn how, making retention dramatically higher when they do encounter visual or written materials.
Microlearning meets podcasts: A perfect match
Microlearning—delivering educational content in short, focused bursts—improves knowledge retention and prevents cognitive overload. Most effective podcast episodes for learning run under 10 minutes, hitting the sweet spot for attention spans and busy schedules.
Pilot feedback by Assemble You (a leader in audio-only learning content) from 18 organizations across retail, healthcare, and logistics showed remarkable results: 94% of users wanted more audio learning, and 85% said it changed how they think or act at work. These aren’t just satisfaction scores; they’re behavior change metrics.
Convenience beats perfection every time
Josh Bersin advocates for learning in the flow of work—removing friction and delivering training when and where it’s most convenient. Podcasts take this further by fitting into the flow of life itself.
Audio learning doesn’t demand a 25th hour or 8th day. It dovetails into existing schedules. Employees can upskill while commuting, exercising, doing chores, or even during certain types of work. Studies show that even car drivers and cyclists want to learn during commutes, not just those using public transport, proving the appetite for commute-based learning (CBL) exists.
Privacy problems you haven’t considered
Consider the employee researching harassment policies, or the new manager seeking guidance on sensitive team conflicts. Screen-based training broadcasts these topics to any roaming eyes that pass their desk. Audio learning offers privacy that screens can’t match.
Podcasts create psychological safety by removing visible barriers to accessing sensitive content. Employees feel comfortable exploring difficult topics without judgment or unwanted attention from colleagues.
The ROI of podcast-style eLearning
Smart companies align training methods with strategic objectives like employee development and talent retention. When 85% of audio learners change their workplace behavior, you’re not just checking compliance boxes—you’re driving real performance improvements.
Using the method above, podcast-style educational content costs far less to produce. Audio training reaches more employees and generates higher engagement than traditional methods. Most importantly, people actually complete it. That’s ROI you can measure.
Turn learning into listening
Your employees are already listening to podcasts, learning from audio content, and craving convenient education that fits their lives. The infrastructure exists, the appetite is proven, and the latest technology makes creation simple.
Stop fighting against how people actually consume information. Instead of demanding they adapt to your training methods, adapt your methods to their preferences. Turn learning into listening, and watch completion rates soar while training costs plummet.
If you’re still not convinced, or you’re curious, check out some samples; new examples will be added regularly!
Image credit: Liubomyr Vorona
