Companies, corporations and organizations are increasingly turning to online training as a method of improving their employees and work staff. Elearning is currently a $56.2 billion industry and is set to double by 2015. So, why is this such a huge growth industry and why should you use it for your organization?
This post will explore three keys areas of why online training is booming: effectiveness, ease of use and accessibility, and the the enjoyability of such learning practices.
Online Training Effectiveness
Simply put, online training is effective. The statistics bear truth:
- A recent study by McKinsey showed that 74% of workers indicated benefits of using social technology in the workplace.
- IBM reports that companies who utilize elearning can increase employee productivity by up to 50%. For each $1 spent, IBM can get up to $30 back in productivity.
- The Research Institute of America reports that online training can increase retention by 60%.
- 72% of those surveyed said that elearning helps keep them and their employees up-to-date and competitive in their industry.
(Source: http://elearningindustry.com/top-10-e-learning-statistics-for-2014-you-need-to-know)
Online training simply works! But, what industries is it most effective in? According to most research, it is medical, education and business. However, Convergent Studio has found that any organization can benefit from elearning, whether a non-profit or Fortune 500 corporation.
And why is leaning so effective? According to LearnDash, there are six key reasons why:
- Letting learners control their interaction with the course media
- Encouragement of learner reflection
- Learners self-monitoring their understanding
- Extra learning materials
- Additional time spent on learning
- Collaboration opportunities
(Source: http://www.learndash.com/u-s-government-findings-on-elearning/)
Training Ease of Use & Accessibility
One of the great points about online learning is that you don’t have to be in a classroom. While blended learning methods are extremely effective and useful, having the ability to access learning materials on the go, at home, or in the car is simply invaluable. You and others within your organization can learn when and where you need!
Further, if elearning is properly implemented, your online training is cross platform… Meaning it will work on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. Imagine working through learning materials on any device and in any situation. This is truly putting the power of learning into your organization’s hands!
Finally, online learning provides the opportunity to give out guided, curated courses. This is key in keeping those who are learning from feeling overwhelmed with their training. By keeping the materials in bite sized, manageable “chunks”, you increase the effectiveness of training. And, don’t discount the effectiveness of drip content, which is a powerful method of distributing content one piece at time over the course of days, weeks, or even months.
Elearning Is a More Enjoyable Experience
How many times have you seen an oversized manual given to an employee at the beginning of their employment? Many times, I’m sure. For that matter, you may have even been the recipient of this… Chances are it either goes unread, misunderstood, or simply thrown in the garbage!
Online training provides a more enjoyable experience that allows individuals to learn at their own pace. It breaks down subjects into easily digestible pieces of information, helps retention, and is a visceral, interactive environment. Elearning provides an opportunity to go above and beyond words and into the use of pictures, video and multimedia to aid in learning. As they say, a picture can be worth a thousand words. In the case of online training, it can be worth thousand of dollars!
Further, you can also engage users in social activity, such as leaderboard, contests, learning certificates, and badges that show off their newly found skills and learning. There is no reason for learning to be boring stuff, so make it fun! Online training makes this possible.
At this point in time, if your organization is not offering elearning or some form of online learning system, you run the risk of losing employees, falling behind the competition or – at the very least – losing money in staff productivity. It is most likely time for you to begin looking at how you can begin to implement a culture of learning within your company.
Convergent Studio is here to help. We are experts at analyzing your needs and assist you in determining what online learning methods are best for your organization. Contact us at anytime at contact@convergentstudio.com to begin this process and provide your company with effective, easy to use, and enjoyable online training!