For the past 2 years, the world has been adjusting to new approaches and methods in almost every domain, one of which is employee training. Synchronous learning used to be the off-beaten path of training employees in different organizations, but with different time zones, skill gaps, available time, and energy it can become a hassle to manage. This is where asynchronous learning saves the day – self-paced courses and recorded webinars as but a few formats to name. Having them at an employee’s disposal makes eLearning easily available and enjoyable all while boosting retention rates.
If it sounds familiar, chances are you’re already familiar with asynchronous learning and are looking for ways to bring an even better learning experience to your employees. Throughout our years of experience, we’ve recognized and outlined some good practices to boost your employees' engagement and satisfaction rates.
- Make it real
Using real-world scenarios and examples does wonders with how employees perceive an eLearning course. The thing with asynchronous learning is that sometimes it might feel slightly “disconnected.” However, engaging them with interactive stories that require their input encourages them to be more active in their participation. Nevertheless, always stick to your learning objectives while thinking of scenarios.
- Give your learners hints
Since your learners will be working on their own, they do not have the benefit of asking for help and receiving it on the spot. A helpful idea might be to provide them with a “virtual assistant” to help with their courses. Now, if they find themselves stuck, they can ask their assistant for hints or explanations on the topic. Also having ways to discuss your trainings either via comments or some form of chat helps in fine-tuning them and making them a more vibrant experience.
- Motivate your learners
“When am I ever going to use this in real life?” If this sounds relatable to you, chances are it passes through your learners’ heads too. If you don’t tell them how what they’re learning is useful to them, they might lose any motivation they have for going through the training. Try giving examples about how the subject can be implemented in real life and what skills can be developed while studying to give them that extra dose of motivation.
- Give your learners a chance to use their knowledge
As we already said, your employees need to know that what they learn is practical and useful. Giving them words of affirmation works, but why not take it to the next level? You can create workshops or simulate different situations in the office to give them a chance to practice their knowledge and exercise any new skills they might’ve acquired.
- Offer user-friendly eLearning design
Simple and straightforward – those are the two things you should be striving for. Although fancy pictures, colorful buttons, and playful fonts may seem tempting, your eLearning design should feel intuitive for your users and ensure a smooth learning experience. If you want to learn more about that, check our article on 7 tips for improving your UX design.
