Online learning is also handy when things such as a global pandemic happen, and workers must stay at home or stay home for a decent period due to illness recovery or high health risks. If you have a large remote workforce, online learning is going to be essential.
There are many excellent solutions for running virtual training programs to help you make your investment as effective as possible. However, it also helps to know numerous tips to keep in mind as you design and run courses, workshops, talks, etc.
Determine Your Goals Upfront
Start by working out what goals you have for the training programs before you begin designing and running them. While obviously, you’re going to want to teach your staff members things, there will likely be other outcomes in mind. For example, many leaders want to use training to help their team bond and work together more effectively, while others might be looking to help prepare employees for future roles.
You may want your training to help everyone improve productivity or understand how to service your customers better, or need workers to get up to date on a new tech tool so you can roll out a new feature or streamline operations somehow. Clarity on the results you're looking for will help you make strategic decisions about training at every point along the way and thus become more likely to achieve your goals. If your goal is to enhance cyber security, focus on online cyber security training for employees.
Think About Your Audience
To design the most effective digital training programs possible, you must consider your audience. Who are you training, and what’s their current knowledge and skill level? Does this vary a lot? Do the people in your team tend to work better individually or in groups, and do they prefer certain types of learning styles over others?
Is it best if you create training sessions that are short and sharp and can be digested in bite-size chunks in between people’s everyday work tasks, or would it be better if you designated an entire afternoon or day, etc., to training your workers intensely, all at once? Think about these questions to help you determine the best course of action for your training systems.
Choose Quality Platforms
Of course, when running learning programs online, one of the biggest factors is how well the digital component works for you and others planning the training plus those undertaking it. Take your time examining quality platform options and choosing the best one for your current needs.
There are many different elements to look into. Price is, of course, going to be a key consideration, but so should how well-regarded and trusted various platforms are, how quick and easy they are to learn and set up, and if they integrate effectively into your business systems.
Don’t forget security, either. Pick a platform known for being as secure as possible so training sessions don’t get interrupted or otherwise negatively affected by hackers and so employee and organizational data doesn’t get stolen, either.
You can mitigate digital risks by paying for quality comprehensive software solutions for all computers and internet-connected devices in the office. Trusted firms such as Trend Micro have products to suit all sorts of needs and budgets and can help your firm stay safe no matter how many online training programs you run or how many times they run or get downloaded.
Keep Information Clear and as Simple as Possible
You’ll get more out of eLearning tools if you keep the information you present as clear and straightforward as possible. This doesn’t mean dumbing things down ridiculously or missing out on vital details, but instead being concise, specific rather than vague, and clarifying your messages at every stage. People won’t be able to take much from their time spent training if they come away from it confused by what they’ve heard or too overwhelmed by technical and specific terms.
Other virtual training tips to keep in mind include setting ground rules, sharing expectations as soon as sessions begin, and encouraging participation from attendees. Set up breaks through programs and consider running breakout rooms or other sorts of chat features so workers can stay more engaged and focused and learn from and better get to know each other.
Also, prepare for hiccups as much as you can (backup plans are vital), and follow up after training is completed to discover what people took away from their sessions and if they have any feedback you can utilize when planning future training.
Digital training programs can seem a little trickier at first and perhaps daunting to prepare. However, once you’ve done a couple, you’ll see how many benefits stem from this type of learning solution and how much easier it can often make life than in-person offerings.