The speed at which today’s business world moves is full tilt. Human resource departments and management looking for ways to streamline their ever-growing list of action items are forced to learn how to work smarter, not harder. This is a driving factor in why the digital learning industry has grown by 900% since 2000, and is projected to be worth $325 billion by 2025.
In fact, 82% of companies use e-learning to conduct at least some of their compliance training. It’s easy to see how e-learning has become so popular for this task, especially in a post-pandemic world that still encourages online interaction versus in-person meetings. Additionally, besides offering learning opportunities that can be accessed anytime and anywhere, e-learning also allows collaboration with other team members working across remote locations.
What is e-learning?
E-learning involves the use of electronic media to train employees, vendors, and contractors working for and with your business. Bulky manuals and expensive print material are a thing of the past, as learners can now access the information, they need to do their jobs via their smartphones, tablets or laptops through e-learning modules and videos. Access can also happen via the company’s in-office computers.
You don’t even have to put together full courses to benefit from adding e-learning to your training process. Even microlearning via electronic media allows employees to consume two to three-minute videos at regular intervals to make learning unobtrusive and continuous, making it seem less like “work” and more like personal growth.
E-Learning is consistent
Providing consistent instruction on company processes and methods will reduce the risk of your employees making a mistake. It will also clarify expectations and allow employees to return to the needed information whenever they desire to do so.
A company that trains home cleaners, for instance, can use video training modules to show their specific process for how a home should be cleaned. The training can be completed before they go out with a seasoned employee to see the process live. And they can refer back to it anytime. As an added benefit, training is consistent and standard across the board for all employees, regardless of where they’re located and when they take the training. A perfect scenario for franchisors who want to ensure consistency with franchisees.
E-Learning saves money
Training is expensive. In fact, the average amount required for employee learning and development is around $1,308. Smaller companies with limited HR budgets, often don’t have the resources to spend this amount on each employee, and larger companies with high turnover don’t want the expense either.
With e-learning, you won’t be paying the costs associated with hiring a trainer, such as per-hour fees, overnight stays, and travel expenses. And once the initial expense of creating the instructional media is over, you won’t have significant recurring costs associated with keeping your employees informed of expectations and compliant with all state and federal regulations.
E-Learning maintains compliance
Whether it’s a daycare that needs to train staff for compliance with standards, or a retail lumberyard required to teach employees about on-the-job safety around dangerous equipment, e-learning gets it done. The ability to streamline required training modules based on staff role or certification makes it doubly efficient, taking these complicated and time-consuming tasks out of the hands of management.
Even better, individual scores and completed modules are accessible for managers to see which employees need additional training or haven’t completed important compliance requirements. Since compliance regulations and requirements change often, e-learning modules allow quick updates to keep the training relevant and timely, as well.
E-learning streamlines operations
If you work with vendors or contractors who need to be updated regularly regarding job progress or new products, e-learning is a great way to streamline the process. For example, a winery can share with vendors new wines they are rolling out that can help them with sommeliers. Or your sales team can use e-learning to build the knowledge base they need before meeting face-to-face with clients.
Imagine how much easier hiring and training new employees could be if all the necessary information they need to perform their job successfully is available on their smartphones or laptop. Then add to that the ease of having digital records consistently available for real-time progress and notifications to keep you in the loop.
E-learning engages
Approximately 74% of workers say they can’t unlock their full potential at work because they aren’t adequately trained. Getting the most out of your employees involves making sure they are excited about their work and want to learn more about it.
With advances in gamification software, e-learning can include games that are fun, competitive, and an easy way to learn. These types of modules are great for a younger workforce who grew up in a digital era and are accustomed to learning through shorter media clips. These training modules can also be accessed across devices at a time and place that is convenient for the employee, encouraging more commitment to the learning process.
Working smarter, not harder
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to streamline your hiring and compliance training needs. Even better – once your training modules and media are in place, you’ll no longer have to hire people to do the training for you. It will be readily available online, and available to help build a knowledgeable staff.
Whether you need a robust e-learning course, or any online course created, we can help. Scheduled a free strategy session today.
