In today’s tight labour market, it has been well documented that candidates are looking for more than just a good salary from their next employer. And at the top of the list of what to look for in a potential employer is how much emphasis they put on personal development.
Engaged employees appreciate the opportunity for online training and e-Learning to develop new skills and knowledge. The learning experience helps employee retention as colleagues feel more valued by their employer. It helps them see how they fit into the bigger picture of the business and demonstrates you care about their future.
So, how can e-Learning help you improve the learning experience of employees? Let's take a look at the top 5 reasons e-Learning should be a part of your learning and development programme.
1. Cost
One of the most obvious benefits of e-Learning is how cost-effective it is. E-Learning removes the capital investment of retaining a face-to-face trainer, travel time and costs, and the logistics of taking staff out of the business for a period of time. Add to that the cost of physical workbooks and other learning materials, then e-Learning in the workplace appears to be a win: allowing continuous learning at a low cost. With e-Learning, learners can use their own devices and complete the training from anywhere.
2. One Size Doesn't Fit All
Employee training requires tailored forms of training and development to effectively engage employees. It’s well known that the more senses that are engaged at one time, the better the retention of information. You probably know yourself, whether you learn better by watching, listening, or doing and most people are a mixture of all three.
Most of us can probably recall at least one time we attended a training session that was simply "death by PowerPoint" as we sat there listening to someone read directly from the presentation alongside them. When you think about that training, did you learn as much as you should have? Or was it easy to zone out and let your mind wander? I think a lot of people would agree their minds wandered.
E-Learning is excellent at sensory stimulation as learners move from watching videos, to studying a graphic, quizzes, scenarios, real-time simulations, and other forms of gamification that keep learners engaged and motivated.
3. Flexibility
Finding time to enable a group of employees to attend a training session is challenging for any business; however, with e-Learning, employees can complete it at a time that suits them and can also access it across various devices, whether that's laptops, tablets, or even mobile phones. This not only solves a logistical problem for an employer but also empowers employees as they can choose the device that suits their learning best as well as the time they learn best.
4. Instant Feedback
In the modern world, we often have limited time to focus on one thing and crave instant gratification. e-Learning provides feedback at every stage, and learners know how they've done within seconds of finishing a training programme. No waiting for a trainer to mark paperwork or find the time to provide individual feedback after a group training session.
5. Lifelong Access to Training
Many e-Learning platforms offer lifelong access to learners. This means employees can revisit their training at any time, again giving them control over their own personal development and building trust between the employee and employer. Whilst traditional learning methods often provide workbooks etc., to refer to after the training has ended, how often are these misplaced or discarded altogether?
E-Learning offers a permanence, with employees being able to undertake continuous learning online and meaningfully develop new skills and knowledge.
If you are interested in e-Learning either for yourself or your employees, follow the links below for more information:
