Ways Corporate eLearning Makes The Difference For Onboarding Employees
Onboarding can be a hectic time for both a new employee as well as the organization that hired them. The newbie has a lot to get acquainted with, for example, a new work culture, maybe a different job role and, sometimes, that lingering doubt about whether they'll like the new job or not, and even if they are the right fit for the organization. Traditional onboarding processes tend to deepen the chasm between the employee and the organization instead of helping them get familiar, which can lead to problems later on, and in worst cases, may even lead to new employees changing their minds about joining an organization.
Imagine an employee on the first day of their job. They sit down on their workstation and see that everybody is busy doing their jobs (a quite commonplace sight in a corporate environment). The employee is unsure about what to do and looks here and there as an effort to find someone who could help them. They know where their boss sits, but they are unable to gather the courage to walk up to their new boss and ask them what it really is that they should be doing. If this scenario sounds a little too familiar, it is because it is usually what happens when the onboarding process is non-existent.
You see, lack of information is one of the sole reasons employees decide not to join an organization or quit in the first 3 months. If the new employees are not made aware of what is expected of them, and what they'll be going through every day as long as they work in the organization, they tend to form expectations. This could lead to them realizing that the job is too demanding or sometimes, not demanding or stimulating enough to meet their needs once they start out. Sometimes, an employee is accustomed to a different environment than what the new organization has. Even this is a major factor. Which is why new employees must be made aware of their day-to-day role, the skills required of them, and how they are expected to behave, along with a little background information about the company and its work culture before they start out on their new position. The best way to do all of this is eLearning modules. Corporate eLearning can offer a solution when it comes to the problems mentioned above.
By offering the potential employees online eLearning courses, a lot of purposes are served. One, they get what the job is all about and what is expected of them before they even begin their job. Two, it helps the organization understand whether the potential employee can actually handle the job responsibilities or not, and third, there are no ambiguities left between the company and the employee. eLearning can help an organization discern details about which will be very difficult to notice in an interview environment.
How Can eLearning Help With Onboarding?
Well, imagine the same scenario at the top, but now, put eLearning in play. All the onboarding training courses have been set up in advance and the employee has been told to begin taking these courses the moment they arrive. No resource has to spend any time bringing them up to speed, or telling them what to do, or briefing them about the company. The new employees benefit too, as they can take the courses at their own pace, educating themselves on all they need to know. However, attention must be paid to the fact that the eLearning courses given to the employees to complete must not be mundane ones with page after page of just text. Be sure to include text, images, audio, videos, quizzes, and assessments so that they are not bored out of their wits on the first day itself. Throw in a gamified eLearning course if you want. Gamification is a great tool and a perfect addition to the onboarding process. Also make sure to drip-feed the learning to the employees, in the form of bite-sized learning modules instead of one large chunk to complete in a day. If using gamification, let employees earn a badge each after the completion of each course.
New employees are already in unfamiliar territory when they set foot in a new organization. eLearning courses provide them with an agenda, as well as an engaging learning experience. This way, they are already on their way to understanding their purpose in the organization, and finding their own way to fulfill that purpose.
