7 Reasons To Opt For Blended Learning Software Over Full-Fledged Online Training

7 Reasons To Opt For Blended Learning Software Over Full-Fledged Online Training
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Summary: Old-school employers may believe 3-day workshops, and unpaid internships, are the truest form of training. Is there any way to convince them blended learning software is the way to go?

7 Reasons Blended Learning Software Wins Over Full-Fledged Online Training

For leaders who’ve been in the workspace for decades, the digital space is both a puzzle and a threat. They don’t quite understand how these ‘black mirrors’ endow youngsters with skills it took their elders years to master. So, in a sense, senior staff might buy into blended learning software because it at least has vestiges of the conventional approach. It’s a safe compromise that offers the best of both L&D worlds. But what specific examples can you use to tip them over the edge? Here are 7 convincing reasons why you should opt for blended learning software over full-fledged online training.

eBook Release: Blended Learning LMS Buyer's Guide: Tips To Bring The Best Of Both Worlds To Your SMB
eBook Release
Blended Learning LMS Buyer's Guide: Tips To Bring The Best Of Both Worlds To Your SMB
Discover how to remedy traditional training gaps and bring the best in your SMB using a blended learning LMS

1. Trims Expenses

Words every boss wants to hear. Anything that saves time and money is sure to be a hit. A blended learning software trims training time. You can convert a potential 2-week off-site trip into a 1-month online course plus a two-day practical session. The in-person parts of training could be done in a joint physical space. It could also be an extended live-streamed session led by an expert. Either way, it offers the benefit of a workshop at a fraction of the cost. You don’t have to pay to convert your entire ILT training program into a digital learning experience. But you still reap the rewards of providing employees with online support tools.

2. Facilitates Face-To-Face Interaction

In your typical eLearning scenario, trainees only engage with the screen. They might webcam with online instructors, or converse with chatbots. They might even message with fellow learners, but for the most part, it’s just them and their screens. Blended learning sessions, even if it’s just a 3-hour presentation in the break room, offers actual human interaction. They can mingle with peers who share their training perspective, and that’s gratifying. On the other hand, they still have access to those aforementioned video conferencing tools if they are on-the-go. For example, meeting with a client and need to quickly consult with co-workers about the latest product line.

3. Alleviates Isolation

Even the most extreme introvert craves some form of human contact. That’s why so many of us shop online, then spend 3 minutes conversing with the delivery person. This sense of exclusion can be even more intense for remote workers. Blended learning software gives them opportunities, and valid excuses, to spend a few days with their office-based co-workers. It can be nice to put a face to their email sign-off, and it helps with team spirit. This cultivated cohesion is crucial to the efficiency and smooth work-flow. Employees no longer have to feel like they’re flying solo, as they have access to online peer-based support resources anytime, anywhere. Or they can attend the next training session to interact with co-workers.

4. Enables Customization

Surprisingly, blended learning software offers more tailoring options than training that’s strictly online/offline. Team players may need more interaction while ‘lone wolves’ work better on their own. Each of these employees adds their own invaluable skills to the team. And both would wither and flounder if they were forced into the other’s preferred training mode. Blended learning gives them room to pick their own level of immersion, online and offline. They can decide on the digital/traditional blend that works best for their training requirements.

5. Improves Communication

Talking to a screen and talking to a person are entirely different experiences. There are people who are great on email but struggle with in-person interactions. Others are skilled orators but can barely punctuate text messages. To be successful in the work-place, you need both skills, and blended learning software allows you to dabble. You can set your own training plan and put more emphasis on your areas of deficiency. This improves overall communication skills within your organization, which benefits everyone involved.

6. Identifies Soft Skills

Some attributes are hard to define on paper. We all assume, for example, that a boss or politician is a good leader. But what happens before their promotion? How did they get spotted? And how can you identify your next C-suite pick while they’re still a novice behind a screen? Blended learning sessions help. You can literally tell, at a glance, just by observing group dynamics. Note who tries to pacify disagreements, who dominates the conversation, who seems more interested in keeping others comfortable. In-person interactions can help you identify your generals, caretakers, bureaucrats, and planners.

7. Builds Advocacy

Within the same framework, blended learning software encourages your employees to speak for themselves. They can’t simply hide behind the screen, and they’re prompted to state their preferences. Do they want a coffee-meeting, an expert lecture, a field trip? It offers some level of democracy that invites your employees to communicate and share ideas. It takes them out of their screen bubble and reminds them they’re part of a team, after all. Through this process, it introduces them to the experience of working with their colleagues.

Life is full of grey areas. And in the work-space, blended training software can be a useful tool to positively engage the in-between. What are its specific benefits though for your organization? It costs more than pure eLearning but far less than traditional training. It offers time-saving opportunities to engage face-to-face, relieving the isolation of strict screen learning. Trainees can customize their package and practice verbal communication. They can express themselves and advocate for their needs, while their boss gets a chance to spot their soft skills. This is key for suitable role selection and leadership development. It helps employees get positions that maximize their interests and talents, which leads to higher retention and greater job satisfaction.

How is conventional training problematic, and how can the blended learning approach fix it? Is there any way to convince employers blended learning software is the way to go? Download our eBook Blended Learning LMS Buyer's Guide: Tips To Bring The Best Of Both Worlds To Your SMB and discover how to remedy traditional training gaps, leverage your blended learning platform for managing online training, and how to bring the best in your SMB by using a blended learning LMS.

Originally published on July 5, 2019