The report “How to Promote the Value of Online Training Within Your Organization”* from Training Industry Inc. and Citrix Online suggests 12 reasons organisations use online learning.  I find these useful reminders…

 

 

  1. Avoidance of travel costs. As much as 40% spent on in-person training goes to travel and lodging costs, studies show. Those and other fixed expenses are avoided entirely when online training replaces classroom instruction.
  2. Convenience. Instead of mandatory travel to a single location to receive instruction, busy employees and others can participate in training and meeting sessions on their laptops at locations convenient to them
  3. Increased retention and productivity. Collaborative learning events increase participant retention and satisfaction, resulting in higher productivity. Factors include more time on the job with the elimination of instructional travel.
  4. Security. Web-based meetings and training sessions can be held with complete assurance for the safeguard of valuable intellectual property with password-based user authentication, end-to-end encryption and other available security features.
  5. Interactivity. Tools include dashboards, polls, and question/answer capability, enabling participants to interact and presenters to obtain instant feedback.
  6. Flexibility. Presenters can conduct large and small meetings in user-friendly and appealing forums that run the gamut from formal presentations to the most impromptu brainstorming session or just-in-time training instruction. Events can be recorded and archived for on-demand viewing by interested parties including new hires and customers. Content is available around the clock.
  7. Informal learning. The ease of launching spontaneous web-based meetings corresponds with today’s emphasis on informal learning, a growing segment of corporate knowledge transfer within many organizations.
  8. Ease of preparation. Some online training applications can be easily mastered and immediately employed by subject matter experts without IT support.
  9. Ease of reporting and analysis. Built-in reporting capabilities allow moderators to track attendees for each session including questions they ask and response to polls/Q&A. This is especially useful for student evaluation, as well as compliance and other mandatory training where specific reporting is required.
  10. Accessible data. Readily available data also enables appropriate and timely follow-up, including evaluation and immediate contact of participants. That is especially valuable for customer training, and sessions where time-to-market urgency is important.
  11. Enhanced organizational productivity. Busy executives and other SMEs can get multiple usage out of do-it-yourself Webinars and online training applications.
  12. Measurable global impact. Even the smallest organizations can reach distant customers and representatives with valuable training, “leveling the playing field” with larger competitors.

 

*You can find the complete report here:

http://www.ipscmi.org/download/GoToMeeting_TrainingIndustry_OnlineTrainingROI.pdf