The Importance Of Ongoing Online Training: 4 Benefits For Your Employees

4 Tips To Improve Your Ongoing Online Training Strategy And 4 Benefits For Your Employees

One of the most common mistakes that organizations make is ending their online training before it's even begun. Your staff needs perpetual online training at every stage of their employment, regardless of their experience level or position within the company. Even your top leaders need a refresher online training course from time to time. But how can you develop online training that goes beyond the orientation process, especially if you are working with limited resources?

4 Benefits Of Ongoing Online Training

1. Increases confidence and job satisfaction.
   Employees who have the online training they need to do their jobs effectively, are more confident in the workplace. They are also more satisfied with the organization, as a whole, and are less likely to leave. As a result, companies increase their retention rates and don’t have to devote additional resources to train new employees. The onboarding process usually requires a significant amount of time and money. In comparison, developing an ongoing online training program that includes brief modules and online activities can be relatively inexpensive, especially if you use the online training materials repeatedly. Some employers also offer ongoing learning assistance through fringe benefits, so that they have the added ability to use this assistance as a recruitment and retention tool.
2. Improve knowledge and skill retention.
   Ongoing online training gives employees the opportunity to brush up on their skills and refresh task mastery. For example, if an employee learns how to complete a complex process during onboarding online training and then never repeats the online module, then they are probably going to forget how to do it over time. On the other hand, if they can access the online module whenever they like or must retake it periodically, there is a high probability that they will remember every step of the process.
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3. Stay up-to-date on products and procedures.
   In some cases, companies add new products or services to their line on a regular basis, such as every month or season. It’s imperative that employees know all of the features and specs of these products so that they can pass on the knowledge to the consumer. This is where ongoing online training becomes an invaluable tool. Organizations have the power to keep their employees informed and up-to-date with the latest goods and services, without forcing them to take the entire online training course all over again. They can simply login to the online training platform and click on the newest online modules or activities. The same principle applies to new processes or procedures.
4. Identify unknown weaknesses and strengths.
   This benefit is actually two-fold. Companies can not only identify the strengths and weaknesses of their staff, but also the online training program, itself. If a vast majority of your employees are struggling with their refresher online training courses, for example, then you may need to fine tune your overall online training strategy. Likewise, if specific employees are not able to successfully complete an online module or assessment, you may have to figure out how to fill the performance gaps.

4 Tips To Create An Effective Ongoing Online Training Strategy

1. Offer a variety of online training options.
   Every member of your staff is unique, which means that they all have unique training needs and preferences. For this very reason, it’s wise to offer a wide range of online training options, such as online training activities that cater to their specific learning needs. More visual employees will benefit from online presentations, while tactile employees will enjoy online scenarios or simulations. They key is to give them variety so that they can pick and choose the approach that works best for them. This is especially true if your ongoing online training is voluntary, as employees may need that extra bit of motivation to access the online training course. You may also want to take it a step further by offering different online training delivery options, such as mobile learning courses or blended training programs.
2. Make online assessments part of employee evaluations.
   It’s a good idea to begin and end your ongoing online training sessions with an online assessment. You then have the opportunity to use these assessments during employee evaluations. For example, an employee who is not performing well in the customer service online module, may need to participate in additional online training courses to build that skill. You can make these recommendations during your evaluation meeting and address any questions or concerns they may have immediately.
3. Evaluate the real world value of your online training program.
   An online training program is only effective if it offers your employees real world benefits and applications. You should clearly state how each of your online modules and activities are going to help them boost their performance and work more efficiently. Ideally, this should be stated before the online training course begins and every exercise should reinforce the real world value of the online training experience. Employees need to know why they are being asked to participate in the online training, as well as how they can apply the knowledge in real world settings. This is yet another reason why it’s important to custom tailor your online training to meet the needs of your employees.
4. Collect employee feedback regularly.
   Your staff is one of the most valuable feedback assets that you have at your disposal. So, give them surveys and questionnaires after every ongoing online training course to find out what they liked about the online training experience, how they feel it can be improved, and if you are reaching the performance goals and objectives. Feedback allows you to improve job satisfaction rates, as well, given the fact that you can personalize the online training experience to meet their expectations.

Ongoing online training may not be the fastest or most affordable option, but it provides your employees with the skills and tools they need to be at their best. In fact, online training should never truly be "over" until they clock out of your company for the final time.

Want to create an amazing ongoing online training program for your organization on a tight budget? Read the article Tight eLearning Budget: 6 Tips To Create An Amazing Online Training Course to learn how you can develop successful online training courses with limited resources.