Ready For The Digital Transformation Of Your Training?
It's estimated that by 2020, spending on digital transformation initiatives, including online training, will surpass £1.6 trillion. It's clear to see that there has been a huge amount of investment into digital initiatives by organisations across the globe in a number of different sectors, but with only 77% of organisations describing their relationship with technology as average or slightly above average and the other 23% falling behind with the transition, it begs the question—why are so many organisations not transitioning to digital learning?
What Is Digital Transformation And Why Should It Be Prioritised In Learning?
Digital transformation is described as:
Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It's also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure. - Enterprisers Project
In a nutshell, digital transformation helps organisations speed up their business operations and by doing so, they'll be able to offer more value to their customers. It takes organisations to the next level and can get staff more engaged with activities, particularly training and learning.
Companies get confused, they think their goal is revenue or stock price or something. You have to focus on the things that lead to those.- Tim Cook, Apple
The Benefits Of Transitioning To eLearning
Many organisations have already transitioned from traditional learning methods to eLearning with great success, in fact, around 98% of companies plan to use eLearning by 2020. It makes sense. In fast-moving workplaces, traditional learning methods just don't fit it anymore. A large number of employees will be constantly on their feet, such as those in hospitals or retail, those in customer support roles, or those driving around and selling, they all share a common need—quick, digestible information and that's where eLearning comes in. But what are some of the benefits of transitioning to eLearning?
- More flexibility for learners
Employees can complete their eLearning modules on the go, on any device, at a time that suits them. - It's more cost-effective
eLearning is often far more cost-effective than traditional learning methods, and many eLearning providers will offer unlimited learning packages, which means companies don't need to worry about paying for more training throughout the year or at training intervals. - Less time-consuming
eLearning courses should be short and engaging, whilst including all of the vital information needed on a particular topic. Whilst traditional learning methods can consume entire days, eLearning courses can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. - Easy reporting and management
A common misconception with eLearning is that by using it, it becomes harder to track results and keep up to speed with who has and who hasn't completed their training. With modern Learning Management Systems (LMSs), this couldn't be further from the truth. LMSs allow for training administrators to assign training and record training results. - More engaging
There are big believers that eLearning should be video-based and highly engaging and they practice what they preach. The human brain remembers important information far more effectively with visuals rather than text.
The Potential Pitfalls
While eLearning is a great option for organisations, there a few potential pitfalls:
eLearning That Isn't eLearning
Far too many eLearning providers are branding their courses as eLearning when in reality they are just awful flat ‘presentations’ that do nothing to engage the learner but just move them through a series of slides that are poorly written, poorly animated and clearly designed only as a 'tick box' exercise. These courses will not engage the learner, and you'll run the risk of them not consuming vital information. Always use an eLearning provider that allows you to trial their courses before you buy.
Not Enforcing It Effectively
Many training administrators buy eLearning and then 1 of 2 things happen:
1. They don't effectively enforce it.
Or
2. The system they are using doesn't allow them to effectively enforce it and everything becomes a manual, laborious process.
The bottom line is, there's no point in investing in eLearning if your staff aren't going to use it. So you need a system that can sort this out for you automatically. Choose an LMS that lets you set automated email reminders and welcome emails for your learners.
You can also incentivise your learners to complete their training with monthly competitions and prizes.
Top Tips When Choosing An eLearning Provider
- Always choose an eLearning provider that offers engaging and interactive content. Nobody wants to trawl through awful powerpoint presentations or PDFs! Give your staff video-based eLearning that they'll love!
- Make sure they have an LMS that will cater to your needs.
- Check their online verified reviews, it will give you a good insight into what other clients think of their offering.
- Make sure you can get a free trial of the course/software before you buy!