Your workforce plays a key role in the success of your enterprise. At a time when technology is constantly evolving, it pays to invest in continuous employee training to ensure that they are well-equipped to hold ground in an increasingly competitive environment. With this in mind, organizations across the world are investing in online training software to enable their employees to upgrade their skills and knowledge and increase their efficiency and productivity.
Today, there is a plethora of online training software. But what makes one online training software more successful than the other? While the one you select will depend on your unique requirements, there are some best features that all online training software should have.
In this article, we look at some of the features of online training software that are crucial to support your learning and development efforts.
1. Assessment methods and tools
Learning is different between adults and children. The latter may be prompted by fear – the fear of disappointing their teachers or being reprimanded by their parents. Adults, on the other hand, are more driven by rewards, or in other words, what’s in it for them. So they would want to review their progress in their learning journey. The online training software should have self-assessment methods and tools that allow your employees to test themselves and review their progress.
Assessment tools also allow L&D managers to conduct internal surveys and interviews to collect feedback on the success of the training. And once the training is complete, they can use the tools to understand if the employees are able to meet customer needs successfully. So, select an online training software that provides a range of assessment tools and question templates, for instance, branching scenarios and simulations that allow learners to experience real-world situations, while also learning from their mistakes in a safe setting.
2. Reporting tools
To ensure that your L&D initiatives are effective, you need to quantify employee knowledge and performance at both the individual and the team levels. For this, you will need to identify the knowledge gaps and then align your online training initiatives to bridge them. To achieve this, the online training software you choose should include robust reporting tools that allow you to collect, collate, analyze, and finally visualize data. This will help you evaluate the final picture or derive insights.
You should also be able to monitor and review progress regularly. Some online training software, such as the learning management systems (LMSs) include automated reporting features that collect and analyze data based on predefined metrics to generate automated reports and send them directly into your mailbox. You can use these reports to track employee progress, compliance and certifications.
3. Scalability
Unlike classroom sessions that are both difficult and expensive to scale, online training software allows you to grow as you expand operations. Make sure that the training software is scalable and enables your employees to collaborate across geographical boundaries. The training program can be available on the cloud or mobile apps. When you choose scalable software, you will not have to worry about replacing it when your organization expands. You will also be saved from the troubles of going through the whole vendor selection and software implementation processes again when your training needs change.
4. Accessibility
It is not just important to create high-quality training material – you also have to ensure that your learners have ready access to the online learning courses at all times. Ensure that the online training software offers a centralized repository that your employees can access on the device of their choice, including their mobile phones so that they can brush up their skills and solidify their knowledge as and when the need arises.
5. Personalization
One of the many benefits of online training software is that you can customize the training to fit individual needs. Custom training content improves employee efficiency. This is unlike classroom training that is more of a one-size-fits-all approach. As mentioned above, adults will willingly invest time in training if they feel that the outcomes are crucial to their career. Customization, is therefore, key to the success of any training initiative.
While choosing an online training software make sure that it provides customization options. For instance, you can customize the language and the learning channels. It may be that your workforce is more comfortable with videos as compared to graphics. Alternatively, you may wish to include audio clips or some interactive elements. Then again, the employees may want to study daily or undertake weekly sessions; or cover the course in a month or spread it out over the year.
6. Social integration
Ensure that the online training software offers social media integration and collaboration tools. It is well-observed that asynchronous training can lead to a sense of isolation. Humans seek socialization and interaction and in the context of training, they wish to engage with their peers for discussion and knowledge sharing. This interaction can be in the form of group projects, real-time discussions or even live events. Further, the software should allow for social media integration so that employees can access relevant pages and groups and join conversations with a wider audience.
7. Brand integration
Ensure that the online training program allows you to customize the interface and templates to reflect your brand. For example, you should be able to change the color scheme and font and incorporate your logo on the dashboard. When you integrate your brand with the software, your employees will get an experience that they are familiar with, adding to their comfort level and enabling greater engagement with the training courses.
In conclusion
The online training software you choose will largely depend on your unique requirements. This said, there are some features that are must-haves in any training software. These features make the courses more accessible and enjoyable. Look for the aforementioned features while selecting a training software for your enterprise.