The 5 Benefits Of Online Training That Face-To-Face Training Lacks
As training managers, one question you often deal with is, deciding the method of training delivery. Should you deliver the training in a face-to-face training program, online, or should you opt for blended learning to get the best of classroom and eLearning? Online learning can be as effective as classroom training, provided the following conditions are met:
- The type of content is suitable for online delivery. Any training program where learners are required to discuss or collaborate are better off presented as face-to-face courses. For example, a training on team building skills or change management might require an instructor-led session.
- The online course is relevant to the learner and includes challenges, activities, and feedback that motivates the learner to learn.
- The learners understand what’s in it for them.
- A well-defined supervisory support system that learners can leverage, should they run into problems with the online training program.
Can online courses ever match or surpass the training effectiveness provided by face-to-face courses? The answer is YES, they can! And here’s how an eLearning course scores over Instructor-Led Training programs.
1. Delivers A Consistent Learning Experience
In face-to-face courses, the instructor plays a major role in the delivery of content. Each trainer is different, and with that comes the difference in the learning experience. What one set of learners experience in a classroom training program may not be experienced by another group. Though the basic content of training remains the same, the success of the training program largely depends on the trainer and the way learners perceive the learning experience.
As organizations grow globally, there is an increasing need to deliver training that is consistent across all locations. Online training programs serve the purpose of delivering consistent learning experiences. Let’s say, you need to educate learners on the IT security policies and processes followed by the organization. Irrespective of whether employees go through the process training program from the office in New York, or from the office in Australia, the same knowledge is delivered to employees across locations.
2. Provides Flexibility In Training
Face-to-face training programs follow a schedule and require learners to be present at a certain time. So, if learners miss a training program, then they are going to be at a loss. Also, classroom training tends to be restrictive, as it is focused on a group of learners at the same time.
An online course, on the other hand, provides the much-required flexibility that modern learners are looking for. Learning can be extended beyond the classroom. Commuting to work or working from home, you can catch up on mandatory training programs anytime, anywhere. Responsive learning makes it possible for learners to access training programs on multiple-devices. Responsive eLearning design has become a game changer in the learning space.
3. Increases Training ROI
As with any other project, rolling out a training program too needs to meet with stakeholder approval. If stakeholders have to give you the go-ahead to roll out training programs, they need to see the Return On Investment.
In a face-to-face training program, the pace of training cannot be adjusted to suit the knowledge level of learners. For example, a classroom training program on sales training for a group of learners with varying experience levels will remain the same irrespective of their existing knowledge. The course will invariably start from the basics and progress to the more advanced concepts, and learners who are already familiar with the basics might still have to sit through the entire training.
A customized eLearning course can give learners an option to skip the basic level, provided they clear the assessment on basic skills and proceed to the advanced level directly. This saves the learners' time, boosts organization productivity, and also helps improve training ROI.
4. Decreases Training Cost
Every time a face-to-face training program is rolled out, there is a cost involved. But that’s not the case with eLearning. An online training program is a one-time investment. Unlike a classroom training program, online learning can be rolled out to many people and is accessible as many times as one wants.
The initial cost of investing in an eLearning course appears to be high, but in the long run, it proves to be beneficial. Outsourcing eLearning course development may look like it’s a complicated process, but finding the right eLearning partner can make it a smooth process.
5. Increases Productivity
Every time a face-to-face training program is conducted, employees are pulled away from their work. This definitely impacts productivity. What if a learner is unable to attend a classroom training program because of some critical task that comes up at work? It’s definitely not the learners' fault. As a training manager, the least you can do is accommodate the learner in another classroom training program, at a later date. But then again, it would involve lost productivity as the learner is required to reschedule the tasks for the day.
With an online training program, the learner has the flexibility to take the training anytime and can afford to complete the training at his own pace. This ensures that employee productivity is not hampered. A sticky learning experience requires reinforcement, and online training makes this easy.
If your organization has recently introduced eLearning as part of its training strategy, then let learners know how they can leverage online learning to achieve their training needs and professional objectives.
