Whether medium-sized or large companies, many businesses in the industry face the same challenge: How do we train (many!) skilled workers practically and cost-effectively in complex topics? Correct – the easiest way is digitally! Learn in the article how e-learning and industry fit together, how to solve the biggest challenges, and for which topics e-learning is worthwhile in production.
In Germany, about 5.7 million employees work in the industry. This also means: 5.7 million people must regularly participate in training.
Especially due to the strong digitization, regular further education in the industry is becoming increasingly important: Production workers need to be well trained to work efficiently with new procedures, processes, and machines. In-person training is time-consuming, expensive, and conflicts with high productivity goals right at the workplace. The goal must therefore be to make further education quick, standardized, and flexible. These possibilities are offered by e-learning.
E-Learning and Industry – How Does That Fit Together?
When it comes to the word “digital”, the industry in Germany is not among the top sectors: With a digitization index of 60 out of 100 points, it lags far behind other industries such as logistics and information. Digital offerings (for both customers and employees) perform particularly poorly. This is shown in the following graphic:
However, the current digitization study (summary see infographic) also shows: Trend increasing – The industry is becoming increasingly digital! Especially in digital tools and mobile devices were invested during the Corona crisis. This also opens up opportunities to conduct training digitally – and thus increase employee productivity.
Personnel developers and trainers in industry should take advantage of these benefits early to ensure that industrial companies remain competitive in the long term!
Benefits of E-Learning in Industry and Production
E-Learning allows knowledge to be standardized. All employees have access to uniform online resources, thus quickly obtaining consistent and up-to-date knowledge for their respective everyday work.
E-Learning enables up-to-dateness. Classic manuals and training materials also guarantee uniform knowledge, but not up-to-date knowledge: “Printed today, outdated tomorrow!” – Digital learning content can be quickly adapted, replaced, or supplemented.
Reading tip: 5 quick ways to create content for online training
E-Learning saves time. By learning directly or nearby at the workplace, in-person training can be replaced or shortened by online support (blended learning). Employees can learn flexibly at the workplace and during working hours, without delays or absences.
Reading tip: Info page "Blended Learning in Practice"
E-Learning is scalable. Unlike training rooms, online courses are also suitable for large groups of participants. This makes e-learning an effective solution for SMEs with 10 production workers up to large companies with several thousand employees.
Diverse advantages – yet e-learning is still rarely used in the industry. What, then, speaks against digital solutions to understand practical processes?
Challenges for E-Learning in Industry & Production
The benefits are clear. But how can you start with e-learning in the industrial sector? We summarize typical challenges – and how to solve them!
Challenge 1: No access to online-capable devices at the workplace
In an interview with blink.it, SME digitization expert Stefan Enzler reports on challenges that apply to the production industry of all company sizes:
"Often, there is a computer in the companies, but the location is not in a suitable learning environment, and there are too few devices for the employees. There is often a lack of infrastructure to enable smooth digital learning."
Solution: Devices and/or learning spaces for production employees
To fully take advantage of the opportunities offered by e-learning, companies must upgrade technically. A good solution could be tablets that employees can use flexibly directly at the workplace. Some companies have also successfully set up learning spaces with multiple computers, which the employees share in shift work.
Solution for poor access to computers: With tablets, production employees can learn directly at their workplace.
Challenge 2: Old learning culture causes resistance among employees
It is primarily a cultural issue that prevents employees from embracing e-learning, according to digitization expert Stefan Enzler (link to the interview above):
"There is often still the mindset that 'If I only look at the computer, I am not productive!' (...) At the level of shift leaders or production workers, it represents a strong cultural break to leave the workplace during working hours to learn.”
Solution: New learning culture in industrial companies
Lack of or incorrect learning culture is not just a problem of the industry, but currently a challenge in almost all sectors. The first step should ideally come from top management: Leaders like shift supervisors or foremen should serve as role models, clearly communicate learning times, and promote learning as part of work.
Reading tip: Personnel Development: Learning Culture Starts at the Top!
Challenge 3: (lack of) IT affinity among production workers
The third major problem: Digital media are not part of the everyday work for most production workers. Stefan Enzler states:
"In their private spheres, employees use their smartphones in this digital world, watch videos, and actively seek information. But at work, information is waited on, and the digital world is not used as independently as at home.”
Solution: Increase motivation, minimize barriers
To ensure that employees accept e-learning as a new digital method, two steps help:
You must clearly communicate the advantages, ideally directly and personally. Employees need to understand why it is important and helpful for them and their work to participate in e-learning. This increases motivation to engage with digital tools.
Choose a simple e-learning tool like blink.it, which has proven itself in many SMEs and production companies. Pay attention to simple, intuitive operation to avoid confusing less IT-savvy employees. This keeps the barriers low.
Summary: Challenges & Solutions in the Industry
Challenge in E-Learning | Solution for E-Learning |
No access to online-capable devices at the workplace | Provision of tablets or learning spaces with multiple computers |
Negative attitude of employees towards learning | Establish a new learning culture, leaders act as role models, set up learning times |
Lack of IT affinity among employees | Clearly communicate the advantages of e-learning, choose a simple e-learning tool to lower the barriers |
These Topics Are Suitable for E-Learning in Production
In general, e-learning is suitable for almost all work-related topics. However, three major focuses from the industry can be conveyed particularly easily or effectively in digital form: Occupational safety, machine handling, and onboarding.
Occupational safety as E-Learning
With e-learning, you can suddenly make “dry” safety instructions exciting and realistic! For example, using videos that are filmed directly at the workplace and show potential hazardous situations. Changes or additions to safety regulations can be more easily followed up in an online course than in a manual or handout. Also, most LMS (Learning Management Systems) today can automatically issue certificates that employees can use to prove their regular participation in safety training.Operation of machines as E-Learning
For technical instructions, video creation is particularly easy and inexpensive: Experienced colleagues can record short videos that demonstrate the correct handling. New employees can “look over the shoulder” and apply what they have seen directly. Detailed instructions or videos also support employees in everyday work: When employees can access learning videos directly at the workplace, they can quickly solve any questions or problems themselves (“I’ll check the video again”). This minimizes interruptions and avoids operational errors.Onboarding new production employees as E-Learning
Even during the onboarding of new employees, learning videos save time and effort: An onboarding course can also include many information that would otherwise be distributed orally or in paper form (and often quickly get lost): General regulations, IT inductions, service and room plans, and so on - simply everything that new employees need in their first days. This information is always flexibly available as e-learning, does not get lost, and can be reused with each new employee. Win-win: This also saves time in the HR department and for those responsible at the workplace.
Reading tip: Blended Onboarding – Quick Onboarding Thanks to the Combination of Online Course and Personal Support
Conclusion: Why Investing in E-Learning Is Worthwhile for the Industry
E-learning offers great opportunities for industry and production: Through standardization and flexibility, both time savings and higher productivity of employees are achieved. The most common problems, such as lack of devices, can be easily resolved. This pays off in the long term for companies that now take advantage of the opportunities of e-learning in industry and production.
An important basis for any successful e-learning in the industry is an e-learning tool that is easy to use for both the training managers and the employees. In practice, blink.it has proven itself in manufacturing companies, from SMEs to large corporations. Just give it a try!
