While there are countless ways to get creative with the process of training employees who are distributed across multiple locations, we can generally break the options into three different methods.
1. On-location, In-person Training.
In other words, bringing everyone together and training them in the same room. Until recently, this has been the most common form of multi-location training. By flying employees or key managers to a centralized location, the company can create a training event that not only minimizes outside distractions, but also establishes a sense of collaboration and team-building.
The biggest problem with this method is that it is, without a doubt, the most costly form of training. It requires event space, flight and hotel arrangements, training materials, and the cost of “offline” time for every employee involved. While immersion into a specific topic over the course of a few days may seem like a great option at the outset, history shows that this is not always the “stickiest” form. A large percentage of people attend a week-long training event only to forget much of the information discussed as soon as they’re thrown back into their routine. Some studies on cognitive load theory (how much information the brain can absorb) show that retention rates just the Monday after a weeklong training event are less that 12%!
2. Create a “Mobile” Training Initiative.
The initiative involves building a team of trainers and then sending them as a group to offer regional and on-site training to every company location. This is a more reasonable option because it has the potential to cost less by bringing the information to the people both in travel costs and employee “down” time.
It’s important to know this option requires a significant initial investment to build out the training collateral, train the trainers, and cover the costs incurred by the team’s time on the road. Unfortunately, effectiveness is still hamstringed by the same human constraints inherent with classroom style training discussed previously.
3. Leverage all “eLearning” Options.
These include techniques such as recorded webinars, computer based training (CBTs or eLearning), quick access video based training (think YouTube), and other forms of digital media that provide information to the workforce WHERE and WHEN they need it.
There are a number of reasons so many companies are turning to eLearning:
- It’s cost-effective and time-effective
- It provides consistency
- It’s sustainable and scalable
- It’s emerging to be a proven form of training that is MORE effective than live training classes
The costs to design, develop and distribute information through these channels are exponentially less expensive. For example, one analysis determined that a company with 1,000 employees spent over $2,000 per year, per employee, for live training. By transitioning to a designed and developed eLearning solution to deliver the EXACT same information, it would reduce the cost to under $35 per employee! Imagine the savings this would have on the bottom line!
If you want your training to make a dramatic impact on your bottom line, then you need a partner who understands the intricacies of not only the training process, but also how people learn. Our team of experts use strategic engagement to make sure that your training has the greatest effect on your people. Contact us today to start a conversation about how Tortal Training can help you reach your strategic business objectives.
