If you’ve made the decision to introduce Employees To Engage In Online Training content into your corporation. Or organization you’re on the right path, but the next question becomes, “who’s going to develop the content?”

Innovative eLearning platforms have made it significantly simpler to do your eLearning development in-house from a technical standpoint. But there are also advantages to outsourcing the creation of that content.

While there may not be one final answer that works for every corporation, small business or organization, there are some pros and cons of outsourcing that can guide you toward an answer.

Areas Where You May Outsource

eLearning is comprehensive and multi-faceted. So before exploring whether or not it would be advantageous to outsource. It’s a good idea to delve into the different components that comprise eLearning content.

There may be some areas worth outsourcing. While others may be best suited to in-house design and creation.

  • Instructional: The instructional part of eLearning development really serves as the foundation for everything else. For some organizations it may be best to do this in-house, since they know their organization best. But a professional development company may be able to optimize content, make it more effective and compelling, develop based on learning principles, and increase overall retention of material being presented.
  • Visual Content: The visual content of eLearning courses includes things like images, graphs and charts, animation and design of the overall interface. While the creation of still images and basic graphics may be simple for in-house employees. Video production or more complex graphics may be best left to experts.
  • Audio and Narration: Many organizations find this is the best place to outsource because developing audio components and effective narration often requires a team specializing in these aspects of eLearning.
  • Technology: The technology of eLearning is another prime opportunity to outsource. The technology development should ensure systems are smooth and error-free, and there are adequate troubleshooting resources for users.

The Advantages of Outsourcing

  • The number one reason many corporations and organizations outsource the development of eLearning content is to benefit from the expertise of contractors who are skilled and knowledgeable in this area. An in-house team may not have the same level of experience or know-how to develop the most effective content, particularly if it’s extremely complex material. 
  • You’re going to save both time and money in most instances if you outsource content development, rather than allocating resources from within your own organization. An outsourced team also tends to more easily meet tight deadlines.
  • If you’re an organization considering assembling a dedicated in-house eLearning team you’re going to have to cover overhead expenses including taxes, workspace costs, benefits, etc. With an outsourced team you’re just paying for the cost of the project, without the overhead of having a full or even part time employee.

Now For the Disadvantages…

  • An outsourced team may not be as knowledgeable about the coursework being designed. The overall nature of what it is your organization does or is trying to convey. It could be something technical, or even something as subtle as capturing your unique corporate culture, but regardless it’s going to be difficult for an outsourced company or team to know the ins and outs of your organization as well as people within it do.
  • You have to be comfortable surrendering control when you outsource eLearning content development. This can be a challenge, particularly if you’re the head of your organization and you’re used to being the leader. Yes, you can provide direction during the outsourcing project, but ultimately there are a number of decisions that are going to fall to the people you’ve charged with creating the content.
  • You may not have a clear idea of your exact objectives, and if not this can lead to problems in communication, frustrations and delays on the part of your outsourced contractors. eLearning development can very much be a “learn as you go” process, and you may find that you’re constantly realizing new and better ways to develop your content, but that’s not a freedom you have when you outsource.

Outsource your content development

Ultimately when deciding whether or not you’ll outsource your content development, the most important thing to look at is the scope of the project, whether you have the resources to complete it in-house, and how much control you want to have over the project.

It’s also important to consider whether or not your content can even be shared with outsiders. A company creating training materials based on proprietary information may not even have the option of outsourcing.

Both creating content in-house and outsourcing can have advantages and disadvantages, and these have to be weighed and considered before making a final decision that will impact the quality, effectiveness and cost of your corporate eLearning. Be sure to contact our e-learning experts should you have any questions.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, ongoing employee training and development is crucial for a company’s success. The shift to remote work due to the pandemic has made it even more important for organizations to find new ways to engage their employees in online training. But, let’s face it, only some people are excited about taking online courses. The good news is there are ways to make online training more engaging and motivating for your employees.

This blog will explore practical tips and best practices for encouraging your employees to participate in online training and continue their professional growth. Whether you’re a manager, HR professional, or simply someone who wants to improve their team’s training experience, this blog is for you. So, let’s dive in and discover how to get the most out of your company’s online training program.

