How to Create an Effective Corporate E-Learning Strategy

E-Learning or online learning, through an LMS (Learning Management System), is all the rage in the corporate world, and the trend is expected to continue. Since an LMS offers convenient and flexible access to e-learning content, it makes sense to implement it as the next level of Learning & Development. However, there are so many ways to roll out online learning programs, that it can be challenging to decide what works best, especially since they all have their pros and cons. Here are a few things to keep in mind while creating your e-learning strategy:    

The Targeted Approach  

All good strategy begins with research and analysis, and this is no different. We’re not talking about researching e-learning trends, not yet. That will come later, but the first thing you need to do is identify your target, i.e., the operational processes or business units that have consistently been producing the lowest return on investment. These are not the small departments of five to ten employees that have little impact on overall profit, but the larger processes/teams/units whose low output is impacting the bottom line the most.     

Once you have identified your target audience, you will need to understand their processes from the inside out, and then find out where they are dropping the ball so you can improve their performance in that area. You see, if training doesn’t target specific and measurable areas for improvement, it ends up being busy work that trains people on things that they may not really need training on, which will also have a negative impact on their productivity.     

Specific and measurable are the key aspects to focus on – vague generalizations are ineffective, so the training needs to target a particular skill, or process, for improvement. It’s essential that the improvement ratio be measurable and decided beforehand; otherwise, you will not know if the training has been effective.   

Training Methodology    

Once you know the target audience and the skill/process that needs improvement, you can decide the most effective method of rolling out the training via the LMS. The two main e-learning types are Synchronous and Asynchronous.     

Synchronous e-learning commonly refers to learning events where all the learners undergo the training at the same time, utilizing the LMS’s videoconferencing feature. It’s like a virtual classroom and is led by a trainer. The obvious advantage here is that learners can ask questions and resolve doubts in real-time as they are being taken through the learning content; it’s similar to classroom training, except that you can train in a virtual environment, so everyone doesn’t have to be physically present.      

Asynchronous e-learning generally involves creating online training modules and uploading them on the LMS with cleverly designed knowledge checks or assessments that the learners can access anytime, anywhere. This has the on-demand learning factor that companies like Udemy have been very successful with. The convenience and flexibility that it offers are very appealing since learners are not bound to schedules, and they can even do the courses outside work hours if they want to. The downside is that learners can’t clear doubts or ask for a further explanation while going through the course material.    

In my opinion, the most effective technique is a combination of synchronous and asynchronous methods – use asynchronous for the training delivery of the course material, to explain the theoretical aspects of the course. After every asynchronous module completion, utilize the synchronous method to do a quick refresher of the main points, clarify doubts, answer questions, and do role plays or on-the-spot assignments.    

Post-Training Implementation and Evaluation    

I cannot stress this enough – post-training implementation of the learning is crucial for the success of any training program. If you do not have a plan to make sure that the learners apply the new skills, you will have wasted everyone’s time, including your own. Coordinate with the learners’ supervisors and conduct regular follow-ups to ensure that the learning gets implemented. Then, you need to conduct a post-training evaluation after a few weeks or months – this will tell you if the learning is being properly implemented, and if the training was effective.