What's more, as many organizations adapt their approach to survive coronavirus, learning new skills takes on added importance right now.
With global teams working across different time zones, and flexible working on the rise, many businesses are already set up for online training. But don't worry if yours isn't one of them. Here, we explore ways to train people effectively when face-to-face isn't an option.
Types of Online Training
Online training lets organizations and managers teach people skills and knowledge over the internet via a computer, smartphone, or other device. It can involve:
Asynchronous training such as e-learning courses, videos, and facilitated discussion forums, that people can access when they want to.
Synchronous or live training where multiple learners take part at the same time, interact with the trainer and one another through virtual classrooms, webinars and online chat tools.
Online Training vs. Online Learning
With online training, you're training employees to understand and master the skills, processes and procedures they need to do their job. You can also help to instil the behaviors, attitudes and competencies that you and your organization expect.
That could be getting up to speed with the latest computer software, completing a health and safety course, or recognizing everyone's role in an inclusive and diverse workplace.
Not all learning requires someone to facilitate it "live," either online or face-to-face. Creative, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, for example, can be developed on your own with online learning. Our article, Virtual Learning , sets out how to maximize the impact of this type of learning.
How to Create and Develop Online Training
As physics professor Rhett Allain writes in Wired, "Lectures started in medieval universities where one person would read a book aloud so others could copy it. Yeah, we're still essentially doing that same thing – but we don't have to. So, if we are going to move everything online, let's at least do it right.
"So, here are our top tips for developing effective online training.
1. Take Stock
Making your face-to-face training fit for an online audience is a great opportunity to revisit what outcomes it's meant to achieve for you, your trainees, and your business. So, consider:
What's the organizational goal behind your training? (To win new business, for example.)
What do learners need to do to reach this goal? (To improve their communication skills, for example)
What actions must they take to meet this goal? (Host a webinar on an area of their expertise, for example.)
Our article on Action Programs can guide you to ensure that your course content hits the mark.
2. Prioritize and Repurpose
You can't fit a whole awayday of training into one online session. But that can be a positive, as it forces you to think differently and prioritize the content that really matters.
For example, a 20-minute video, follow-up quiz, and group chat feedback session could replace that awayday, and avoid overwhelming your learners.
You can also repurpose the best bits from your face-to-face training. Can the PowerPoint be a branching scenario (interactive form of learning) on an e-learning course? Can your icebreaker be even better on a Zoom call? Why not redesign and email out that case study to your trainees?
Tip:
You could also consider the "flipped classroom" model. This is where you provide learners with reading materials before a virtual class session. That way, they'll better absorb your training and have more fruitful discussions.
3. Involve Your Trainees
A recent Gartner study found that 70 percent of employees say they don't have the skills they need for their jobs. So, as part of your planning, if appropriate, ask your trainees what skills and knowledge they need to do their job better. You can also ask how they'd like to be trained online, and which apps they are familiar with.
4. Involve Managers
As you prepare your online session, it's a good idea to seek input from other managers and your L&D department. The U.K. Government's Employer Skills Survey found that organizations with strong online L&D capabilities are 19 percent more likely to involve managers in the design of their solutions.
This is backed up by McKinsey research, which found that 48 percent of organizations that reskill say having the senior management team sponsor the programs helped them to succeed.
You must be logged in to post a comment.