Designing Digitally
12/25/2017
Picture this: you’ve just developed a brand new e-learning program for your company. You’ve gone through plenty of strategy sessions, countless hours of tactics and approvals, and more beta tests than you can count. But you’ve forgotten one key step - THE key step - to a successful introduction to your company. You haven't planned for the deployment, the introduction to your colleagues. You haven't worked to cultivate an innovative, learning atmosphere for various departments in your company. Perhaps it’s because the agency you’re working with is new to the e-learning scene (we would never let this happen), but whatever the case might be, you feel like you’re just not prepared to deploy your e-learning program in a way that showcases the value of the activities.
Don’t fret. That’s why we’re here. When it comes to e-learning for companies, we’ve developed a unique set of best practices that are sure to help both your training department and the entirety of your business.
If you are working to develop a thriving corporate e-learning environment in a culture that is open to change, innovation and support, this blog is for you.
When it comes to e-learning for companies, here are the best practices you need to know now - before you deploy your program.
This doesn’t mean that everyone has bought in, per se. This simply means that they are ready to enter your e-learning program with an open mind, and are prepared to gain knowledge throughout the process.
When it comes to introducing a new program, whether it’s in the workplace or otherwise, there will be challenges. To mitigate these challenges, it is in your best interest to clearly state employee expectations within a new program, outline your company objectives, and relate the program back to the employee’s goals. Make it clear how this program will impact their career, whether it is through new learning opportunities or greater knowledge in various aspects of your business.
As your employees participate in your new e-learning programs, they will likely have questions - a plethora of questions. Asking questions and requesting greater knowledge is a sign of interest, engagement and participation, which is positive for your training department.
This is why it is important to allocate time for knowledge sharing. Whether it is in the form of virtual office sessions once every two weeks, or perhaps it is in the form of an anonymous survey that can be submitted online, ensure you allocate time for both knowledge sharing and feedback gathering. This will not only make your employees feel like they are part of the process, it will allow for increased engagement in your program.
Leading by example is critical for the success of your e-learning program. Without “leading by example”, your program is at risk of failure. Why? Because if your Executive Team isn’t taking full part and participation in your e-learning program, why would their staff?
Leading by example, starting with the Leadership or Executive Team, is of the utmost importance in an e-learning program. Without their support, it is unlikely that your e-learning training initiative will achieve the outcomes you desire.
As you are gathering knowledge and feedback from your colleagues, ensure that you leave room for flexibility. This could be in the form of changes or updates to the e-learning modules, or it could be in relation to how your testing is executed.
Collecting regular feedback from your colleagues should leave room for updates, changes or tweaks to your program, which will not only foster engagement, it will allow for your learning opportunities to become stronger and make your overall program better.
As you are developing your e-learning program for your company, consider the benefits of developing a thriving, inclusive learning environment for your business. When you deploy a program to a welcoming environment, it is sure to succeed.
Your program is also sure to succeed if you work with a partner that is committed to the success of your business. When developing your e-learning program, consider partnering with Designing Digitally to ensure success for your business.
We bring a personal and effective approach to every project we work on.
