Needs and Benefits of Online Training

In recent years, more and more online training websites have developed. Many offer employers a membership which the entire team can access and lessons are free to watch once the company has joined. The courses are often very long, but broken down into short chapters that allow the employee to choose which ones are most relevant and complete the course at their own pace. Some even have practice files attached so that employees can interactively try out what they’ve learned.  A few popular ones include Lynda.com, TotalTraining.com, and W3Schools.com. It’s also fairly easy for a company to create its own online learning system through a Moodle account. Some focus on a particular area such as software programs or marketing, and others cover many subjects and employee might want to learn more about. Do your employees need to take online training courses and what are the benefits of these programs?

While an employee has to have a developed skill set to perform successfully, they can never run out of things to learn and should always be expanding their knowledge. If the company adopts new procedures or software programs, employees unfamiliar with them can get up to speed in a matter of hours. Most courses offer certificates of completion, which is good for the company reputation and the employee’s resume. If an employee gets promoted, they might need to brush up on some of the new skills they will be using, which can be possible through online training. If employees seek out these opportunities on their own, that shows their dedication to the company and to developing their career.  You may recommend or require your employees to complete short lessons during work time on a schedule or go through complete courses on their own time. Whatever you decide, always encourage continued learning, online or offline. The online versions can be a cost effective method of accomplishing this.

If you want to implement a program like this, start by researching different websites and choosing one to create an account with. Then introduce your team to the training through a brief meeting and provide them with the login credentials. Assure them that this is meant for personal growth, not an indication that their skills are not up to par. Then suggest or require a schedule of doing these and ask for updates regularly. Make it happen!


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