Failing to understand learners online training requirements

To some degree this is a requirement of the online training preparation phase, but it extends to administration and user acceptance of all aspects of an online training system. It also requires Managers to reappraise their role (and skills), as Leaders and Developers, through Coaching and Mentoring processes.

Until more employees gain access to computers and specifically Internet access, with broadband, then online training constraints and barriers will exist. (That said more and more employees are buying home PC's giving online training a 24 hour / 7 day a week access). That said even with reliable online training access users still prefer, or at least some prefer, face-to-face traditional training - hence the need for a blended approach.

There are many reasons why an employee would prefer to go on face-to-face training sessions, particularly if they are residential and particularly if they involve experiential or action centred learning, rather than equivalent structured online training programmes on their own. Some of those reasons might also be important ones for the business. Also remember that it is common for off-site training to be perceived as a perk and removing it may be interpreted adversely regardless of whether the learning objectives are being met by customised online training content and/or alternative learning methods.

While, online training provides virtual collaboration tools, research on virtual teams indicates that team members still need regularly face-to-face contact for relationships to be sustained, divergence to be ironed out, and for knowledge exchange to be enriched. Different learners will also have different learning styles and needs and whilst some of those will be met by online training others may be more successfully met by face-to-face methods. Therefore rather than remove face-to-face sessions online training becomes very effective when it enriches through adopting a blended training approach.

This then is what the HRD Online training management system is designed to achieve.