How To Reduce Online Training Seat Time
Time spent in the training room is time that could be spent on-the-job, which is why organizations always strive to reduce online training seat time for their employees. But how can you beat the clock and improve your ROI while still retaining your corporate eLearning benefits? Here are 9 tips to help you cut online training time and costs, without cutting corners.
1. Provide Just-In-Time Online Training Resources
Scheduled online training sessions are an essential part of your corporate eLearning program. They offer employees a comprehensive overview of compliance issues and company protocols. However, there are times when your employees need quick access to specific online training materials. This is when just-in-time online resources enter the picture. Easily accessible online tutorials, simulations, and presentations serve as valuable online training tools. Employees can get the information they require from anywhere in the world.
2. Incorporate Real World Online Training Activities
Real world online training activities, such as online scenarios and simulations, drive the point home. They give employees the power to put their knowledge into practice and hone their approach. For example, a task simulation allows them to explore each step and examine their performance. As a result, they get the experience they need to improve workplace productivity in a fraction of the time.
3. Make Your Online Training Program Multimedia-Rich
Visuals simplify complex topics and make online training more relatable. Infographics, online training videos, and images are just some of the visual aids that you can incorporate into your online training course. Multimedia offers two significant benefits. The first is improving comprehension and preventing cognitive overload. Employees are able to see a visual representation of the ideas, which allows them to assimilate the information. The second involves corporate learner engagement and motivation. Multimedia-rich online training content grabs their attention and creates a sense of immersion. Just make sure that the key takeaways don't get lost in the graphics.
4. Develop An Online Training Mentorship Program
One of the most valuable resources you have is your staff. Especially those who have more experience in the field and are willing to share their skills and knowledge. As such, you might consider a mentorship online training program that pairs new hires with like-minded colleagues. Develop guidelines to help them stay on track and provide them with a list of online training resources. Employees can turn to their mentors when they have questions or concerns. Thus, they won't spend as much seat time in the training room.
5. Create Online Tutorials And Demos
Online tutorials and demos help employees during their "moment of need". These online training activities also allow them to brush up on their skills and knowledge at their own pace. For example, one of your technicians is troubleshooting a customer issue. They realize that they have forgotten a key step in the diagnostic process. Instead of asking a manager or struggling through the task, they can access a quick online video-demo. Employees are less likely to forget the steps next time because it has a practical, contextual application.
6. Offer Personal Learning Paths
Personal learning paths cater to the specific needs of your employees. They have the opportunity to choose their own online training activities and assessments, which encourages them to actively participate in the process. You can take it a step further by creating personal training contracts. These outline milestones, goals, and resources that employees can use to achieve the desired outcomes. Personalized online training strategies empower employees and allow them to complete online training activities on their own time. As such, those who are struggling can improve their comprehension. While top performers have the chance to explore new tasks and topics. Most importantly, all of your employees get only the online training they need, instead of having to complete "one-size-fits-all" online training courses.
7. Integrate Skill-Based Serious Games
Serious games are fun, engaging, and effective. This makes them the ideal tool for skill development. Employees can explore new skill sets or fill the gaps while leveling up. As a result, they absorb the information more rapidly and remember it for a longer period of time. Alternatively, gamify your corporate eLearning program to improve employee motivation, which speeds up the process. For example, add badges, points, and leaderboards to your online training course design.
8. Conduct Regular Online Training Assessments
You may actually be offering your employees more training than they need. Or offering online training materials that miss the mark. Irrelevant online training courses may bore employees and waste valuable resources. For this reason, it's vital to conduct regular online training assessments to identify gaps and evaluate employee progress. You can use the data you collect to target your online training materials and customize the eLearning experience. Employees are able to focus on topics and tasks that matter to them reducing online training time.
9. Create An Online Community To Offer Ongoing Support
Certain employees may be dealing with challenges or obstacles that they can't overcome on their own. They need support from their peers and online instructors, even if they are geographically dispersed. Online communities can offer them the guidance and feedback they require. For example, social media groups, online forums, and corporate eLearning blogs. Develop a list of online resources for your employees and encourage them to interact with their peers. Post a prompt on your corporate eLearning blog to spark a friendly online debate or invite them to join a closed group. These online learning communities provide continual support so that employees can quickly remedy issues and get back to work.
These 9 tips can help you reduce online training seat time and improve the effectiveness of your corporate eLearning program. You also have the ability to allocate your resources more efficiently and increase employee satisfaction. Employees have access to online training materials around the clock, which gives them the opportunity to upskill on their own time.
There are a number of factors that have a direct impact on the seat time of your audience, all of which must be taken into consideration to increase the effectiveness of your online training course. Read the article 5 Factors To Consider When Calculating Seat Time In eLearning to discover some of the most important factors to keep in mind when calculating seat time in eLearning.
