More and more companies today are going digital, especially with their learning and training efforts, to keep up with the fast-evolving workplace. Now that many businesses are going remote, either temporarily or permanently, e-learning has been effective in making sure that employees’ competencies and skills are up-to-date. However, not all e-learning solutions are the same. The choice of an e-learning technology and platform will have a huge impact in the success of your learning and training initiatives. Here are a few considerations in choosing the right e-learning solution for your business.
Your Goals
It is important to first determine what business goals you want to accomplish using the platform. Is it an increase in sales? Do you want your employees to be more knowledgeable about your products? Do you want to give advanced Excel training? Or are you aiming to improve certain soft skills like time management and communication skills? Make sure to set specific goals, and break them down in such a way that you can efficiently measure its success in the end.
Your Audience
Have a clear picture of who will be the trainees, in terms of age and skill levels. For example, if your trainees are a mix of newcomers and tenured ones, make sure that the training program is less rigid and will allow learners to take different learning paths, rather than follow a default structure. Also consider the tech savviness of the learners. If the trainees are not digital experts, opt for more user-friendly e-learning platforms. Remember to choose a scalable software that has mass registration features if you are looking to train many employees. Also choose one that offers flexibility in terms of time of use, especially if your learners work remotely or are in different shifts. They should be able to access the materials whenever and wherever they are, at their own pace.
The Market
Explore your choices and shortlist those that will cater to your specific needs and requirements. Consider how long they’ve been in the business. Look into client reviews, as well as awards and recognitions that they’ve garnered, if any. Go through their blog and read about success stories from past clients. Go for an e-learning provider that has good tech support because it means that they can get back to you quickly, in case of technical difficulties, updates, and other concerns that can dampen your productivity.
The Demo
Once you have a shortlist of e-learning platforms, take advantage of the free trial and a use case demonstration to get a feel of the platforms, test the features and functionalities, and get a hold of their tech support teams to see how they handle questions and concerns. Ask as many questions during the demo and make sure to have them walk you through user registration, managing schedules and locations, creating learning paths, and so on. Prepare a list of questions beforehand, and identify a focus group that will attend the demonstration whose roles are relevant to the use of the e-learning platform. During the demo, you will get a clearer picture of whether the e-learning solution partner is the right one for you.
Bottom line
An e-learning solution can help your company increase productivity, savings, and revenue. The time you spend to choose the right e-learning solution for your company is definitely time well spent.
