When you invest in new software, you know that your staff will need training to get the best from the system. Most suppliers offer expert trainers who will train your employees at your business premises.
Face-to-face training is valuable: your staff are fully engaged in the training, they can question the trainer and get one-to-one support with any difficulties. However it can be hard to organise, especially if you have more than one site. As well as getting the relevant staff together, you have to find an appropriate training room, and arrange other staff to cover for them, which can be disruptive. Given this, it is not surprising that many companies are using an approach called ‘blended learning’ which supplements face-to-face learning with e-learning.
What is e-learning?
E-learning is short for ‘electronic-learning’ and it means using a computer to deliver all or part of a course, often over the internet.
What are the benefits of e-learning?
- E-learning saves time: One study revealed that learning online typically requires 40% to 60% less employee time than learning the same subject in a traditional classroom setting.
- E-learning saves money: It is cost effective in terms of training charges, documentation, time out of the office, travel expenses and accommodation. IBM claimed it was able to deliver five times the training at just one-third the cost.
- Learning and retention can be more effective: One study found that e-learning increases retention rates 25% to 60% because trainees have more control over the learning process as well as the opportunity to revisit the training as needed.
- Learners like it: Another study reveals that trainees like e-learning because they can access course materials in their own time, at any time of day, from anywhere. The learning is in their control and they can proceed at their own pace, or go back and repeat parts that weren’t clear
- E-learning can be tracked using an LMS (learning management system) which gives you visibility of all staff and enables you to check who has met their training milestones, and who needs extra support. Learners can also track their own progress online.
- It’s environmentally sound: E-learning uses less paper and involves less travel than traditional learning. One study found that producing online courses consumes an average of 90% less energy and produces 85% fewer CO2 emissions than face-to-face training
We believe that user training is a vital component in the successful implementation of our products. Our training consultants are experienced professionals, many of whom have worked in the distribution and merchant industry. We can create an effective training programme, which is designed and fine-tuned for you and your employees, and we recommend a blended approach; face-to-face sessions with our consultants supplemented with cost and time effective e-learning
