Training employees is highly important for organisations. While the main motive behind employee training is to improve the productivity of your employees, it can also be used to introduce the new hires to the company culture. The benefits are multifold. However, you can enjoy these benefits only if you impart training effectively. This requires you to choose the mode of learning that best suits the learning needs of your employees.
Initially, organisations used to train their employees in traditional classroom settings. It involved organising a seminar or conference where a subject matter expert used to deliver a lecture on the concerned topic or area of work. It required all the employees to be physically present in the room with the trainer. It is also called instructor-led training. Though many organisations still follow this method, it has been greatly modified over time. Currently, organisations are crazy about eLearning platforms. Learning management systems and other web-based tools allow organisations to train their employees virtually. This has proved to be a boon during the pandemic. If you look at the cornerstone lms Reviews or other similar tools, you will understand how employers have nothing but praises about their video-based learning methodology.
However, the pandemic has also made us realise the importance of social interaction. While technology has its benefits, sitting with your colleagues in those lectures not only makes learning fun but also allows you to have discussions and ask questions with each other. Therefore, the need is to develop an approach that has the benefits of both, traditional and modern way of training. This is called blended learning. It can benefit not only the employees but also the organisation as a whole.
In this blog, we will try to list the top 5 benefits of using blended learning in corporate training programmes.
1. Includes everyone
Blended learning offers something for everyone. Whether your employee wants to learn traditionally or virtually, blended learning will cater to all his needs. It uses a range of approaches to personalize the content and optimise it for better understanding, without the constraints of a classroom or an all-online course.
2. Infuses great flexibility
Blended learning infuses great flexibility into your training programme. Complex topics can be presented face-to-face, which will allow the trainer to provide explanations and clear doubts, while eLearning systems can be used for subject matter that can better be supported by multimedia, such as video or online connections. It will also help your employees in accessing the material whenever they want.
3. Increases learner engagement
By allowing employees to tailor the way they learn, blended learning motivates employees to engage more. It also gives them an opportunity to practice ‘online’ whatever they learn ‘offline’. They can also connect with their colleagues as well as their trainers online as and when they need. Such interaction helps them in understanding things in a much better way.
4. Reduces the cost of employee training
Organising a seminar and calling subject matter experts for every training programme that you plan for your employees is going to be a costly affair. Blended learning gives you an option to conduct instructor-led training only for selective things while the rest can be addressed through eLearning platforms. This reduces the overall cost of employee training by eliminating the expenses like, rent of the venue, fees of the expert, etc.
For a more refined solution, you can also conduct instructor-led training virtually using video-conferencing tools. Many organisations have opted for this solution to train their employees during the pandemic.
5. Makes learning more personalised
Different people prefer different learning styles. Similarly, they also have different pace of learning. Thus, for an instructor, it is impossible to maintain a pace that suits everyone equally. Blended learning allows employees to go through the material at their own pace. It also gives the freedom to access it anytime anywhere. This makes learning more personalised and less scary. Also Read – Problems with Remote Learning for Students
Conclusion
Why should all learners be forced into the same training programme if they have varying degrees of understanding and expertise? Blended Learning offers a comprehensive approach to training by enabling learners to take the initiative and decide how and when they interact with the information.
