Proper employee training is essential for the success of your business.
But training takes time. And it takes money.
So how do you improve the efficiency of your employee training operations and maximize your bottom line while still delivering the proper education your team needs?
More and more organizations are turning to eLearning. In fact, 42% of Fortune 500 companies use eLearning for training.
The success of eLearning is clear: This type of training can lead to a 60% faster learning curve, 5x higher retention rates, and generally require 40-60% less employee time.
But some businesses still aren’t sold on switching from a traditional form of training. That’s why today, we’ve put together a list of 10 reasons you need to leverage eLearning as part of your employee training strategy.
1. Self-paced Learning
Not every trainee learns at the same speed. Some want to move more quickly, while others need to take their time and let concepts sink in. eLearning allows the learner to explore the content at the pace that’s right for him or her without getting bored or feeling left behind. This self-paced aspect also allows you to design a strategy that has flexibility built in, so trainees can learn not just at their own pace, but in their own way as well.
2. Fewer Instructors
Travel and accommodations for on-site trainers can be a big line item for training, but eLearning cuts down on those costs dramatically. There is still a place for trainers within a business setting, but eLearning can decrease the volume and overhead of this facet.
3. Lower Material and Delivery Costs
When you don’t need to buy printed course materials each time you conduct training, your costs over time can be significantly lower. Yes, there will be a larger up front cost for eLearning development, but from there, you can make adjustments to existing training rather than re-printing whole course books year after year. Plus, your incremental deployment costs once the course is developed are nearly zero, as compared to per class costs associated with ILT.
4. Hands-On Learning
Depending on the topic, the classroom setting can present challenges to incorporating opportunities for trainees to experiment with the processes they are being taught (especially when there’s a risk for heated debates.) In these cases, interactions are either too one-directional or too far removed from the realistic situations you’re preparing them for. With eLearning, you can conduct simulations, practice runs, and let learners get hands-on with tools to improve the learning experience. You can do all this within the confines of a safe environment, where the trainee can try and fail without risk of injury or other harsh consequences.
5. Better Access
We are all growing accustomed to an on demand society. We don’t want to wait for anything, especially training. eLearning courses are available 24/7, as either new learning or on the job performance support. Additionally, if eLearning courses are made available for employees on demand after completion, they can access the training materials for a quick refresher course. This allows them to better complete their work (with fewer errors) and creates a “safety net” for those who still feel uncertain about specific areas of training.
6. Scalability
eLearning courses are easily scaled—with no extra material costs. This is important because often times you need to wait-list a course allowing enough trainees to register for the course to justify the time spent by the instructors (which puts a delay on learning.) With eLearning, however, you can scale up or down freely.
7. Employee Investment
An engaging eLearning course can make your team members feel appreciated and more engaged. Think about it: Trainees remember the company who took the time to make sure they were educated properly. Plus, it helps them feel more secure and confident within their daily roles.
8. Standardization
Sometimes different instructors teach courses in slightly different ways that can lead to conflicting outcomes within the workplace. eLearning gets rid of this dilemma by delivering the identical course to each and every employee. There’s less (unintentional) friction, and an equal playing field for all.
9. Interactivity
Games and quizzes within eLearning courses allow learners to experiment—and even to fail. These interactive experiences are often missing from the traditional learning setting, and are missed teaching moments.
10. Positive Environmental Impact
Whether your company is on a mission to be green or not, eLearning courses mean lower CO2 emissions (travel) and less hard copy materials (trees saved). This may tie in with your company’s mission—or it may just be a positive side effect you can leverage in your PR.
eLearning: Making Strides in Employee Training
When it comes to the advantages of eLearning, this is only the beginning. Think about your business and employees and consider how eLearning training might be a stronger, more cost-effective solution for your organization.