In general, modern employee training constitutes two parts. The ability to understand the workforce’s qualifications and improve them in a targeted manner. The field of employee training has been ever-evolving, from job skills training and scientific management spawned by the industrial revolution; to the post–WW II era leadership development programs; and, finally, to the development of organizations for a variety of work-related purposes (Swanson & Torraco, 1995).
With the advent of eLearning in education, employee training has had to evolve further and develop to keep up with the demands and rigors of the present.
Employee training: An ever-evolving program
Employee training in the United States emerged after World War II. When there was an increased need for skilled workers in the economy/tech to fuel the wartime economy and further technological advancements. The rise of the U.S. labor movement during this period is also said to have contributed to the growth of employee T&D.
The instructional design process was one of the first widely adopted processes for designing training. Unlike other training methods, the IDP emphasized the importance of needs assessment before evaluating its effectiveness after training. The five phases of the first IDP model—analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate—lead to the popular term ADDIE.
In the past decade, our work culture has changed a lot. As the digital age continues to grow, we’re finding that we can work from anywhere, with most tasks done asynchronously. In other changes, you might see organizations hiring more global remote workers in stark contrast to hiring full-time office employees. Organizations can also foresee periods of decreased demand for resources and increase their flexibility in allowing remote work as a result.
The effect of Covid-19 and the widespread acceptance of remote/hybrid work culture has compounded the use of eLearning in corporate training.
Why eLearning is needed in employee training
With the prevalence of eLearning, classroom-style training has lost its edge and is no longer seen as a viable solution for employee development.
Larger businesses often need to dedicate a lot of time to professional development. New departments often emerge and grow, which is why many companies require specialist training or management courses. Providing this training is often crucial, but implementing it can be challenging.
In part, this is due to employee training being expensive and disruptive. Employees must grow and learn new skills. However, finding the budget for them to take a course and finding coverage for the time they’re away is often prohibitive.
But, learning can now be done in remote locations, making eLearning more attractive for employees and employers, as training is no longer limited to confined areas. It benefits the organizations as this does not lead to halting the work process while the employees learn something new.
Here are some significant reasons why eLearning is essential in employee training:
- Encourages work-life balance: Employees adapt to changes and learn at their own pace. While some are good at learning fast, others do so more slowly. We’ve seen that eLearning programs encourage flexible lifestyles since each employee can learn at his/her own pace.
- Reduces Learning time: According to records, eLearning programs reduce the learning time of employees by up to 60 percent. “No fixed setup” for training platforms is the reason.
- Decrease the Training Cost: Employees studying in remote places using eLearning programs lower the company’s total training costs. Training rooms, travel, catering, and supplies all come at an added fee. Around 80 percent of the expenditures are spent on printing alone.
- Clear, Measurable Objectives: Clear, quantifiable goals are required for a successful training program. Again, you may rely on eLearning technologies to track and measure results. This will assist you in determining what kind of instructional approaches lead to employees learning a new skill the quickest. You’ll also benefit from giving your training programs clear objectives since your employees will know what’s expected of them.
Cons of eLearning in employee training
I don’t just want to sugarcoat one training method while neglecting the other side completely.
And although eLearning is truly revolutionizing corporate employee training & development programs, here are a couple of cons you need to keep in mind:
In-person training is more hands-on
Classroom-based learning is far more hands-on than online training. You can get direct answers to your questions from the teacher during or after the session, plus you have a whole room full of perspectives and information to draw from.
For example, online training cannot replace an in-person placement shift for someone in emergency medical services.
Solution: Use online-learning solutions for the theoretical aspect of the training. At the same time, doing an in-person one for drills.
Learners Can Feel Secluded
Because eLearning may be done from anywhere, learners may feel isolated. Some learners prefer in-person training because it allows them to engage with others through group discussions.
Solution: In a blended approach, organizations might use eLearning as a pre-and post-work activity. This enhances learning by using eLearning courses that review important concepts and ideas while also bringing learners together through various collaborative activities.
Conclusion: Should you subscribe to eLearning?
According to a Small Business Trends report, corporations have boosted their usage of eLearning by 900 percent in the previous 16 years. So, should you consider eLearning for your company?
Yes, most definitely. Organizations cannot afford to lose productive employees who want to keep up with new industry information and trends. If management cannot offer them the resources they desire, they seek employment elsewhere where they will have the opportunity to outsmart themselves.
Yes, specific abilities can only be learned in person. But, if your training courses involve in-person instruction, combining Instructor-Led Training (ILT) with regular eLearning is a simple solution to improve workplace training. This instruction is known as blended (or “hybrid”) learning.
Happy training!
