Fill the Gap Between Online Training & Organizational Impact

The disparity between virtual training and organizational impact refers to the difference between the intended outcomes of virtual training programs and the actual outcomes achieved in terms of improving organizational performance. 

This gap can arise due to several factors, such as lack of engagement and motivation of participants, insufficient follow-up and reinforcement, inadequate technological tools and resources, and misalignment between training goals and organizational needs. 

To bridge this gap, it is essential to design virtual training programs that are interactive, relevant, and aligned with organizational objectives and to provide ongoing support and reinforcement to ensure that learning is transferred to the workplace.

Incorporate a Learning Culture into the Organization

All levels of management should be involved in the organization's learning and development process. Approximately 56% of employees would like to take a course recommended by their managers, according to LinkedIn's 2018 Workforce Learning Report. Thus, managers and supervisors must also actively participate in the training process.

Supervisors must ensure that their colleagues are empowered to meet their goals by being present and engaged with them.

In addition, employee feedback facilitates open communication between employees, management, and supervisors, which allows problems and successes to be identified and lauded.

Organizations must foster an environment where employees are inspired and challenged to align their professional and personal goals.

Determine the Program's Outcome

Management and the in-house subject-matter expert delivering the training should be jointly responsible for implementing a training program.

With a clear understanding of what the training will accomplish, employees will see the value of what they're learning and will remember what they've learned once the training is complete and they are able to apply the skills they learned through coaching and mentoring.

Defining Goals

A relevant training program is based on the business's training objectives and employees' future goals.

There must be a sense of value in what employees learn and how it can help them reach their professional and personal goals. It is essential to encourage employees to continue setting goals even after training is complete and to show them how and why learning such a skill will be beneficial.

Motivating ourselves, rewarding ourselves, and achieving our goals is what learning and development is all about.

Engage Employees and Create Awareness

Implementing a learning program requires creating awareness and generating interest among individuals.

Taking employees' interest and making them see the relevance of your training program is essential as a learning and development professional.

Confidence and motivation become crucial to bridging the gap between virtual learning, organizational impact, and changing behavior and attitudes. Many training programs fail because of resistance to change. Providing incentives and personal value is the best way to instil confidence and motivate employees.

Adapt the Training Program to Your Needs

Although tailoring employee training programs to everyone's needs may not always be possible, it is imperative that you, as the L&D professional, customize each program as much as possible.

Understanding your audience and what would engage them is more important than using a one-size-fits-all approach. It is possible to mitigate the forgetting curve we all know too well if employees are engaged and can see the value in their learning.

Incorporating Microlearning

It is important to supplement employees with bite-sized training content to maximize their learning experience. It encourages the need for long-term continuous learning and helps with knowledge retention, so microlearning makes sense because it takes up a fraction of the time compared to the more conventional learning methods.

Visual Learning

There is a high probability that 80% of our consumption will come from video content in the near future, making visual learning an essential component of learning programs. Visual learning is engaging and highly effective for retaining information.

Track Progress

Having completed the training program, keeping in touch with your employees is crucial. Ensure they are on track with the learning objectives, reward, and recognize where due. 

Check if they are meeting the goals they set. Offer continuous support through coaching and mentoring. Make employees aware of their commitment to achieving learning goals and developing professionally. A follow-up system can make a big difference.

Your company's performance gaps can be bridged with online learning & development. By following the points mentioned above, organizations can effectively bridge the gap between virtual training and organizational impact, ensuring that their investment in employee development is well worth it.