It took nothing less than a global pandemic to wipe out the cons of working remotely. Working from home used to be just the realm of freelancers or those that rely on online projects to make their living. There is no doubt the scenarios such as the one the whole world is facing now are not ideal. The shift from the traditional workplace to the virtual ones is now pretty much solidified.
With this, everything moves online – from hiring to training, managing your work from home team and on to production. Online training gave people the chance to learn and engage while staying in their preferred location. This is not only convenient but also extremely helpful in retaining knowledge. Being online certainly has its advantages, and its practicality far outweighs the few cons that it might have.
Here are five benefits of online corporate training for any workforce.
Online training saves money
The bottom line is that getting onboard an online training platform will save money both for the company and the employee in a number of ways. For one, there would be no travel expenses for both, as well as no time lost in commuting. The trainer’s costs are also reduced because they no longer have to fly into the venues, and there would be no need to book them anywhere.
Another area that savings are done is in training venues. These venues cost an arm and a leg to rent, provided you can even find one that is freed up, to begin with. Besides that, you also save up on equipment costs because all the participants need is access to the internet, a phone, or a computer—most of these things almost everyone already owns.
Most of the time, the training is done via modules. Modules can be one-time purchases only, and the learning are at the hands of the trainees. What is significant is that sometimes you can find these modules for free online. Money can also be saved on materials, as you no longer need printing them out for distribution.
You can learn at your own pace
All training is time-critical; however, being online puts this in an entirely new context. Online training will usually have the trainees go through a module at their own pace. However, they do come with a scheduled interaction with a live trainer at certain times. Some training will even forego such interactions and instead rely on assessments at the end of a specific period for evaluation.
Online learning will often require you to finish a module by a particular time. It really won’t matter whether you just learned it an hour before the deadline. Sometimes people learn that way, and it works. For others, they take in their modules a page or a snippet at a time, and it won’t matter as long as it is done before it is due. This way, learning is custom and personalized. If the learning is at a personal level, the information is a lot more likely to be retained.
Ask anyone that learns at their own pace, and you will probably get the same answer that it is so much easier. This is because they read and focus on the modules according to their own unique needs. Online training will allow you to learn in a comfortable environment while surrounded by familiar things. No two employees are alike, and this is why this type of training works.
Flexibility
Advances in communication and computing technology allowed real time communication wherever you may be because of high-speed internet. It enabled workers to work remotely as if they were in the office themselves. While this is true, it also presented the problem of changes being rolled out so fast that sometimes people find it hard to keep up. This is where online training can shine, as it can be flexible enough to be rolled out in sequence and several formats.
The format, the method of information delivery, and scalability makes online leadership training the go to method for rolling out new learning. Format can be changed according to need, and it can be pdf, audio, or video depending on the complexity of the material. All the participant needs to do is to block out a time to listen, read, or watch the training at the most convenient place of their choosing.
It does not stop there; the flexibility also applies to the time the trainees can access their modules. They also can learn via their preferred format at their own pace. Some will even choose to print out the modules as some people can easily digest their information when it is something physical and tangible. Whatever their personal preference may be, an online training module can be customized to fit.
Collaboration made easy
Even in the best of times, collaboration on a project is not easy in the workplace and even more so in training. However, managing your remote team and training facilitation has never been easier with an online setup. Working with a company means that people belong in a team, and collaboration ensures that everyone can have a chance to be heard. In an online training scenario, physical locations have very little bearing. All that is required is an internet connection, a mobile device, and a quiet place, and the training can start.
When there is a need for the team to be together, an online classroom or training room is infinitely easier to organize. First, there is no need to wait for participants as they would no longer be spending time spent in traffic or commuting. Then, they do not need a lot of time to prepare, as most people do this literally in their pajamas. Some literally just wake up five minutes before the allotted time and still be prepared for the training. This flexibility makes online and virtual training so timely and straightforward.
Constructive feedback works
Being online has another fringe benefit of doing away with ‘pleasantries’ that often block constructive criticism. Most of the time, delivering feedback no matter how helpful can be challenging when done face to face. With this barrier removed, it is much easier to deliver what is needed to be said. On the other hand, trainees are more receptive to criticism when they perceive it as being non-personal.
When constructive ideas are exchanged with little emotion and with much objectivity, results are often optimal. Participants can easily identify which areas of the course they need to focus more on. On the flip side, the participants can also give their feedback to the training, or trainer when applicable.
To wrap it up
The advantages of online training are numerous, and the list above is not all of them. The key to knowledge retention is how comfortable the recipient is. The ultimate comfort is being able to participate in training in the place where you are relaxed the most. Online training is one of these and more, and the benefits only add up when you factor in our current global situation.
An online training scenario can guarantee the ultimate risk-free environment for a group of employees. We mean this both literally and figuratively. Being online means you can receive and give feedback with a degree of privacy and non-personal interaction.
Author bio:
Angeline Licerio is a content writer for Elevate Corporate Training. We are a team of passionate professionals dedicated to improving performance of individuals and teams within organisations.
