Corporate eLearning in the modern workplace.

Over the past few months, we have seen a lot of people in the L&D space talking about the future of learning, and what it might look like now we’re heading towards life in a post-pandemic world. Many of these conversations speak about corporate eLearning, and its role in the future of modern workplaces.

Throughout the last two years, with the increase in remote working digital learning came to the rescue. It enabled organisations to operate as close to normal as possible. It maintained a connection between dispersed teams and the organisation. And it even helped the NHS train staff and volunteers on new, critical practices. So why do many of these conversations result in a desperate attempt to bin eLearning and use alternative methods of learning? Here at Think Learning, we believe that digital learning has a huge role to play in the business world. We think it’s going to be a fundamental resource to organisations worldwide as we embrace the ‘new normal’ and here are the key reasons why:

1. Corporate eLearning is constantly evolving

For some people, when they think of eLearning, they think of slides and slides of content, with a ‘click next to continue’ button. But in 2022 and beyond – eLearning doesn’t have to be like that. Instead of slides crammed full of content, digital learning can be engaging, interactive and intuitive for learners to use. And, you can blend eLearning with other forms of online training  – such as on-demand webinars, virtual instructor-led training (VILT) and video content, to banish boring eLearning once and for all.

And the format of eLearning isn’t the only thing that has changed. Industry leaders, such as our friends at Totara, are constantly pushing forward and paving the way for more innovative digital learning. eLearning should be just one part of your entire corporate learning experience – and Totara has made that all the easier with the unveiling of their TXP last year. This platform brings together Learn, Engage and Perform – enabling organisations to provide more engaging experiences quicker than ever before.

2. Quick upskilling of employees (in a cost-effective manner!)

Covid-19 and The Great Resignation means that people are changing jobs more rapidly than ever before. And that often means that L&D need to spend more time onboarding and upskilling new employees. Typically we’d picture this being in a face-to-face setting, with multiple overheads associated (the hire of facilities, lunch and so on…). But in the modern world, face-to-face training is not always practical, convenient or even allowed. And eLearning can step in here to bridge the gap. In fact, Totara reported that one client, Nobia, managed to reduce time-to-competency from 5 months to 7 weeks, in just six months after their learning platform rollout.

Of course, this improvement not only results in more passionate, motivated employees, but it also impacts the business bottom line. Employees were onboarded quickly and efficiently with reduced overhead costs, and they were making their own contributions to the organisation (in the way of sales and efficiencies) quicker than ever before.

3. Digital learning does not mean isolated learning

Another myth about eLearning is that it’s one learner, sitting in front of their computer, learning all by themselves. With little to no interaction with their colleagues, instructors or tutors. But that isn’t the case. Modern learning platforms have interaction and social learning baked into their core. Learners engage with one another, their colleagues and peers and their tutors like they would with any other form of learning.

If you’re worried about loneliness when implementing eLearning in your organisation, consider these top tips:

1. Start with empathy – digital learning is hard at first, so bear this in mind when creating your programmes.
2. Get the expert to leave the room – create areas that provide learners with a safe space to chat and ask questions to their peers, away from the watchful eye of the tutor.
3. Start with the end in mind – think about your goal and the ‘why’ of the programme before you start designing.
4. Realise the possibilities that come with eLearning – face-to-face training often prioritises the extrovert, think about the ways in which eLearning can help your introverted or less confident employees excel.

4. Consistent learning experiences for all

One of the clearest benefits of online learning is the consistency it provides for all of your employees. For big organisations with employees spread across the country or even the globe, a lack of consistency in training is a big problem. Each instructor or tutor will have their own unique way of delivering training, and their personal biases might seep through. This isn’t a problem with eLearning, as the exact same programme is rolled out across your entire learner cohort – regardless of their physical location.

Corporate eLearning is here to stay

Despite what many people seem to think, digital learning is not leaving the workplace. It provides organisations with a fantastic opportunity to onboard, upskill and reskill employees quickly and easily – at a lower price per learner than many other interventions. But the industry does need to make a change and dispel the myth of boring eLearning. For eLearning to provide its full value, we must ditch the idea of ‘click-next’ courses, and consider online learning as a truly interactive, engaging experience for all.

If you want to learn more about how you can roll out digital learning to your organisation, get in touch. We’d love to discuss our learning solutions with you, and see how we can help you make corporate eLearning a part of your organisation’s future.