Employee training is a critical aspect of your company's success. A business with a properly trained and educated staff will be like a well-oiled machine with all parts working to their maximum potential. Adequate training will ensure that your employees are prepared to meet the objectives and challenges of the job. The problem that many companies have is that they offer employee training during the initial days of employment. After a few hours or days, the training ends, and the staff is expected to sink or swim. Research and best practices, however, say that training should be on-going. To maintain the quality and results that come from continuous training, many businesses are turning to online learning or e-learning courses.

To keep pace with the competitive environment, employees must be constant learners applying new skills and methods. Large companies like Apple or Amazon can spend large amounts of money offering training and development programs to employees. Smaller companies, however, might find it difficult to sustain continuous in-person training. Online learning through a learning management system could prove to be the solution. E-learning is simply the method of delivering course materials through an online format. Let's take a look at using e-learning as a tool to train staff.

Online Education

Online education is also known as e-learning. So, what is e-learning? E-learning was revolutionized In 2000 with the development and release of learning management systems. Known as an LMS, these online training platforms allow administrators to package and deliver educational content and learning modules to users. As mobile devices have become more prevalent, with smartphones and tablets, learning modules can now be accessed virtually anywhere. When we talk about eLearning, we are referring to online training that can take place on most digital devices.

From watching training videos to reading and interacting with an article, or taking a quiz, eLearning can be accomplished through many methodologies. The big advantage of using e-learning to train employees is that it can save time and money. E-learning is sometimes referred to as distance learning as well because it eliminates the restrictions of time and distance. E-learning is beneficial to both employees and employers as it provides a solution for presenting course content in an easy-to-access digital format.

Convenience And Flexibility

As we have discussed, e-learning is a convenient and flexible option for employee training and professional development. Easy access to training materials and curricula is a key advantage of eLearning. Online course content can be accessed by employees anytime, anywhere from mobile devices, laptops, tablets, or a desktop computer. The benefit is that e-learning allows your employees to learn on trains, planes, or couches. It also means that your employees don't have to learn the same thing at the same time. With busy schedules and varying deadlines, employees can access learning materials on their time. 

Differentiated Instruction

As studies have proven, not every person learns the same way. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory learners, and some learners require hands-on activities. Your employees are no exception to this and will require various types of instruction to process and apply new strategies and skills. Another benefit of eLearning for corporate training and development is that content formats are seemingly endless. Companies can use videos, quizzes, infographics, games as well as other materials to make learning easy. Differentiated instruction will allow you to reach all of your employees and ensure understanding.

Measurable Results

Employee development is only as good as the training provided. With e-learning platforms, companies can easily measure the effectiveness of training. When businesses offer learning and development online, data to measure effectiveness and quality can be easily accessed. Information such as course completion, engagement, assessment data, and completion time can be collected in the form of reports. 

With online course offerings, employee learners can access a wealth of information that can help them make your business as successful as possible. When companies use e-learning platforms to train and develop employees, they can save time and money while reaching more staff members and gaining measurable results.