Virtual instructor-led training programs are one of the most popular ways to train today. They’re cost-effective, convenient, and easy to scale. With new technology, these programs are getting better and more innovative each day. Virtual training is also an excellent way for employers to keep employees engaged and relevant in the workplace. Here are nine best practices currently used in virtual instructor-led training programs for remote employee training. These should give you an idea of how your company can benefit from virtual instructor-led training (VILTs).
Virtual Instructor-led Training Best Practices
Virtual instructor-led training courses offer a new opportunity for businesses to expand their reach and increase employee productivity. However, it’s important to remember that the success of your virtual training course largely depends on the strategies that you implement. Here are some of the best strategies below.
Tailored training for your employees
The number one goal of a virtual instructor-led training course is to provide your employees with the knowledge they need to succeed. To do this, online training can tailor the content of your course to their needs. For example, if you are a marketing company and want to train employees on how to generate leads, the course can be tailored specifically for generating leads. Tailoring your training for your employees will make it more relevant and valuable for them, allowing them to see the clear connection between training, performance, and moving up in the company.
Creating engaging content and visuals
Your content and visuals can make or break your virtual training course. In VITLs, you can ensure that you provide engaging content and visuals to keep your learners engaged.
Adding interactive tools, videos, and other multimedia elements
To engage and retain your learners, you can add interactive tools, videos, and other multimedia elements. These can include quizzes, polls, flashcards, animations, audio files, and games. The more interactive features you add to your training course, the more likely it is that your learners will stay engaged. It is undoubtedly a lot more interesting than taking a class with all words or things to read. Multimedia diversity will also allow different learners to better engage with the material and grasp the concepts.
Including helpful resources or links for further study on the topic
One way to make your virtual instructor-led training course more appealing is by including helpful resources or links for further study on the topic. For example, you can list recommended articles or books or link to relevant websites. This makes it easy for learners to take their learning experience even further without feeling like they are out of the loop.
For example, if I was teaching SEO, I might include some links to help learners with their SEO strategy. Or, if I was teaching about social media marketing, I might include links to different social media sites. This would make it easier for learners who want to take their learning further but do not know where to start.
Creating a sense of community with social media integration
If you are looking to create an engaging virtual course, you can do this by integrating social media. This lets your learners see what others are saying about the topic and join in the conversation. It also creates a sense of community, which is essential for retaining learners.
Social media integration doesn’t have to be difficult either. You can link to your social media account at the end of each module or video and allow learners to comment on what they’ve learned or ask questions about the topic that their peers might be able to help them with. Social media integration isn’t always optimal for every course, but if it works for you, give it a try!
Adding an appealing design and matching color scheme
You want your course to be visually appealing, and you should make it as appealing as possible. The colors and design can match the course content and the target audience. You want to make sure that it is easy on the eyes and pleasing to look at. The colors shouldn’t be too bright or flashy, but they should be attention-grabbing and attractive. You can use vibrant color schemes without being too distracting or chaotic.
Encouraging engagement with short modules
If you target low-skill employees who are likely juggling many responsibilities at once, you can consider implementing shorter modules instead of longer ones. While they may not dedicate as much time as other employees, they will still benefit from the training courses. The most successful courses work around busy schedules and teach skills that are important for daily life. Keep this in mind when designing your next virtual instructor-led training course!
Offering incentives for completion
One effective way you can encourage your learners to complete your course is by offering incentives for completion. This may be in the form of a certificate, access to additional resources, or any other tangible prize that the learner can take away with them. It doesn’t have to always be about the money; instead, think creatively about what will satisfy your learners and provide them with an incentive.
However you decide to do it, remember that incentives work best when they are not offered upfront at the start of the course. After completing their first few modules or lessons, the learner should learn about the incentive. This tactic works well because it gives your learners something else to look forward to as they progress through your course.
We Can Help
Companies that invest in remote employee training benefit from reduced attrition rates and hiring costs, better employee 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.
