A Smarter Way Use of Your L&D Budget
More organisations are giving their teams the freedom to choose books as part of their professional development. Platforms like Learnerbly have made self-directed learning budgets mainstream, and books are consistently one of the most popular things employees choose to spend them on. A well-chosen book can develop leadership skills, shift perspectives, and spark better conversations across a team in ways that a half-day workshop rarely does.
But when an organisation invests in books for a team, the return depends on whether people actually finish them and engage with the ideas. That is where audiobooks have a significant advantage, whether your team is reading individually or as part of a structured book club or reading programme.
Here is why audiobooks are the smartest format for team reading, and how to set it up.
Why audiobooks work for team reading
People actually finish them
The biggest challenge with any workplace reading programme is completion. People are busy. They mean to read the book, but it sits on their desk for three weeks and then the discussion happens without them. Audiobooks fit into time that is already there: commutes, lunch breaks, gym sessions, school runs. When the book goes where your employees go, more people finish it.
They are genuinely accessible
A print-only book club excludes people with dyslexia, visual impairments, or conditions that make holding a book difficult. It also excludes people who simply find it hard to concentrate on printed text for long stretches. Audiobooks remove those barriers entirely. And with xigxag’s x-book format, employees can listen and read at the same time, seeing the text and illustrations on screen as they listen, looking up unfamiliar words, and switching between audio and text without losing their place. This is especially valuable for employees who speak English as a second language or who want to engage more deeply with the material.
They are flexible
Not everyone in your team learns the same way. Some people absorb information best by reading. Others prefer to listen. An audiobook-based programme gives people the flexibility to engage with the book in the way that works for them, whether that is listening at 1.5x speed on the train or following along with the text on screen during a quiet lunch break. The x-book format means employees do not have to choose between listening and reading. They can do both.
No physical logistics
Print book clubs require ordering, shipping, storing, and distributing physical copies to every participant. With audiobooks, everyone gets instant access on their phone. There is nothing to ship, nothing to return, and no delay between choosing a book and starting it. For organisations with distributed or hybrid teams, this is especially practical.
From individual reading to team programmes
Self-directed learning budgets work well for individual development. But more organisations are going further, building structured reading programmes tied to specific goals: leadership, diversity and inclusion, innovation, resilience, mental health. Some run formal book clubs with facilitated discussions. Others simply choose a book for the whole team and give everyone time and space to engage with it.
Whatever the model, the same principle applies: the programme works best when participation is high and the content is accessible to everyone. That is where audiobooks have a clear advantage. They lower the barriers to finishing the book, they work for people with different learning preferences and accessibility needs, and they fit into the working day without requiring anyone to carve out extra time.
Why xigxag works for team reading programmes
xigxag is built differently from the big subscription platforms, and those differences matter when you are buying books for a team.
Bulk discounts. We offer discounted pricing for organisations buying audiobooks for their teams. Get in touch and we will put together a quote based on the size of your team and how often you plan to run your programme.
No subscription required. There is no monthly fee, no credits to manage, and no unused subscriptions to chase up. You buy the audiobooks your team needs, and that is it. Each person owns their copy permanently.
Listen and read. The x-book format is unique to xigxag. It lets employees listen to the audiobook while following the text on screen, complete with illustrations, word lookup, search, note-taking, and quote sharing. For a team reading programme, this means richer engagement with the material and better discussions.
Professional human narration only. Every audiobook on xigxag is narrated by a professional human voice. No AI-generated narration. For a workplace programme, narration quality directly affects whether people engage with the book or give up after 20 minutes.
B Corp certified. xigxag is the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook platform, which matters if ethical procurement or sustainability is part of your organisation’s purchase criteria.
Quick turnaround, real people. We are a small, responsive team and you will always speak to a human. If you need to get a programme up and running quickly, we can turn it around fast. Tell us what you need and we will make it happen.
The best technology. xigxag is built by one of the most experienced digital media technology teams in the industry. The app is reliable, intuitive, and designed to make listening easy for everyone, including people who have never used an audiobook app before. Your team will not need training to get started.
Over 120,000 titles. Our catalogue covers business, leadership, personal development, fiction, wellbeing, and more. Whatever your programme focuses on, we can help you find the right books.
How to get started
Whether you are setting up a structured reading programme or simply buying books for your team’s development, getting started with xigxag is straightforward. Get in touch at hello@xigxag.co.uk and tell us about your team, how many people you want to include, and what you are trying to achieve. We will put together a proposal with discounted pricing and help you choose the right titles.
If you are exploring the idea and want to try xigxag first, you can browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk. We can also provide you a complimentary book to allow you to see how the app and the x-book experience work.
