How To Keep Employees Hooked During Online Training

Top 5 tips

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, over one-third of the American labor force participants (35%) are Millennials. They are a tech-savvy generation and expect to accomplish all their tasks via technology – shopping, traveling, entertaining, learning, and so on.

 

You need to keep them upskilling if you want them to improve their performance, and since they prefer learning on-the-go as opposed to getting tied down to a physical venue, organizations need to offer them online training. But, that’s not all. Online learning needs to be engaging if you want the employees to get hooked on it. Otherwise, there’s no point.
 
Here are some tips that can help you build a course that will keep employees engaged during online training.

Your employees are hard-pressed for time. They need to multi-task throughout the day in order to get their jobs done. They will be eager to include the training on their to-do list if the course has a clear benefit. They should be aware of how the time they spend on the online learning will benefit them. You must link the learning objectives to the employee’s job role and their productivity goals.
 
You also need to personalize the training content. Make sure you have studied the target audience and analyzed their needs. You may not be able to personalize every aspect of the learning based on individual needs. But, if you have some idea about what your learners want, you can offset distractions from the beginning.

Learners love interactive courses. They keep them involved and engaged in the learning. There are several ways to include interactivity. You can start with a short anecdote related to the topic, and then weave in the concepts. You may also include a story in the course, using storytelling techniques to explain the content. Include striking visuals and animations wherever possible.
 
Weave in short activities like branching scenarios and quizzes within the topics to make it a two-way engagement. Employees may lose interest if they have to keep flipping screens and read, so test their understanding on the way.

Learners like self-paced online training because they can proceed on their own schedule. They need to neither wait for slow colleagues nor rush with fast learners. They can take their time to mull over each topic, understand it fully, and then proceed. But this does not mean that the learner is left alone. You must include social elements where learners can benefit from the expertise of their peers. Consider including discussion forums, scenario role-plays, peer-based feedback, group exercises and so on. You can also utilize the popularity of social media.

Your employees will be motivated when they feel that they can achieve their goals with less effort. If you present them with huge long-term goals, they may get demotivated. Better break them up into shorter milestones that seem more achievable. They like to take one step at a time. You may consider using levels and rewarding them as they complete each level.

Assessing learner understanding is important. But, in reality, no one likes being tested. The easiest way is to include multiple-choice or true/false questions. But, these will put them off if they have had negative experiences with exams before. The good news is that there are other ways to assess learner understanding, without them realizing that they are being tested. For example, you can use scenarios or game-based simulations for assessment. They test learner understanding while keeping them entertained. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.
 
This is, of course, not a complete list of things that learners want in online training. But, if you integrate these tips in your next online offering, it will create a meaningful and engaging experience for your employees.