You'd be hard-pressed to find a professional that isn't in a time crunch. And while staff training will always be an important component of business success, the fast-paced nature of today's corporate world means learning opportunities need to be delivered in more flexible and personalised formats.

A recent report by international research company, Towards Maturity, took a look at the widening gap between what learners want from training and what they are actually receiving. The research uncovered that when given a choice, people are looking for learning opportunities that are:

• Relevant
• Time conscious
• Digitally optimised
• Self-paced

Yet they are being given training options with long, face-to-face sessions. In order for training to be effective, it must be delivered in an engaging format – specifically on a platform that can address the above needs.

Enter: Online training

The digital revolution and smartphone boom have triggered huge changes in how we access, consume, discuss, and share content. Naturally, learning is following suit. People are learning in the evenings, on the weekends and during the commute to and from work.

eLearning options are a logical response to the needs of the busy professional. Online training allows learners to learn when and where it works best for them, offers quick delivery of course material, costs less for organisations and the advantages don't end there. Let's run through some of the biggest benefits of taking your training digital.

1. Flexible schedule and environment

Online course materials may be made accessible to the workforce throughout the day. This makes it possible for employees to learn the subject at their own pace and in comfortable settings.

Given that present day employees work out of different time zones and their capacities vary based on time of day, a learning tool that is available 24/7 makes it possible for employers to offer staff training without restrictions.

2. Millennial-friendly

Today's employees are motivated by more than money, they are looking for employers that can offer them professional development opportunities. Research from PwC found that personal learning and development options were millennials' preferred incentive – outranking financial bonuses.

With a classroom style learning environment, there are only a limited number of training programs that an employee could attend over any given quarter. With eLearning, the knowledge is always available at the employee's disposal, which gives them better access to subjects they are interested in and does not limit the amount of training they can take on.

Not only does this benefit the learner, but it's a terrific human resource asset to ensure employee retention and attract top talent to your organisation.

3. Quick and efficient delivery

A key advantage of e-learning is that it has quicker delivery cycle times than traditional classroom-based instruction. It does not take up time to start or wrap up a learning session, there are no travel times involved and learners can focus on what they need or skip what they already know.

4. Cost effective

By nature, online learning options are much more cost-effective than in-person alternatives. You don't have to pay for physical course materials, you don't have to worry about the cost of trainers, there are no travel expenses for your employees, the list goes on. eLearning courses are a smart investment for any organisation.

5. A safer learning environment

It can be embarrassing to make mistakes in front of other people. When students take an online course, they are free to fail without the eyes of their peers on them. This characteristic is particularly valuable when trying to learn soft skills, such as leadership and decision-making.

A good learning program shows the consequences of students' actions as well as how and why they went wrong. After making a mistake during an online course, students can go back and try again. This type of learning experience minimises the pressure associated with wanting to impress your peers – allowing students to learn without fear of making mistakes.

eLearning with Barringtons

Barringtons offers a range of online training courses across a wide variety of sectors and subjects, providing employees with essential skills that benefit their careers as well as the business that they work for.

While face-to-face courses offer their fair share of benefits to learners, it's not always possible to accommodate the time needed for an in-person training course. That's why our online courses are so valuable. Taking less time and providing more flexibility, online training courses are fun, fully accredited, and provide real value in essential areas such as armed robbery survival and emergency evacuation, along with a range of industry-specific courses.

To learn more about the online training Barringtons has to offer, reach out to one of our team members today!