Does online training work?

I’ll cut right to the chase, and I know you’ll be surprised by my answer – yes!

So I guess the question really is, why does online training work, or more on point, why is it worth the investment of time and money, and especially why right now?

I am a fan of saying “in change there is opportunity”. Or, I should say, as one that is not a big fan of change per se, I know this to be true and force myself to embrace it. As I am writing this at the very beginning of April 2020 and know that the peak of coronavirus cases is yet to come in the United States. Interestingly, now is a good time for companies to embrace change that their teams may have been resistant of in the past. For example, as so many accounting teams are adapting to working remotely, now is a great time take advantage of proven technology for paperless processing which so many companies in the U.S. have resisted in the past. Online training is another example – many companies have not taken advantage of ubiquitous offerings despite the ease of arranging, the relatively low cost, and the myriad benefits.

I won’t hide the fact that online training is hard – foremost is the challenge of paying attention for several hours to someone you cannot see in person, with a constant demand for your attention stemming from an incessant flood of emails just a click away (as well as your to-do list, checking if toilet paper is in stock, the latest news, your IM notifications popping up, etc.). Add in periodic difficulties with audio and screen sharing, internet speed and consistency, the potential for a “dry” instructor, and so forth, it’s often not an exciting proposition.

But, as I said, these are different times, and there are many reasons why you should schedule online training soon for yourself and your team:

Online classes are targeted – Online classes are naturally narrow in scope. The need for brevity to maintain engagement drives focus on a specific topic. Meaning, online classes typically cover a particular subject rather than a wide range. Are you looking for a class just on inventory control, consolidations, financial setups, or navigation and personalization for example? That’s exactly what you get! Talk about a targeted ROI!

Online classes are convenient – Likely I don’t need to expand on this, the access-from-anywhere, shortened format of online classes is certainly more convenient than scheduling day(s) away from the office and home.

Online classes are inexpensive – This is also straight-forward – no classroom rental, no food, no travel, no audio/visual equipment… you do the math.

Online classes can be powerful – I say, “can be”, because the quality and value is certainly not a given, it will depend on who is hosting the class. For online classes lead by New View Strategies, I would say “are”, as we’ve studied and incorporated adult learning principles into our classes to dramatically improve our students’ engagement, and therefore retention, of the class content. Training is not just an occasional thing for us – we lead over 60 classes a year – and we continue to refine our techniques and tools. We also incorporate a heavy focus on hands-on exercises into our online classes, which reinforces immediately our students’ comprehension and application of the content.

Online classes are empowering – Especially right now, your organization can benefit from finding more efficiencies in your existing processes, uncovering more insights from your data, and discovering new capabilities to improve your business. Your team is also faced with unprecedented challenges at work and at home – and investing a small amount in their capabilities demonstrates strong leadership that you are embracing the inherent opportunities during these times, in addition to caring for their continued development.

Online classes demonstrate your commitment to a learning culture – As an organization and as a leader, do you want to be seen as one that embraces continuous improvement? Do you value efficiency, saving money, better service, innovation? That does not happen spontaneously – you must establish a culture that supports these attitudes and behaviors. Investing in your team’s learning is a fundamental building block to drive the proper culture.

Online classes can be customized – You’re ready to enroll your team for a class but don’t see your desired topic on the schedule soon enough? You’d like to adapt an existing class or combine a couple of topics? Easy-peasy. We can assemble a custom agenda by selecting and combing the learning segments from across our classes and schedule your custom class to fit your schedule, just ask.

I hope I’ve impressed the opportunity or need to take a serious look at the universe of online training options available. From Microsoft to YouTube to your partner to New View Strategies and beyond, there is no shortage of options. New View Strategies has 14 online classes through the rest of the year on our schedule, our team is teaching another 5 classes through the BC/NAV User Group Academy, or we would be glad to discuss a custom class for your organization, just let us know.

I do hope you and your family are healthy and safe.