Many business owners recognize that there is value in offering an eLearning-based training program. Having one is only the first step. If you want to maximize the return on your education investment, then you need to take steps to make sure that your team knows about it, knows how to use it, and can access the tools they need to develop their careers.
There are several reasons why employees may not utilize online training in an organization. The most common include:
- Lack of time available to participate in classes and activities
- Courses are boring, lackluster, and outdated leaving little to be excited about
- Each course is lengthy, taking too long to complete in a reasonable time frame
- No connection is made between the courses offered and the worker’s job role or goals
- Employees are not aware that online classes exist and are available to them
The good news is that it is possible to overcome these obstacles. In some cases, it may not take long to fix the problems and get more people interested in your training program. The following list will help you get started.
Make Sure Your Courses Are Mobile-Friendly
Accessibility is a top priority. The easier it is to get to the content, the more likely your employees will be to use it.
Make sure your courses use a responsive design. That means they adjust to whatever size screen they are viewed on. You may have team members logging in on laptops, desktop PCs, tablets, or smartphones. Each should offer a similar experience with no obstacles and few limitations.
Check your LMS to find out if it offers a responsive design or native app for Android and Apple devices.
Evaluate Your Course Content for Quality and Consistency
Course quality and consistency are important. Every class you offer should provide a good value for your team. If a course isn’t performing a well as it should, it could be a content issue.
Evaluate any problem courses and improve or replace them. You don’t want your learners wasting time on content that is going to do little for them. If your training program is old, it may be time to make some updates. That could include breaking courses down into shorter segments, adding interactive video, or utilizing other educational technology like simulations, quizzes, and more.
Incorporate Microlearning if You Haven’t Already
Microlearning delivers content in small portions. Each session focuses on one concept or idea, usually spanning no more than 5 to 7 minutes.
This makes it much easier to fit at least one training session into a busy day. It also delivers content in a manageable size that’s easier to remember. Trainees learn more in less time.
L&D professionals prefer microlearning. Reports have found that development costs are lowered by as much as 50% but development speed increases by up to 300% when using this method.
Set Aside Time for Employees to Participate in Training
Time management can be difficult, especially if you operate in a demanding industry. While the flexibility of eLearning makes it possible to train at home, you shouldn’t expect workers to use all of their personal time to train.
Scheduled time should be set aside for mandatory training. However, it is also best to allot some time for optional training. This could be an hour a day or a few hours each week. When you give your employees the opportunity to learn during business hours, they will be far more likely to take advantage of what your training program has to offer.
Request Feedback from Trainees
Feedback is valuable because it can shed light on what’s working and what isn’t. Most LMSs include a survey or feedback tool so you or your trainers can find out how learners felt about their experience.
Look for trends that indicate strong or weak points. This will help you decide which courses may need to be removed or replaced and which should be expanded upon.
Get Your Company’s Leadership Onboard
Your company’s leadership must be on board if you want your training program to be effective. Managers, supervisors, and executives should set an example by attending training themselves. They should encourage it from the top down.
Leaders are the ones who can help their teams understand the benefits of training. They can reinforce the need to continue learning to strengthen the company and for personal career development. This is necessary if you want continuous learning to become a part of your corporate culture.
Incentivize Completion with Rewards and Recognition
Incentives are a great way to boost motivation and get everyone interested in your training program. What those incentives include is up to you and what works for your business.
Some LMSs include built-in leaderboards with badges that go on user profiles. This generates a sense of friendly competition that can encourage workers to improve. It can also reveal who the subject matter experts are within each department or team.
Another option is to issue certificates. Many LMS platforms include certification features that track completion and even allow users to set a date for re-certification if required.
If you want to provide something more tangible, you can give away a prize to your top learners like a gift card or items. Some organizations award an extra paid day off or other perks.
Organize Clear Learning Paths That Fit Goals and Job Roles
Telling your team that you have a course catalog is great, but it may leave them feeling overwhelmed. Direction is required to ensure that they find the content they need to be successful as individuals. That’s where learning paths come in.
Each path should be built around a specific job role or training goal. This will provide employees with a clear roadmap should they wish to move up within your organization.
You shouldn’t expect team members to cherry-pick the courses that they think will give them the skills they need to progress. Instead, show them a direct path and let them get to work completing it.
Connect the Dots Between Training and Job Skills
You may offer great course content, but you need to give your employees a reason to care. A good way to do that is to show them how these classes can teach them skills they need to excel at their jobs. Connect the dots between what they do and what the training class will teach them.
Employees who are invested in their jobs will appreciate the opportunity to become better at their careers. It can also open avenues to promotions and new job roles within the company.
Tell Your Team About eLearning with Ongoing Updates
One of the biggest and easiest to fix mistakes businesses make when it comes to eLearning is not telling their teams about it. Don’t assume that workers will go searching for classes and training resources. Make sure you place them front and center so that they are easy to find, and everyone knows about them.
This should be an ongoing process. Anytime you make updates to a class or add new courses, get that information in front of your workforce. The more they know about your training program, the more likely they will be to use it.
Many LMS platforms include announcements, team emails, and news feeds that will help you distribute information like this.
In most organizations, there are people with different levels of technical knowledge. That’s why it is important to train employees on how to access and navigate your training system. Even if your LMS is user-friendly, you should still cover the basics to guide trainees to the course catalog and other resources. This should be included as part of onboarding all new hires moving forward.
If you are ready to improve your training program, you need the right system to manage it. Check out LMS.org to read LMS reviews and more.
