April 1, 2016
In today’s environment, delivering efficient and effective workplace safety training has become more important than ever. The ever-changing environment of workplace training is a model that will continue to be dynamic. In the beginning, these classes were strictly held in the classroom, requiring the entire team to stop working and sit through extensive safety training. As time has passed, this model has since changed.
More and more safety leaders are adjusting this model to a more digital approach. In fact, nearly 30% of workplace training conducted last year was completed digitally versus the traditional classroom setting. This trend is growing at nearly 3% each year and doesn’t show signs of slowing as more and more businesses are taking their training to the next level and going online.
The Basics of Online Training
When it comes to Online Training, not all types are created equal. Once a company decides it’s time to shift their training efforts to online, they must now decide how to deliver that content. There are two main types of online training platforms: Streaming Video and Interactive Online Training. Let’s go through a summary of each to highlight some differences.
Video Streaming
Video streaming, simply, is the delivery of training digitally to your device. In order to use this type of training, your device must be connected to the internet. The content you’re receiving through streaming typically is the same as the version coming from another source, i.e. DVD. Streaming for training works exactly the same as other streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go. With video streaming, your subscription typically can be paid as a “per-person” fee or unlimited access allowing for any number of users to view the content. Some benefit for using video streaming as your training option is the content is updated automatically for you when it’s first available, something you cannot expect when using DVDs. Since video streaming only requires an internet connection, you can train anytime and anywhere allowing for more flexibility.
Interactive Online Training
Interactive online training is the delivery of training from a computer and has video, narration, case studies, then answer questions during the training and a quiz at the end. This style of training is what most people think of when it comes to online training. Interactive online training has a lot of benefits in delivering safe content to your team. One of the biggest advantages to using this type of training is the content can be customized. This allows the business to not only add their branding and logo to the training but sub-out content that doesn’t suit their business environment. Similar to the video streaming option, the content is updated automatically when available and allows the user access to the training 24/7. For companies that use a Learning Management System (LMS), interactive online training courses can be integrated into your system.
There is a third option when it comes to using online training and that’s a hybrid method, online learning with hands-on experience. This option is quite effective as the user will take the training online, then practice with a consultant or seasoned employee to better implement their new skills. Some disciplines have this style as a requirement, for example: HAZWOPER, first aid, and forklift training. This style shares many of the advantages that video streaming and interactive online training offer as well as allow the trainee to ask questions to the safety trainer on-site. The real drawback to this model is flexibility. When your team gets a new employee, this model forces the company to request a safety consultant to train the one employee which can be costly.
Why Take Your Training Online?
Making the move to take your training online can be intimidating, especially if you’re a business that’s been providing training to your team the same way for years (VHS or DVD). One of the biggest reasons a company chooses to take their training online is for the convenience factor. Instead of bringing in the entire team at once, which is already a challenge in itself, but this also doesn’t put a strain on productivity when the team is pulled from their work. Companies now have the luxury of utilizing training “on-the-go” through digital means where their employees no longer need to be brought together under one roof, they can take the training as needed and from the convenience of a laptop or even mobile device. Another advantage of taking your training online is being able to provide your team with a more personalized experience. Since online training allows the business to customize the content to their business needs and the positions viewing the content, the trainee is much more engaged thus leading to a significantly safer environment. At the end of the day, this model saves a business money and time by allowing the training to be taken at the employee’s own pace, allows for remote access and doesn’t affect workflow. Consistently, online training has proven to yield the highest R.O.I of all the training models.
Atlantic Training is well-known for its part with products in safety training content offering over 10,000 products, but we are introducing a new, powerful LMS – Wave. Our new LMS is designed to not only make training easy for your team but to assist in documenting your team members’ training to help keep your business AtlantcTrainingt and personalize the experience for your company. Take a look at our extensive online programs, and we can assist you in finding the program that’ll work for you. We’ll guide you to the new age of training.
Sources:
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/15-facts-for-2015/43422412
https://web.archive.org/web/20160524135517/http://blog.go1.com:80/education/learning/5-reasons-why-you-should-take-your-training-online/
