4 ways online team training is better than in-person
With remote working at its peak, managers and workers have successfully developed productive, online methods of doing business as usual.
The arrangement is nothing new, though the current pandemic has shone a light on just how feasible – and more importantly, beneficial – the setup can be.
As the media continues to highlight its many successes, experts predict that remote working is here to stay; ready to take place as the “new norm” of the working world. In fact, studies show that employers can benefit from improved employee loyalty and retention through a telecommuting environment, with reported boosts in productivity and efficiency among workers.
These benefits not only impact one’s everyday tasks, meetings, and routine responsibilities – research also shows the advantages of virtual corporate training over its traditional, in-person setup.
Below, SkillsTalk explore the benefits of online team training, and how you can successfully upskill your workers through virtual tools today.
Virtual team training is just as effective as in-person training
In fact, IBM discovered that participants of virtual training learned five times more material through their online courses than those who trained in the same content in a face-to-face environment.
This can be attributed to the diverse nature of online training, where individuals are given access to a wide variety of multimedia resources – such as webinars, infographics, eBooks and virtual conferences, to name a few. As such, virtual training platforms are often more adaptable to each person’s learning style.
Additionally, retention rates are higher with online learning – with its students experiencing an increase from anywhere between 25%-60%.
The advent of various communication tools (such as video conferencing platforms and messenger apps) coupled with innovative, multimedia educational content (such as interactive learning portals) now allow the modern worker to absorb the same training they’d receive in a physical space through a virtual, all-online experience – with potentially greater effects, at that.
Virtual team training can help you save costs
By relying on a completely online platform, virtual team training can also lead to great time and financial savings.
In-person training typically requires a vast range of physical resources, which can easily leave a dent in the company budget. These include printed materials, venue rental costs and hired facilitators – on top of additional peripheral expenses such as travel and catering.
Shifting your team training to the online sphere eliminates the need to rent, buy, or hire these requirements; allowing your workers to turn to digital resources offered at a fraction of such physical costs. Additionally, both you and your employees can save on the travel time and expenses required to attend these corporate training events, reducing downtime and – as a bonus – your company’s carbon footprint.
Not only can virtual training help you save costs; some companies claim that it also translates directly into business revenue. In The Ambient Insight’s 2012-2017 Worldwide Mobile Learning Market report, 42% of businesses reported that eLearning led to significant increases in profit.
As statistics also show online training to boost productivity and engagement rates, the findings make sense. The Molly Fletcher Company recommends that organisations implement online learning to achieve an 18% boost in worker engagement, with IBM claiming that every dollar invested in virtual team training has resulted in $30 USD in productivity.
Virtual training allows for self-paced, flexible learning
Mandatory training that disrupts an employee’s workflow is likely to decrease morale. Doing this can also lead to disengaged employees during their training, as their thoughts are likely still focused on the projects that need getting done.
By giving workers the option of virtual training, they can schedule their learning around other personal and professional commitments, helping them absorb the information at a time, place, and speed tailored to their needs.
This also helps them complete their training faster. According to Edgepoint Learning, eLearning can reduce an employee’s learning time by as much as 60% - compared to face-to-face courses or training programs. Much of this can be attributed to the absence of breaks, meals, travel time, and the time taken to start and close off learning sessions.
Virtual team training provides the opportunity for gamification
Due to the flexibility of eLearning, business owners can find ways of incorporating more interactivity and gamification in their online team training sessions.
Falling back on the tired, traditional methods of training – such as a cold, bulleted PowerPoint presentations or lengthy Word documents – will likely leave workers disengaged with the material, leading to a waste of resources and ineffective results.
Modern approaches to online employee training have strayed from these clichés; encouraging managers to, instead, optimise mobile apps and “gamify” their training.
The use of more multimedia content such as graphics, videos, and voiceovers is not only more feasible than ever with virtual training; it’s also a tried-and-tested way of boosting engagement among employees and adding more “fun” elements to their training experience.
The incentives gamification provides also stimulates more active participation among workers, leading to greater retention of the information provided.
Examples of virtual team training
If you’re convinced by the many advantages of virtual team training, and are looking for ways to start implementing it in the workplace – here are a few ideas to get you started:
- eBooks – Compact, digestible eBooks allow you to form rich, information-heavy documents sans the dullness of black text on white paper. The eBook format helps you organise your training material through a combination of images, fancy texts, and responsive elements – keeping readers engaged as they learn.
- Webinars – Online webinars help you host conferences and workshops through the convenience of a streaming video platform, allowing participants to tune in from their own devices, regardless of location. Should employees not be available at the designated time, webinars can also be recorded for later viewings that suit others best.
- Online courses – Upskilling has played a vital role in the modern workforce, helping “future-proof” our employees’ skills and refining them for broader career opportunities. With one in five of Australian workers predicted to have their job automated by 2034 (source: AFR); pursuing further training has never been more crucial – and online courses can offer your workers the flexibility they need amidst their busy schedules.
Looking to train your team online?
Virtual training not only embraces the convenience of new technologies, it also helps managers better cater to the evolving needs and preferences of today’s workers.
Those looking to upgrade their workers’ skills can find cost-effective, flexible options through Upskilled’s wide selection of nationally-recognised training courses. From community services to information technology (with a few short courses in between), employees can get themselves certified in new industry-standard skillsets.
Best of all, each program takes place completely online, which can help them tailor their learning around personal needs and work commitments.
Get the virtual training you need through Upskilled, and enquire about a course today.
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