The Best of the Bunch - 6 Key Benefits of e-learning

In our last post we looked at the impact of the current climate on working environments, and the positive impact e-learning can have on businesses and employees. Whilst a number of global brands have, for many years, adopted this as their preferred training tool, there’s now more prevalence on the requirement for seamless, quality remote business capabilities across the board. Here we have a glance at the top of the table benefits to e-learning…

1. Quality Assurance and Consistency

Consistency is key! Yes, there’s no doubt the presence of a physical instructor can be more dynamic to queries and questions and create a more authentic environment, that’s just human nature. What you can’t guarantee though, is all topics, subjects and materials are covered with the same level of detail and care over and over again…

With e-learning however, you know categorically that all of your employees will receive the same high-quality training, no matter where they are.

2. Flexibility

Whether it’s living room, the office formerly known as ‘the spare bedroom’, or local café, the office backdrop has changed. Arguably one of the greatest benefits of e-learning in the workplace is that it’s available 24/7 for an increasingly global and remote workforce.

Employees get to access training when they have the time and capability to do so, no matter where they are.

3. Rentention of Information

Engagement is key in retention. Unlike traditional classroom instruction, which is heavily dependent on instructors’ long lectures, badly designed PowerPoints, and countless print-outs which make their way to the recycling, e-learning has the freedom to utilise a range of formats from text and animation to videos and even gamification.

Everyone is different, and education isn’t one size fits all. Similarly, we don’t all process information in the same way. Some may prefer reading text, while others learn best by watching a video, or even interacting with the video. An e-learning program enables the learner to choose their preferred method. Engaged learners retain more knowledge. Not just a little, but a recent study by IBM showed learning technologies create a 19% increase in employee engagement.

4. Scalable and Seamless

From Guildford to Guatemala, undoubtedly one of the most appealing perks to e-learning is the ability to scale the programmes to multiple markets, and unlimited numbers. Once created, they can easily be scaled up to roll out to as many employees as you need, localised to as many languages as you require.

5. Cost Effectiveness

Travel for business has all but stopped for the time-being, with similarly office visits at a minimum, if at all. Paying to train numerous instructors, travel for employees, venue bookings, and all repeated multiple times can snowball into quite the bill, and ongoing bill.

With e-learning, once the interactive module is complete, localised and hosted, that’s the billing done and dusted, and all that’s left is a few minutes of your time to circulate it internally, and maybe a few more to measure and review the results. Simple.

6. Measurable

The joy of digital learning… it can all be measured, even at granular level. But aside from the obvious person by person metrics e.g. how many learners completed the course, the time they took to finish, or even their scores; there’s even stronger data available…

The real strength of e-learning lies in its ability to chart how the program and modules impacts business KPIs. Why have you implemented training in the first place? It’s to accomplish a goal and improve your business. This can be anything from reduced support calls and increased sales to faster onboarding of new customers to faster capabilities and abilities of new starters, the list is endless; and with data in-hand you can drive this success.