March 27, 2012
Posted by
Matt Gardner
The traditional classroom setting for training programs is still comfortable and appealing to many employers, but there are some ways in which traditional training just doesn’t meet all the goals of an ideal training program. Let’s discuss how online training can help avoid some common pitfalls of traditional training programs.
As much as we try to minimize it, it takes time and effort to set up an in-person training session. All participants must physically travel to the meeting location at the appropriate time, and be available for the duration of the training.
Online training sessions require much less start-up time, since you don’t have to arrange a meeting location, and they are considerably easier for more employees to attend. Since you are not limited by location, you can train as many employees as you want at the same time.
Because not all employees can be available at the same time for a meeting, you run into the dilemma of trying to give those employees the information outside of the training environment, or setting up a second training session to accommodate those who were unavailable for the first session.
With online training, employees have the flexibility to join in the training from anywhere, whether it be from their own office, or even from their own home. This is especially vital for large companies with multiple branches, who have to handle the additional time and expense of long-distance travel.
Online training programs are unique in that they can be recorded and automated, in addition to being presented live. This allows employees the flexibility to access the training programs at any time.
When you allow employees the flexibility of attending training programs at a time and location most beneficial to them, you ensure that they are not being taken away from any vital tasks that can cause an excessive waste of time or resources.
While having a robust and comprehensive training program is vital, it’s no use if your desired participants can’t attend. When you take the time to create a more flexible training experience, you ensure that your training program will be successfully received by your audience.