Why HR Needs to Take eLearning & Training Seriously

How good is your company’s approach to employee education and training? Do you have an active strategy in place for upskilling your people or is it one of those things that you never seem to get round to sorting out? Here’s the thing; when you invest in your employees’ development you’re not only creating a more valuable workforce, you’re also increasing your retention rates.

But if the thought of arranging third parties to come to your premises and conduct training sounds a little too time-consuming but you want to implement (or upgrade) the education you offer your employees, it’s time to take a look at eLearning.

eLearning is fast becoming the choice of forward-thinking organizations who recognize their people as their most valuable asset. They know that actively encouraging their employees to develop their skills is important - and they also know that eLearning is the way to go.

eLearning technologies have rapidly advanced over the last few years - both in quantity and quality. This is partly due to our growing familiarity with working remotely and the need to connect with coworkers, clients, suppliers and even prospective employers/employees via video calls.  

As many of us lean into remote work and as companies increasingly hire people across the globe, our acceptance of working and communicating online has grown.  

So does your HR department need to start thinking about eLearning for your employees? Quite possibly!

Why HR needs to take eLearning & training seriously

As Human Resources, you know full well that investing in your employees’ future is the right thing to do. After all, if people are quitting because they feel like they're stagnating in their current role, you’re the one picking up the pieces and dealing with recruiting their replacements!

But what if your business owners or leaders aren’t sold on the concept of eLearning? You might have to convince them of the benefits.

The benefits of eLearning for businesses

• When employees aren’t learning anything new they become bored, disengaged and unproductive. Training solves that by enabling them to amass new information and thus ‘check back in’ at work. 
• eLearning helps upskill your people. Not only will they benefit from increased knowledge but they’ll put those new skills to work for the greater good of your business.
• Investing in employees shows that you appreciate them and that they’re more than just a number on payroll. This type of recognition increases loyalty and retention.
• Some eLearning courses will enable you to increase security and compliance by ensuring your people understand the need for secure passwords or to follow industry guidelines or regulations.
• Digital courses that help your people manage their mental health in the workplace will help in a myriad of ways by creating happier, more empowered and mentally fit employees.
• eLearning is usually a lot more cost- and time-effective than face-to-face training. 

The benefits of eLearning for employees

• They’ll be learning useful skills or disciplines that will look great on their resume.
• Their job satisfaction will increase thanks to your willingness to invest in them and they’ll be happier at work.
• Evidence also shows that being open to learning new things makes us happier.
• In addition to this, learning also increases our confidence as we attain more knowledge.
• If training is based around mental wellness at work, they will be better able to manage stress and potential burnout.
• They can update or hone existing skills or study and gain new ones.

Is eLearning more effective?

Filling your board room with a bunch of staff and having an external trainer stand there and talk to them for hours, while they scribble down notes they’re unable to read when they look back at them is no longer the only option.

How much information is retained from being talked at and shown PowerPoints or graphs? 

Of course, there are some great trainers out there who excel at what they do, but where eLearning comes into its own is by allowing your people to learn at their own pace. In fact, a 2018 LinkedIn report found that:

“58% of employees prefer to learn at their own pace.”

This method of employee training also removes the added pressure of having to speak up or ask or answer questions in a group setting.

Self-based eLearning is also usually more interactive which will lead to greater information retention and a more successful end result.

In addition, courses can also be customized and adapted to a learner’s level or needs - unlike a group setting which is far more generalized and generic. This also allows businesses to align digital training with the organization’s needs or objectives. 

Let’s summarize that. eLearning can be more effective because:

• Employees can study at a pace they are comfortable with instead of being overloaded with information all at once.
• It is often easier to retain information when it is presented in a more interactive and personal format.
• There is no pressure to speak up in front of a trainer, coworkers, peers or managers. 
• Courses can be tailored to a learner’s interests, needs or level.
• And they can be aligned with an organization’s objectives too.

eLearning as a weapon in the fight against employee churn

If employee retention is a concern within your company, you would be well advised to consider employee training and education as a valuable weapon in your arsenal. Specifically, eLearning.

Indeed, the LinkedIn report referenced earlier, discovered that:

“94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career.”

That’s huge! And a percentage that is very hard to ignore.

It’s clear that demonstrating to your employees that you care about them and their careers can drastically influence their decision on whether to stay with you or seek employment elsewhere. And eLearning has a vital role to play in the perception that you want the very best for them.  

Technology helps small to mid-sized organizations

eLearning technology is becoming a must for modern workplaces. We only recommend that you choose the right provider to work with for your company, your people, and your objectives. Don’t make a hasty decision - like choosing any type of software, be it an HRIS or an Applicant Tracking System, you need to do your research.

That said, companies that aren’t embracing the very real benefits of technology are doing themselves a disservice. 

You might not want to go in all guns blazing and adopt an A.I.-based recruitment process, but implementing features such as employee self-service (ESS) and a more streamlined, digital approach to employee onboarding could be a game changer.

At Hezum, we help small to medium-sized companies take the stress out of dealing with HR admin through our sensibly-priced, custom built software as a service.

Want to know more? Get in touch and schedule a no-strings attached demo today.