Technology is evolving, and so are workplace practices. As companies integrate more and more technology into their everyday operations, they provide employees with the opportunity to optimise their learning experience to the growing digitisation of information. In order to take advantage of these new technologies, we need to rethink the learning experience.
Reforming our ideas of learning in the digital age
What exactly is e-Learning?
With the growing use of technology in the workplace, we need to rethink and reform how we view education. e-Learning is a new method of education involving electronic technologies and the use of online learning management systems (LMS).
e-Learning provides users with a new format of engaging and interactive material from which they can learn critical tasks.
Rethinking how people learn
It’s time to start rethinking current outdated training styles and incorporate e-Learning into your corporate training programs. Traditional classroom learning will soon be obsolete, and with the rise of technology, people are finding it harder to engage in conventional classroom settings.The global pandemic accelerated the use of e-Learning platforms due to the growing need to work remotely. Consequently, it has changed a lot of fundamental business operations, including workforce training.
e-Learning provides a unique decentralised learning style that puts your employees at the centre of their learning. It empowers employees to become active and independent learners as they take charge of their education.
By integrating technology into the learning process, you allow employees to learn at their own pace and engage with the material more effectively than traditional methods of instruction.
Rethinking tradition
Many people have experienced traditional methods of instruction in educational and corporate settings. These include lectures, seminars, and other formal training sessions in which the educator is at the centre of the learning process.
With traditional training methods, instructors are often burdened by specific time constraints. Thus, this may affect employee participation as they may feel that whatever they add to the session is not a valuable use of the time available. Consequently, this can negatively affect confidence, thus reducing motivation and employee productivity in the workforce.
By implementing an e-Learning model and online learning and development tools, you are providing your workforce with the tools required to function optimally in a technologically advancing world.
The decentralised teaching model that e-Learning enforces provides the workforce with the freedom to choose; how they learn, when they learn, where they learn, and so much more.
When the workforce has the freedom to work autonomously through this e-Learning model, the learning process becomes incentivised and overall engagement and productivity increases. The addition of an e-Learning model into workforce training could be incredibly beneficial to both the workforce and the HR personnel responsible for overseeing training.
The benefits of introducing e-Learning in corporate training
It is budget-friendly. e-Learning through a well-structured learning management system can significantly reduce training demands and HR costs.
It is scalable. Companies can quickly scale training to large groups or smaller groups of employees with almost no additional cost.
It provides employees with easy and flexible access. Employees can access the content from anywhere at any time. Therefore, it is incredibly useful for companies with large numbers of international and remote workers. It also allows employees to revisit their training courses at any time should they need a quick recap.
It is standardised. Delivery of the training content will be consistent as all employees will be provided with the same training material. Standardised training leads to less conflict caused by insufficient training or crucial points that instructors might miss in the interest of time.
Why e-Learning?
Times are changing. Technology is becoming more and more advanced, and traditional training and education practices are becoming increasingly outdated. With work practices changing and more companies operating remotely, essential HR operations need to adapt to accommodate the digital world in which we find ourselves. Implementing a well-structured e-Learning model might be the crucial first step towards walking away from outdated traditions and embracing the new digital world of education.
Embracing e-learning as a method of instruction in your company can lead to a more empowered workforce, a more motivated workforce and a workforce that is ready for the future.
Sources
Rethinking Learning in the Digital Age (http://www.caribbeanelections.com/eDocs/development_reports/gitr_2001_2002.pdf#page=48)
Why eLearning is the Future of Corporate Training (https://elearningindustry.com/why-elearning-is-future-corporate-training)
How Educational Technology Makes the Learning Process More Effective and Engaging (https://www.classter.com/2019/06/17/educational-technology-engaging-learning-process/)