In-company online training is becoming more and more popular in order to develop the skills and knowledge of each employee. So deploying an e-learning program offers many advantages. However, the project needs to be carefully thought out. It must be in line with the company's culture while meeting the needs of employees. So, let's take a teddy bear sales company, let's call it Satanours. They may need training on the annual variations in toy sales. However, this training should take into account the corporate culture of Satanours, where everyone hates children and tries to sell them the scariest stuffed animals possible (we have the evil plans that we can). In terms of graphic design, for example, it changes a lot.
Conduct a pilot project to ensure that the deployment is successful
To do this, all you need to do is choose a “standard” course among those on the market in order to pay as few expenses as possible, such as training elearning in office automation for example. It is a good way to measure the return on investment of this type of training. It is then necessary to choose a target audience representative of the individuals to be trained and establish the pedagogical approach to follow. It is also necessary to ensure the technical feasibility of the project. Following this pilot project, it is important to gather feedback from participants. At Satanours, for example, classical training in logistics has made it possible to halve delivery times. An asset that earned them a short article in Psychopath Magazine.
If the pilot project went well, it is high time to deploy the real project. Depending on its size, deployment may or may not be gradual. However, gradual development is more recommended. Indeed, the first feedback will help you to reveal certain preferences or rejections. You can thus modify the learning methods or any other type of content affected by the remarks. In our example, the trainers were criticized for being polite and benevolent, which stressed and annoyed some of the employees. The decision to insult learners on a regular basis in response was warmly welcomed.
The deployment phase corresponds to the moment when the training modules are available to learners. Generally, this task is carried out via a Learning Management System platform on a website or on an intranet. However, there are other solutions such as platform leasing. If the purchase of an LMS does not meet the needs of your business, you should therefore not hesitate to look at other possibilities. Some businesses with very specific needs (you know who I'm talking about) may also want to create their own training system, internally or with the help of a provider.
Ensure the transition is smooth
The implementation of e-learning within a company consists in providing learners with training via a distance learning platform. It also involves the drafting of instructions, the training of tutors as well as the establishment of a training schedule. Such an important project will not always be unanimously accepted. It is a process that will bring about change. A communication and management strategy to manage this change must be studied. The Satanours training manager thus insisted on the idea that facilitating the acquisition of new skills seemed nice, but that it was actually a question of being more productive and therefore of terrorizing more children. Do not hesitate to appeal to the values of the company, especially if your employees strongly adhere to them.
Developing internal communication is the key to identifying and reducing reticence. Finding a way to involve employees also makes it easier to get them on board. For example, it is possible to involve them during the testing period or during the design phase, in order to be able to count on their participation later. Setting up a participation survey is also an excellent way to get their opinions and suggestions for improving the project. You can also bet on the gamification of content, such as winning badges or titles for each module completed (level 1, worried teddy bears, level 5 teddy bears with big teeth, level 10 teddy bears at night, etc.)
Support for learners
Setting up the platform and its contents is not enough to guarantee the success of the project. The learner may feel unmotivated or isolated from the project. It is therefore essential to support them through a tutor or coach via the social functions of the LMS. Learners' feedback should be encouraged and taken into account in order to make the training system in place evolve. The introduction of insults from the trainers was thus a key element in motivating Satanours learners.
From the moment the training modules are published and hosted on an online platform, encouraging learners to consult them is essential. However, do not forget to provide them with the essential instructions for viewing the content, namely the click path to access it, the technical parameters, etc.
The communication plan
In order to promote your online training and put an end to the reservations previously identified, the implementation of a solid communication plan is essential. This ensures the integration of the project within the training organization and the company. To be effective, this plan should answer the following questions: Why communicate? Who is in charge? What to communicate about? How to do it and when?
In order to answer these questions, you need:
- Concretely define your targets Of the countryside
- Define objectives Of the countryside
- Carefully determine the the most relevant supports: The choice of your technological tools is an important point that should not be overlooked when implementing e-learning in business. This means clearly expressing your needs and expectations to suppliers and including IT services in the decision-making process.
- Define powerful messages (“Satanours, the Formation of Evil”)
- Call on most relevant actors to carry out the campaign successfully
- Establish a link with the communication agency using the copy strategy, i.e. the specifications, established between the advertiser and the creators of an advertising agency. This includes in particular: the target of the communication with its age, gender, geographical location, etc. This phase makes it possible to ensure the increase in the reputation of the advertiser, the increase in sales or even the improvement of the image. It also allows carry out the proposal made to the target through the exploitation of one's motivation through communication. Of course, you may also want to try to damage your image with non-targeted people (like people who love children), but that's a risky strategy.
You now have in hand the keys to successfully implementing e-learning in business, and to report to the police that things that are not very Catholic are happening at Satanours (at the same time, with a similar name...). For it to be successful, make sure you ensure the smooth transition to the project. This makes it possible to identify and reduce any reticence. Also, do not hesitate to carry out a pilot project that will serve as a test and that will allow you to receive feedback from some learners to define the areas for improvement. In addition, support from tutors or coaches is essential to motivate learners. Finally, a communication plan is essential to promote the online training project within the company, but also to share the objectives to be achieved. And if you are not satisfied with e-learning, other methods exist, such as mobile learning!
