That YouTube video was circulated on the company messenger to select people and groups. The LinkedIn post was brought to attention with tags and mentions. The PDF is somewhere on the company intranet. There are frequent in-person trainings organised too. See the problem here?
Remember the good old pre-pandemic days? Every trainer in your company was so busy, flying out at least once a month to train. Remember too the logistics of arranging these live training events? The flights, the accommodations, the venue, the refreshments, the trainer guides and the copious amounts of physical participant handouts.
Then the pandemic happened and all those lively, interactive, engaging events were replaced with online training. Not many liked that. They missed human interaction. Really? Physical kinesthetic activities, yes. Breathing the same air, we’ll concede you that one too. But “online training is impersonal or lacks the human touch” is propaganda.
Convenience, Flexibility, and Cost Savings
You can have icebreakers in virtual meetings where conversation is not limited to those seated at your table. You can have participants sharing not only their thoughts but data, information, documents, and videos in an online forum.
Where real time during a workshop or training is limited, a trainer’s time and attention can be focused and extended in online training to provide feedback to both the outspoken and the publicly wary.
Stay ahead or be left behind. Or, for better or worse, stay as you are. Upskilling is essential for professional and personal growth; otherwise people stagnate. And while many are happy doing their job, organisations thrive when there is a culture of learning and growth. How do you do that without compromising on their valuable time? Taking them away for a 3-day training?
In contrast to the traditional training method that requires days and a lot of manpower planning, an online training management system provides flexibility and mobile functions. Employees can participate in training courses anytime, anywhere. By selecting online training, you can ensure that the learning process will not affect normal working hours, thereby increasing productivity. Online training also offers an “extension” of learning and growth hours. It extends beyond a limited 1/3/5-day training. Access is round the clock.
Tracking progress and providing feedback
"Oh, but there were such lively conversations during coffee breaks and lunch hours! We don’t have that in online training."
Agreed. If team building and a physical sense of camaraderie was the objective of those training events, virtual training does not necessarily replicate that. But can you personally state how many attendees were attentive and how many understood the content and how many retained and applied the training six months down the line? Were the objectives achieved? Was there even an evaluation in place to gauge training effectiveness and course-correct as required?
As a trainer, YOU can provide the guidance required as you track a learner’s progress. Heck, the LMS can do that for you! This feature is particularly beneficial for employers who want to ensure that their employees gain the required knowledge, learn the necessary skills, and apply it to perform tasks effectively.
Employers or trainers can determine the knowledge gaps, provide other support or resources, and adapt to the specific needs of the employees.
Learners too can benefit from progress tracking by receiving feedback on their performance and determining the areas that must be improved. This can help to motivate learners and play an active role in their own learning. In general, the ability to monitor progress is an important feature of the LMS, which can help employers and learners achieve their training goals.
Regular feedback is a crucial aspect of continuous professional development. With automated and timely evaluations that benefit employees, managers, and the business, you can eliminate or minimize manual grading and monitoring, saving time and resources. Additionally, it reduces the potential for any bias to influence the evaluation process.
One big holdall: Central repository of content and data
An LMS helps companies keep all their content in one centralised location. This approach benefits employees by providing easy access, minimising the risk of losing crucial information and organizing content efficiently.
Structured Learning Path
Not only can you store and share resources but you can create and administer proprietary content to your employees. Depending on the architecture and design, you can determine which parts of the training must be focussed on. You can also determine AND allow learners to decide which areas to skip. This makes learning more specific, just-in-time and helps employees invest their time into skills and knowledge, thereby raising their professional knowledge in areas that need development.
Paperless
Retaining information from hastily scribbled handwritten notes taken during traditional training sessions can prove to be ineffective. However, opting for online training sessions eliminates the need for paper as all eLearning materials are stored digitally. This paperless approach proves to be an easy-to-use solution for employees who require access to crucial information and resources anytime they encounter a complex question or challenging situation.
Personalised LX
An LMS can truly transform the way companies train their employees. Every employee learns differently, with some grasping concepts quickly while others need more time to fully comprehend the subject matter. eLearning allows individuals to take charge of their learning pace, thus personalising the learning experience (LX). Moreover, online training provides flexibility as employees can participate in sessions from an environment they find most comfortable. Additionally, employees can choose from a range of content formats that suit their preferences, including audiobooks, video content, interactive material and more - all of which contribute to a more personalised LX.
With multi-content format support, learners no longer have to rely on a single learning format within the LMS. This not only breaks the monotony of learning but also makes it more enjoyable. Through this feature, learners can access various learning materials in different formats.
When designed and handled effectively, online training provides employees with convenience and flexibility, lowers costs for the company, and allows access to training material at any time and from any location. Companies can invest in high-quality digital content and curriculum that will serve as a permanent asset, saving money and allowing learners to attend classes remotely. Depending on their schedule, learners can access various training sessions and courses on their digital or mobile devices.
