There is no need to feel stuck. Increase your employee engagement and productivity with e-learning.

By Karen Gerberry, Ving Success Manager

Are your employees feeling stuck? According to filtered, “58% of people in work feel ‘trapped’ in their current role due to lack of training.” Training and continual education is just a portion of how to increase employee engagement in your office — and e-learning may be the path you choose to take.

Ongoing training, reading, and development are an important part of everyone's daily lives. Whether it is reading a new blog, like this one, or watching a TED talk, or even attending a class, staying up to date in a field requires continuous education. And, keeping employees up to date may be overwhelming, as well. However, with e-learning your employees can be the best in their field while learning at their own pace.

Colleen Lauria and Michelle Winkley, partners at talent distinctions, a comprehensive talent management, human resources and recruiting solutions firm, offer a few tips on why implementing an e-learning system will increase employee engagement and productivity in your office!

24/7 Access

With e-learning,trainers can update and post new material or policies. We all know that training content is typically “living” and requires change. With self serve and 24/7 access, employees are able to read these training documents whenever they have time in their day.

Connect with Experts

With online learning your employees may potentially be able to connect with experts in their fields. They are able to read about a certain topic and interact with real people in and outside the office. Connecting with experts allows new employees to ask questions, as well as form a relationship with veteran employees. Veteran employees may be in a rut; connecting with experts outside of the office can inspire and re-energize them.

Real-time Collaboration

Creating an environment where your team can collaborate in real time is crucial, and is a portion of e-learning. If your team has no way to connect with other employees in real time, their productivity is hurt. Two heads are truly better than one.

Personalized Training

Training and ongoing education are important, but don’t get crazy with assigning everyone training. Make sure that when you assign training or educational material that it is relevant. With e-learning everyone can go at their own pace, keep that in mind. Some of your employees may learn, read, or comprehend at a different pace than others. So be sure to allow your employees amble time to go over all new training or educational material.

Engaging Content

Engaging content extends to its platform too! Your e-learning tool may include videos, audio, webinars, Skyping, podcasts, and even gaming. Remember, besides learning at a different pace, people tend to learn in different ways. Having the ability to reach all your team members are a real plus! Technology has clearly advanced from the age of textbooks and tests. Try training your employees with a bit of new technology.

Fear to Fail

Many employees will look at training sessions offered to them and fear failure. They may be saying to themselves: “What does failing this training mean to my job?” Do not put pressure on your employees with respect to ongoing education. Share it with them as a learning opportunity. Allow your employees to review educational material and improve. It is equally important to allow them to view these educational materials where they feel comfortable. Some of your employees may learn better at home. Allow them to view this ongoing educational material wherever it is they are comfortable.

These are just a few of the many tips offered by Longstreet and Winkley. Your employees are your greatest resource. It is important to you and to each of your team members that they grow and develop in their roles within their the company. Train your employees and you will see a huge growth in productivity and employee engagement. You, and your employees will never feel stuck again.