e-Learning has taken centre stage over conventional classroom teaching methods and is no longer seen as an unconventional alternative option. In fact, for many people taking part in on the job training or an educational course, e-Learning is the easiest way to fit learning around a busy schedule. New developments in technology, and the ease with which most people use smartphones daily, has brought learning closer to the everyday lives and habits of the learner.

Though it is already here and ready for us to use, before the first-time implementation of e-Learning it’s important to recall the benefits of e-Learning to make the most of it.

These benefits include:

• Saving on training costs overall
• Improved information retention
• Increased productivity
• Standardised processes
• Advanced knowledge management
• Real time access

For all organisations training is a crucial long-term investment. This is why e-Learning courses will be specially adapted to meet employee needs and help train them to perform better in the workplace.

Successful e-Learning implementations can be difficult to accomplish, A recent study found 74% of employees think their e-Learning training did’t succeed in helping them reach their full potential.

To ensure your employees aren’t disappointed by the training they receive here some useful tips to consider before planning your training:

• Define set goals: Get to know your target audience, their current knowledge levels and what they want from the course. Think through what you want to teach your users and exactly what they’ll achieve by the end of the course.
• Do your research: Speak to subject matter experts (SMEs) before developing the course. SMEs can help ensure the course delivers the results you need.
• Keep it short and sweet: Learners rarely want to sit through long, drawn out lessons so keep things short and easy to digest for learners. If it feels like things are getting oversized then split the course up into modules and smaller, more digestible chunks of learning.
• Use multimedia: Adding video, audio and graphics will help keep users engaged and people learn the most when they are engaged.
• Use examples relevant to the organisation: Using examples learners come across on the job can help them absorb new information and know how to apply it in their specific working environment.
• Stay motivated: Add a reward system into the course to help keep learners motivated. They don’t have to be physical items but praise and encouragement can work just as well.
• Assess your course: when you’ve finished designing your course make sure you test it and evaluate the performance of your learner. This will help understand the efficiency of the course and to see whether it helps reach your predefined goals.

Now you need to consider investing in a learning management system (LMS). LMS is a software that tracks and monitors training materials and acts as a supplement to classroom teaching. While there are many organisations who have embraced LMS for corporate training there are some who are still unsure. The cost of investing in an effective LMS can be off-putting but as anyone who uses an LMS will tell you, it can be worth every penny in the time and costs it saves you.