Virtual Training Pros and Cons for Employers

Virtual Training Pros and Cons for Employers, updated 10/16/24, 4:41 PM

Train and certify your employees to operate forklifts.

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Virtual Training: Pros and Cons for Employers
If you have a lot of employees to train, or if you're just looking to streamline your
training and education systems, you might consider virtual training for your
employees. Online training programs are flexible, accessible, and inexpensive.
But if you want to make the most effective decision for your organization, you'll
need to consider all the pros and cons.
The Basics of Virtual Training
Virtual training is any kind of training or education that occurs remotely, facilitated
by technology. You can train or educate almost anyone on any
subject using technological tools in various ways. Depending on
the context, you might utilize a written online curriculum, a series
of videos, interactive modules, video interfaces, or any
combination thereof.
For example, you can train and certify your employees to operate forklifts using
existing online curricula. Your employees will review videos, written
documentation, and other resources to better
understand how forklifts work, how to use them safely,
and how to be productive when using them in a practical
environment. After reviewing and absorbing the
materials, employees are tested on their knowledge, and
assuming they pass, they can earn formal certification.
The Advantages of Virtual Training
There are several advantages of virtual training for employers to consider,
including:
· Flexibility. Virtual training is incredibly flexible in multiple respects. Because
the training is done online, it can be done at your place of business, at home, or
anywhere else where your employees have an internet connection. On top of that,
employees can typically learn at their own pace, on a schedule that suits them.
Employers also have much flexibility in how they implement virtual training. They
can use specific technological tools that they prefer, or a combination of tools
most likely to yield the results they want. In other words, you can run your virtual
training however you see fit.
· Lower costs. In many cases, virtual training is less expensive than traditional
training. You may or may not need dedicated trainers and educators, as many
virtual training components can be automated or pursued independently. While
there are some costs associated with virtual training, they tend to be relatively
minor.
· Self-pacing. Employees appreciate the self-paced nature of most types of
virtual training. You can learn one module at a time, binge-watch every video and
review later, or pursue the curriculum in any manner that works for you. This way,
everyone gets the learning experience they need.
· Replicability. Employers also love virtual training because of how easily
replicable it is. Once you have an archive of online materials for your employees
to review, you can reuse them indefinitely. You can replicate the exact learning
experience over and over again, so you can rely on extremely consistent results.
· Wider reach. Virtual training gives you more options than traditional training.
You can train and educate people from your headquarters, even if you have
locations all around the country, or even all around the world. Additionally, your
remote employees can stay remote; they won't need to come into the office for a
simple training session.
· Objective curricula and evaluations. Many virtual training systems are built
around objective criteria and evaluations. With standardized, objective quizzes
and tests, you can rest assured that all your employees know their stuff. This is
especially important when training or educating your employees on high-priority
topics, like safe workplace conduct.

https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/managing-attention-distractibility-online-learning


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https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/managing-attention-distractibility-online-learning

The Disadvantages of Virtual Training
As you might suspect, there are also some disadvantages to keep in mind:
· Attention and memory issues. Virtual environments are associated with
greater distractibility. To engage with virtual materials, your employees will
typically need to use a computer or a mobile device, both of which can be used for
entertainment purposes as well. Also, if your employees are learning in a remote
environment, they may be plagued by other sources of distraction. Attention and
memory issues can compromise the learning experience in some people, at least
some of the time.
· Lack of immediate feedback. Virtual, self-paced learning also deprives
employees of immediate feedback. If they misunderstand something, or if they're
doing something wrong, they won't have a trainer or educator to immediately
correct them. Ongoing evaluations can help correct this, but these tend to be
reflective rather than proactive.
· Lack of human connection. Many employees appreciate the human aspect
of being trained or educated. Training in a virtual environment is typically devoid of
that human connection. While this is only a disadvantage to some, and it can be
mitigated by supplementing virtual training with human intervention, it's still worth
noting.
For most employers and contexts, virtual training has more advantages than
disadvantages. That doesn't mean it's perfect, nor does it mean you have to use it
for everything, but you should at least consider implementing virtual training in
some areas of your business.