Overcoming any doubts with online training programs

The internet is as much a tool as it is a distraction. Employers struggle with this dichotomy all the time – the web is often pivotal in terms of communication and streamlining processes and operations. At the same time, many are concerned the internet may invite employees to slack off by browsing websites that aren't related to the job at hand.

This stigma frequently carries over to online training. There are a number of benefits associated with online training programs – they often cost less money, don't take up the time of senior employees, can be conducted from anywhere, etc. But again, many employers worry that trainees aren't reading everything or speed through sessions.

So how can you combat this perception and create training programs that effectively do their job?

1. Concentrate on professionalism

Perhaps the easiest way of ensuring your online training courses are doing their job is by taking them seriously. Web-based coaching experiences shouldn't be cheaply made – they are definitely one of those things that businesses either do right or shouldn't do at all.

As businesses create their online training courses, they need to maintain a professional feel at all times. Programs shouldn't revolve around bland PowerPoint slide after PowerPoint slide. Companies need to put serious time and effort into the creation of these initiatives, and they need to ask themselves whether or not the finished result gives a good first impression. Even small things like slow loading times and typos can result in a poor training program that new hires don't take seriously.

2. Focus on engagement

The other concern of companies is that trainees will skip past significant parts of training sessions to get past what they perceive to be a boring initiation phase of the job. While there is no way to guarantee this won't happen, businesses can reduce the chances of this occurring by creating engaging training sessions.

Small inclusions such as exercises, activities, videos, live discussions with other employees and quizzes can make training courses much more interesting for new recruits, especially when compared to slide after slide of raw text. By creating varied courses that keep trainees on their toes, new hires will be less likely to get distracted and skip portions of the courses.