Classroom or formal learning sessions seem to becoming a thing of the past, as cloud is paving the way for more interactive learning techniques. I am sure we have all experienced those stuffy classrooms situations, bulk brought sandwiches that have seen better days and swapping small talk over extra strong coffee, but we are now seeing workplace training delivered the smart way – via the cloud.
As we see the work environment changing and the adoption of remote teams, so 
companies are having to wise-up to how they deliver training en-mass, whilst allowing employees to take control of their own learning experience. Theresa Durrant, Head of Operations at Resource On Demand, said this “Self-service learning allows employees to break their learning down into more bite-sized chunks. They can gain access to their training material in an environment and at a time that is convenient to them. Long gone are the days, when we would see half of the office out on a training session, which can be highly disruptive to the productivity of the company and for its individuals”.
Research shows, that interactive learning is also key when it comes to delivery of training. Unfortunately many training programmes are often one-size fits all, but we recognise that everyone learns at different rates and usually relate to a variety of materials. Training that includes as many different materials as possible, such as short videos, formal presentations, online questionnaires, role play, online collaboration, mobile apps to list a few, tend to be more successful than those that have only one type of approach.
Durrant went onto say “We encourage our employees to access their training material online, and by providing them with a variety of different materials. As a result, individuals are more incentivised to learn, as they work at a pace that suits them and with materials and devices they are familiar and comfortable with”.
Previously, momentum of training would have been a big issue for companies, as they struggle to encourage individuals to continue their workplace learning. But with the rise of trends like ‘gamification’, it is becoming easier to encourage employee buy-in. Using technology to publicly reward employees who complete training modules is a great way to encourage them to continue on their learning path; whilst using friendly competition encourages the people around them to also start their learning journey, which is usually the hardest hurdle to cross.
A big plus for the cloud way of learning, is that it gives individuals a channel to supply feedback and have their say, again great for continued motivation. Plus, the cloud material means that changes and improvements can be implement very quickly, with little additional cost to the company, ensuring that your training programmes are always effective and relevant for the target audience.