An effective training program is key to building a skilled workforce.
However, traditional education and upskilling efforts can be costly and involve overcoming logistical challenges. The answer lies in virtual training, a versatile alternative to in-person courses.
Transitioning to a virtual training model will allow you to upskill your team and unlock the full potential of your workforce.
Here’s everything you need to know about creating and managing a virtual training program.
What is Virtual Training?
Virtual training is a learning experience conducted in a digital environment. Your employees will join an online classroom and acquire new skills remotely.
Virtual training consists of live or recorded video sessions. Some courses include only one session, whereas others require participants to view content and participate in discussions over multiple weeks or months.
Virtual classes are incredibly versatile. They can be used for employee onboarding, upskilling existing team members, and educating your workforce about the latest industry trends. They also help teach employees technical or soft skills.
Best of all, they’re customisable and can be adapted to your business’s needs and time constraints.
How Does Virtual Training Differ From Traditional Training?
Traditional training occurs in a physical classroom, meaning trainers and learners must commute to a designated location.
By contrast, virtual training is carried out online, allowing greater flexibility. It often includes a mix of live sessions and recorded courses. Most materials are provided as digital files and other learning resources.
Why Virtual Training is Gaining Popularity
Businesses across all industries are constantly looking for ways to improve employee performance.
While traditional training options are effective, they can also be cost-prohibitive. Sending employees to classes or conventions is also logistically challenging.
Virtual training eliminates these barriers and allows your business to upskill its workforce at scale.
You can save money and make educational content more accessible, all while helping your employees develop new skills.
Benefits of Virtual Training
Incorporating virtual training into your employee development strategy promises the following critical benefits:
- Flexibility: Lets learners access courses at their convenience
- Cost-Effectiveness: Eliminates travel and accommodation costs
- Scalability: Enables your business to train a large number of employees at once
You can also measure training effectiveness, which is a real challenge when offering in-person learning. Virtual tools provide individualised feedback about participant performance during the training session.
Common Challenges in Virtual Training
Implementing a virtual training program involves overcoming several challenges, including:
- Technical issues
- Lack of engagement and distractions
- Limited opportunities for hands-on learning
Fortunately, you can solve most of these problems by investing in a quality performance management solution.
With the right tools and a robust learning system, you can deliver engaging, high-impact training experiences at scale.
Types of Virtual Training Methods
There are many different ways to train your employees virtually. A few popular options to consider include:
- Live webinars and video conferencing
- Self-paced e-learning courses
- Blending learning
- Gamification
- Virtual labs and simulations
Gamification is especially useful in the virtual training environment. Creating healthy competition between team members motivates users to stay focused and complete assigned courses on time.
Essential Tools for Effective Virtual Training
If you want to adopt a virtual learning program, you’ll need the following tools:
- Learning management system (LMS)
- Video conferencing software
- Content-authoring tools
- Collaboration tools
- Assessment capabilities
You can leverage these tools to create and deliver learning content at scale. These solutions will also help you measure the progress of your team members and continually improve the quality of your training content.
Best Practices for Successful Virtual Training
If you’re ready to build a strong training culture, here are some best practices to help you plan your next steps:
Setting Clear Learning Objectives
Talk to your team about your plans for virtual learning. Explain why you’re considering a change and set clear expectations for the future. Ensure everyone understands the change’s purpose and how it will benefit them.
You should also establish clear learning objectives and rules regarding participation. Employees need to know which training courses are mandatory and which are optional.
If any training is time-sensitive, create a system for notifying employees and their supervisors to ensure that all coursework can be completed on time.
Creating Engaging and Interactive Content
Next, focus on creating absorbing educational content. To keep users engaged, use a variety of mediums, including videos and animations.
Your content must be relevant and personalised to each role or learning path. Generic content negatively impacts engagement and can cause team members to “check out.”
Ensuring Strong Instructor Presence and Facilitation
If you’re hosting live courses, ensure your instructors actively engage learners. They can do this by asking questions and prompting discussions about the topic.
Experienced instructors should also lead pre-recorded sessions with a strong presence. They should implement proven teaching techniques, such as incorporating natural pauses so employees can digest the presented information.
Encouraging Participation and Collaboration
Getting your team actively involved in sessions will maximise the ROI of your virtual training program. Utilise breakout rooms and encourage participants to divide into groups to keep everyone engaged for the entire session.
You can also publish interactive polls to guide the direction of presentations and help participants feel empowered.
Providing Real-World Applications and Case Studies
Instructors should connect training topics to real-world applications. This will help employees understand the value of key concepts and skills.
Team members will be more focused on the content they encounter when they know how it will support their day-to-day work.
Gathering Feedback for Continuous Improvement
Virtual training platforms make it easy to gather feedback from your employees. Use surveys and assessments to identify opportunities for improvement. You should always be working to improve your content.
Talk to your team members and ask for suggestions about new training content or reinforcement strategies. Program participants can provide valuable insights about each session.
Measuring the Success of Virtual Training
There are many ways to gauge the impact of your virtual training sessions. Here are some key performance indicators (KPIs) you should be monitoring:
- Completion Rates: The percentage of participants who complete the training
- Assessment Scores: Performance on quizzes and exams
- Learner Engagement: Participation in discussion and activities
- Feedback and Surveys: Satisfaction scores and suggestions for improvement
- Skill Application: Observing how well learners apply acquired skills in their roles
Each of these KPIs offers a glimpse into the effectiveness of your training program. Use multiple metrics to dig into what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve.
Future Trends in Virtual Training
Virtual training is evolving at a blistering pace. Some of the most exciting changes coming to the virtual training landscape include:
- Artificial intelligence
- Virtual and augmented reality
- Microlearning
- Adaptive learning technology
As you create and refine your virtual training strategy, explore ways to integrate cutting-edge tools into the learning process.
While you don’t need to adopt all the latest and greatest solutions simultaneously, staying up-to-date on new tech and best practices is essential to help your employees and your organisation succeed.
Learn More About Virtual Training
Virtual training can transform the way you teach and upskill your workforce. The first step to creating an effective training program is implementing modern solutions, such as Klara’s skills management platform.
Get in touch with our team today to learn more about how our industry-leading platform can support your virtual training strategy.