Why use e-learning? Communication with staff across a large organization can be difficult and expensive. Traditional email is the default method of communication, but staff often dislike corporate emails. In an increasingly mobile world, e-learning can help businesses reach their employees without the expense and disruption of a traditional training program. It can also be mobile-friendly and social, which is increasingly important as staff are becoming more plugged into their mobile devices.
Human interaction in e-learning
A recent study revealed that employees crave human interaction while taking online courses. The resulting COVID-19 has forced trainers to shift away from traditional classrooms and to move towards online learning. While this change has its merits, it can also create a negative effect on the overall effectiveness of staff training. To counter this, there are a few strategies trainers can employ to ensure staff training sessions are more effective.
The lack of human interaction can result in poor staff training, resulting in reduced motivation and lowered competence levels. The following five critical success factors can help improve the quality of your e-learning courses:
Mobile-friendliness
Using mobile technology to design an eLearning course can help you make your content mobile-friendly, as modern learners are much more distracted than those in traditional classrooms. To make your eLearning content mobile-friendly, design it in a way that offers a good user experience and the fastest download times possible. High engagement is essential to reach learning objectives. So, consider these tips for creating a mobile-friendly eLearning course.
First, keep the course design in mind. Mobile learners will be more likely to read and use mobile-friendly content than those who only use their desktop computer. Remember, they are also dealing with external distractions while on the road. They don’t want to spend time scrolling through lengthy pages to learn new information. Another important element to consider when developing mobile-friendly courses is the design of your Learning Management System. Make sure that the LMS is mobile-friendly, or else the course will be inaccessible to your learners.
Social features
The Social features of elearning for staff training can make the experience more engaging for learners. For example, using a social learning strategy can accelerate new hire orientation. Traditionally, it takes new employees six months to get used to their workplace. Social learning programs encourage new hires to ask questions and make connections with co-workers. These programs are designed to foster active learning and transform learners into teachers. The results are an engaged workforce and a better customer experience.
The social features of elearning for staff training have many benefits. They help employees interact with trainers while minimizing the time required for one-on-one interaction. By offering real-time feedback, they help increase employee engagement. Social learning also improves employee understanding of concepts and facilitates collaborative learning. Social learning is also easier to manage with automated reports. Incorporating social learning features into your staff training program is essential for success.
Cost
An average business spends approximately $60,000 on staff training. This works out to $1,200 per employee. Senior executive training will run you considerably more than the average. The cost of training will differ for front-line employees, middle managers, and CEOs. The latter will need specialized training. However, the costs are generally lower than those of senior executives. Read on to find out more about how to calculate the cost of staff training.
When compared to traditional training, eLearning offers significant savings. For instance, an IBM study found that employees were able to learn five times more material than if they had been using traditional training methods. Furthermore, they needed less time for training, which directly equates to lower costs. In addition, eLearning reduces the time spent in the field and improves profitability and productivity. By using this form of training, you can save up to 60% of your training budget.