How to Encourage Employees to Take Online Training

The following guidelines should help create and maintain your employees’ enthusiasm for online training:

Customize The Online Training Program

A significant way of motivating employees to take up online training is incorporating elements they can relate to into the program. It is not beneficial if the training is just another rigid-structured program forced down the throats of employees by their superiors. The employees in an organization will most likely have different training needs; therefore, you should meet them individually at the point of these needs to nurture top talents. This can only be possible if the online training program accommodates the personal interests and needs of every employee.

Study the personalities of your employees before you deploy any online training program. Customizing the online training program boosts the employees’ motivation and gets them hooked to the training. It will help your employees to bridge their performance deficiencies and achieve professional goals.

 Encourage Employees To Create Their Milestones

Enabling employees to set their achievement milestones offers two significant benefits. First, it allows them to set their schedule, development plan. And pace at which they’ll complete the training instead of struggling to keep up with their counterparts. Secondly, the employees can focus on the goals and objectives that they can mostly resonate with.

For instance, those that align with their job duties or areas in which they need improvement. This way, they can monitor their progress through the entire process and discover how long they’ll still need to go to catch up.  Their milestones are a valuable tool to boost their motivation. The eLeaP learning system can help in this case.

Provide Continual Support

Your employees need consistent support to enhance comprehension and reinforce performance behavior. Guided employees are less likely to disengage, get distracted, or give up during training. A helping hand to provide appropriate online training resources goes a long way. Humans love to feel prioritized.

They’ll feel special upon realizing that their organization is willing to go above and beyond to provide them with continual support without question. They need to know that the online training course is as beneficial to their career advancement as it is to organizational development. This encourages them to continue to hone their skills and become productive in the workplace.

Collaborate The Online Training

Online training is usually more relatable and captivating when carried out as a group instead of individually. Group- collaborated assignments and projects foster online collaborations. This catches the interest of corporate learners to take up online training.

They will be able to hold conversations regarding different techniques to solve problems. Which is more fun than battling a problem individually. In this instance, employees get to share and exchange opinions and ideas. This boosts their skills and knowledge scope. In addition, group-collaborated activities expose them to interacting with their counterparts and tapping from their experiences.

Utilize Social Media Resources

People have become accustomed to social media. Organizations can use this medium to make online training more enjoyable. Social media provides employees with the ground to communicate with several corporate learners regarding training topics.

 Introduce Gamification

You can set up a reward system where your employees can earn badges or points after the successful completion of every online training course. This helps to keep them on their feet. Knowing there’s a reward for their effort urges them to do more than they ordinarily would have done if no reward system was attached. Including incentives for an online training course boosts employees morale, and keeps them dedicated to such courses.

Challenges Employees Encounter During Online Training

Here are some of the most common challenges employees face while taking online training programs:

Time Management

In today’s world, employees usually do not have more than twenty minutes of spare time in the average work week to channel toward development and learning. In this situation, microlearning is a perfect design strategy for online training programs. To prevent your employees from getting overwhelmed with the entire process. Microlearning breaks down contents into smaller sections of about five to ten minutes. Each section addresses a single training objective, making it easy for corporate learners to assimilate quickly.

Accessibility

Employees should be able to access the training courses whenever they can. The training is only incorporated into specific PCs within the organization. Some individuals do well with assimilation at night before bedtime instead of morning. Thus, if they can’t access the training through their mobile devices, how will they study at their convenience?

Internet Access

Organizations that incorporate online training for their employees must provide internet access. An online training program is only possible if employees have adequate internet access.

Final Thoughts

Encouraging employees to engage in online training is crucial for the growth and success of any organization. By providing employees with the right tools, resources, and support. You can create a positive and productive learning environment. This will foster growth, innovation, and collaboration in the organization. From offering incentives and recognition programs to creating a supportive culture and engaging learning experiences, there are many ways to Employees To Engage In Online Training to embrace online training and reach their full potential. So, take the time to invest in your employees, and watch as your organization thrives and grows with the power of continuous learning and development.

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