Is there Room for E-Learning in Your Workplace?

A lot of people probably associate the thought of e-learning with the classroom, but the truth is quite the contrary. The manifestation of technology in current day-to-day life is making e-learning a prevalent concept, and not just for middle-schoolers. In fact, it opens up many new avenues and opportunities for employers to take hold of.

Think about it: how many times has your company had to stay late to take evening training sessions, or even set aside days' worth of work to learn something new? Since it's pretty likely that your workplace has access to the internet, there's no need to waste time on such endeavors anymore. You can access the internet from smartphones, laptops, tablets, and even televisions, making cloud-based technology extremely accessible.

Yes, it does require making the business decision to set aside a budget for mobile devices and software costs. That cost, however, is quickly offset when you consider the hours of paid work you'll save per employee on training and information sessions.

So how does it work?

E-learning systems deliver educational content based on the user's preferences. It maintains a blend of media in order to act as the perfect tool to teach various types of lessons. It is also cloud-based, allowing users to access uploaded content at any time. Thus, employers can upload training materials – whether they're slideshows, infographics, or even pre-recorded videos – right to the cloud, and employees can access the material to absorb it at their own pace. Later, they can use a forum tool to have discussions and answer questions based on the material. It's safe to say it's more engaging than a number of meetings, and it fits better into everyone's schedule because they can access the materials whenever they like.

As with any big change, using e-learning as a training tool is a big jump to make. That being said, there's only so long that companies can go without incorporating technology into the workplace before they're outnumbered. E-learning encourages employers and employees to interact, develop, and improve at all levels, and consistent access to reference materials means the improvements never stop. Plus, it never hurts to get your employees comfortable with using technology!