Just like fast food, employees should be able to access eLearning when they need it and be able to use it—right away.
Roadblocks to eLearning Access
Access to training has historically been a challenge for many employees. Roadblocks are created from the get-go: finding the link to the company learning management system (LMS), remembering the login information, and knowing where to click to open the training. These roadblocks to eLearning access breed frustration and create hostility towards the training content long before the employee ever sees the training title screen.
Think Outside the LMS Box
To remove these roadblocks, eLearning and other training tools—such as learning videos, interactive guides, and training web portals—can often be made available outside of a learning management system. Focus on providing training content when the employee is going to use it and in a way that takes a minimal number of clicks to access.
Use on-screen web analytics to have interactive training guides presented at the exact time the employee is about to perform an activity. The employee can refresh their memory of a procedure and then perform that procedure right away.
Schedule emails to be sent with one-click links to eLearning courses one hour before a key employee meeting. They are more likely to open it because of its relevancy and will arrive at the meeting prepared.
Place mobile devices in primary physical locations with a training video ready to play with one click. Curiosity encourages them to click play; relevancy encourages them to act.
Training Analytics
The ultimate goal of most training programs is to change behavior, but this often must be accompanied by some level of analytics—the volume or value—to quantify the impact. Tools such as xAPI or Google Analytics can be used to assess training traffic or usage. Virtual certificates can prove training completion.
Or, be bold and remove the “requirement” to track the volume of training altogether. Make your training content so valuable that employees need or want it—just like their French fries. Behavior measurement assessments—to the employee or their managers—can be used to determine true training applications.
What if the LMS is Truly Required?
In some situations, providing training outside of a learning management system is truly not possible due to government or company requirements. If this is the case, focus your attention on driving employees to your training with ease. Use visual cues and simple language to guide employees every step of the way as they access the LMS and the training.
Consider how consumers are pleasurably guided to and through drive-thru situations and how you can mimic that approach to completing your training.
