Key Drivers For e-learning

Time to change? Drivers for e-learning

We’re not suggesting that you replace all of your classroom training with e-learning but there are many reasons to include online methods your training mix. Here’s some of the key reasons why organisations turn to online learning.

1 Urgent training need for the masses
For larger organisations with staff in multiple locations e-learning can be the fastest and most effective way to deliver it. Many will have their own in house e-learning teams and develop content themselves but in some cases off-the-shelf content will fit the bill. It can often be customised at a much lower cost and in less time than it would take to create new material. (All of the courses you see in our product pages can be customised.)

2 The Need to comply with legislation
All organisations need to ensure that staff comply with industry regulations and never ending stream of legislation and there’s no doubt that e-learning excels in this area. It’s 100% trackable, easy to fit around your schedule and can include realistic scenarios that mirror what staff will come across in their work. So, yes you can tick the boxes but it’s also a great tool which can help you to protect your staff and your organisation from falling foul of the law.

3. Consistency is important
When you’ve developed the course – it’s the same for all users so when consistency of your message is important e-learning is a good option. If you’re using video and audio then you’ll need to make sure that all users can access this properly if you want them to have the same learning experience.

4 New IT systems or applications
Otherwise known as avoiding chaos. If you’re migrating to a new MS Office version you can order generic software and train staff at their desktop before the new applications go live. They can also use this for performance support when they are getting to grips with the new stuff – much more useful than the usual help function that comes with the package. If you have a bespoke system or one that’s heavily customised then you can create e-learning content yourself using an authoring tool with screen capture & recording capabilities like Captivate for example or you can commission an e-learning company to produce it for you.

5. The need to reduce costs
In these cash strapped times online learning is getting a lot of attention. Whilst the up front development costs are usually higher than with traditional classroom training it doesn’t take long to see a return. Some costs like travel and accommodation are obvious but the biggest cost saving is often in your employees time. Most e-learning courses take less time than their classroom equivalent so when you factor in your employees salaries this time often represents a huge saving.

6. Environmental concerns
Going green(er) is also a key driver for moving to e-learning as less travel, paper and other resources are needed so it helps reduce your carbon footprint.

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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