Virtual and digital labs are becoming increasingly popular forms of training employees. The best virtual labs are cost-effective, engaging, and can be implemented in a short amount of time. Training employees is challenging for many businesses because different people learn differently. Some people do better with visual training materials or hands-on guidance. Other people respond better to auditory or reading materials. Virtual labs provide the best of both worlds by combining visual and auditory content in a digital format that’s easy to access on mobile devices and computers wherever employees may be at any given moment. In this blog post, we will share with you the top characteristics of the best virtual labs for employee training so that you can make an informed decision when choosing which virtual lab software is right for your organization.
8 Characteristics of the Best Virtual Labs
Well-Designed Scenario-Based Content
The first and foremost thing to look for in the best virtual labs for training is well-designed scenario-based content. The scenarios should be engaging and designed according to the learning styles of the audience. Ideally, they should be designed to be relevant to your business environment, and they should closely reflect the exact challenges that employees will face in the real world. The scenarios should be designed to follow a logical flow and build upon each other so that employees can progress through the training program at their own pace. The virtual labs should also include automated quizzes, assessments, and progress tracking so that employees can monitor their own progress within the training program.
Collaboration Tools
Collaboration is an essential part of any effective training program. The best virtual labs for training employees offer collaboration tools such as the ability for multiple people to contribute audio, video, and textual content at the same time. Collaboration tools are a great way to create a sense of camaraderie among employees and help them to feel that they are part of an interactive, supportive learning community. The best virtual labs also offer the ability to upload documents to create a virtual library where employees can access company policies and procedures, infographics, and other useful reference materials related to their training. Collaboration tools are also a great way to allow managers and other stakeholders to actively participate in the training program and give feedback to employees.
Mobile Friendly
Mobile is part of the fabric of our lives today. Employees will likely tap into virtual labs for training on their mobile devices, so it’s important to choose a virtual lab that is mobile friendly. The best virtual labs for employee training are designed to be optimized for mobile devices so that employees can access them easily, even when they are on-the-go.
Easy to Use and Responsive Interface
The best virtual labs for employee training have a responsive interface that is easy to use regardless of the device that employees are accessing them from. The user interface of the virtual lab should be intuitive and easy to navigate so that employees can easily follow the training program. Ideally, the virtual lab should allow employees to bookmark or navigate to specific chapters or scenarios of the training program that they wish to revisit later.
Quality Voice Over and Audio Controls
The best virtual labs for employee training have high-quality voice over and audio controls. Voice over is the voice that plays when employees are reading the content. It can be very helpful to have a voice actor or narrator that is engaging and has the right tone for the training program. The best virtual labs allow you to control the speed of voice over and audio so that employees can adjust the speed according to their own pace and needs.
Repetition and Reinforcement of Key Concepts and Behaviors
One of the biggest challenges of training employees is getting them to repeat and reinforce key concepts and behaviors. Virtual labs are ideal for this because they allow you to incorporate interactive quizzes, assessments, and quizzes into the training program. These tools allow you to test the knowledge of the employees and reinforce the concepts and behaviors that are key to the training program.
Real-time Coaching
Most virtual labs have real-time coaching features that allow you to interact with employees in real time as they progress through the training program. You can use this feature to answer questions, give real-time feedback, offer tips, and help employees troubleshoot challenges that they are facing while following the training program.
Interactive Content
The best virtual labs for employee training offer interactive content that allows employees to apply what they are learning in the training program to a simulated work environment. The virtual lab can include virtual workspaces that allow employees to apply what they are learning to a simulated work environment where they can simulate their typical tasks and follow the training program at their own pace. Virtual workspaces allow employees to apply what they are learning and progress at their own pace, giving them the opportunity to try new things and experiment with new skills until they feel comfortable with them.
Bottom line
Virtual labs are the ultimate in flexibility because they can be accessed from any device and in any location. They are a great choice for employee training because they are engaging, highly effective, and cost-effective. They are designed to meet the needs of all types of learners and provide a very hands-on and applied approach to training employees. Well-designed scenario-based content, collaboration tools, a mobile-friendly interface, easy-to-use audio and voice-over controls, repetition, reinforcement of key concepts, real-time coaching, and interactive content are the top characteristics of the best virtual labs for employee training. Read more about online training best practices here.
We Can Help
Companies that invest in employee training benefit from reduced attrition rates and hiring costs, better productivity, more knowledgeable employees, and a competitive hiring package. ReadyTech’s remote training software provides different ways to interact with trainers and peers, encouraging participation and active learning. We provide companies and their employees with a hosted training solution that offers hands-on, virtual training software to aid your workforce in practicing job skills.
ReadyTech provides your company with all the software you need for your virtual training classroom, and we offer a full-service setup process and 24/7 live support. Contact us today.
