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E-learning for companies
Last updated on this page: 08/01/2022
About this page
E-learning is now indispensable in adult education. About 91% of German companies use digital teaching methods and have already implemented e-learning in their businesses. The main goal: successfully further educate employees – with the help of simple technology and self-directed learning methods.
Learn about the advantages of e-learning in companies on this page: Which methods are useful for your application? What do real examples from practice look like? – in the sidebar, you can jump directly to the answer to your question!
Why is E-Learning important for companies?
The numbers speak for themselves: Only a few companies in the DACH region still rely solely on in-person training. Instead, the majority now utilizes various digital training offers and learning methods, in line with the introduction of E-Learning. Companies often combine E-Learning with a suitable learning platform. But why is that? Find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of E-Learning now.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pure E-Learning
Like everything, E-Learning has its disadvantages as well. However, it should be noted that there is not just ONE E-Learning. Because: E-Learning is not the same as E-Learning!
Further education is just as individual as its participants themselves, so naturally also in the digital space. Compared to traditional training with pure presence, there are some advantages that make E-Learning as a digital learning method particularly effective and sustainable – especially for companies:
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E-learning is well planned.
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E-learning is diverse
Participants learn with multimedia and interactive content: Video, quiz, presentation, survey, and much more is possible with e-learning
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With e-learning, participants learn in a self-directed manner.
Participants learn independently of time and place, whenever and wherever they want. Whether at midnight on a train or at noon in the office.
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As you can see, e-learning has many advantages, but also a few weaknesses: If you are aware of the challenges of e-learning, you can easily counteract them! Three aspects will help you with this:
Simple Technology: You don’t have to be a "techie" for e-learning! Everything relies on a straightforward learning platform for your company that is easy to use for both course creators and participants!
Good Support: You can also do something against the lack of personality and difficult motivation: Offer your learners support at any time and implement many personal videos. This way, the participant does not feel left alone.
Practical Application: E-learning does not have to stand on its own. For example, supplement your online course with a final personal conversation – and you already have a simple blended learning experience, allowing the participant to better apply what they have learned in practice.
Advantages of Classical E-Learning in Companies
What advantages does e-learning specifically offer for further training in companies? Above all, three advantages are clearly recognizable and already outlined in the table above:
E-learning is well-planned
E-learning is varied
With e-learning, employees learn autonomously
Successfully start with e-learning in the company
How do I plan the launch of e-learning in my company? How do I create online courses and motivate employees? Our checklist in PDF form answers exactly these questions!
Planned Method: In the company, you know exactly who the participants of the training are. You know the target group and thus the learning objectives. This allows you to perfectly decide which methods and content are sensible for your e-learning.
Diverse Content: E-learning offers a variety of media formats. Thus, training in the company does not have to be monotonous, but is enjoyable for employees, provided that the learning platform offers a basis for it.
Learning Independently: No more 3-day seminars where hardly anything sticks by the end! With suitable e-learning software, you encourage employees in companies to learn independently. This way, what has been learned remains much better in memory. A prerequisite for this is that you provide support. Learning independently does not mean learning completely alone!
How does E-Learning work with suitable software for companies?
Every beginning is difficult, including planning e-learning for your own company. An important tip in advance: It doesn’t have to be perfect right away! Start small and use your existing content. You can gradually supplement this.
To ensure your start into e-learning goes as smoothly as possible, you should make a plan from the very beginning.
What are your goals?
Why do you want to start with e-learning?
What options do you have?
You should answer all these questions to design the appropriate e-learning for you and your employees. In the following graphic, you can see the most important building blocks you need for the introduction of e-learning with a suitable learning platform in your own company:
What companies need to start with E-Learning
Illustration: To implement e-learning in the company, you need: A learning platform, (at least) one contact person, a plan with goals, and of course, content!
To get started with e-learning, you need ...
… a dedicated contact person for the learners
… a schedule
… a concrete goal
… varied and appropriate learning content
… a suitable learning platform
Good e-learning software is not a substitute for good planning
Very important: Good preparation is also crucial for success in e-learning! This does not mean that you should have every detail planned before the start. However, you should ask and answer the following questions – even with excellent e-learning software:
Who is my target audience?
What are the learning objectives?
How do I involve the management?
Start with e-learning in 3 phases: From preparation to content creation to motivating employees. You can find a detailed guide to starting e-learning in your company in our free checklist:
Methods and applications for e-learning
Illustration: Methods for E-Learning in Companies – Blended Learning, Mobile Learning, Video Training, and Co.
There are many different ways to implement digital training in the form of E-Learning in the company. However, there is no one single E-Learning. We can distinguish the following methods.
Blended Learning is, strictly speaking, a mixture of in-person and online courses.
Blended Learning means the mixing of different forms of learning with the goal of incorporating the advantages of all forms of learning and compensating for the weaknesses of the other form.
Mobile Learning is also known as M-Learning and refers to mobile learning through the provision of educational content that is available on mobile devices regardless of location and time.
Mobile Learning is especially suitable for young participants, as they can complete the course directly on their own smartphones. Of course, M-Learning is also suitable for participants who are often on the go and want to engage with the learning units in between.
Microlearning refers to learning in short segments with small, self-contained learning units.
Microlearning is especially useful when there is little time available for learning. The great advantage is that all learning units are short and can be worked on independently. This way, your participants can make use of short breaks to learn.
Video training is an e-learning format that is entirely or mostly made up of learning videos.
Videos are suitable for almost all topics that you can depict in e-learning. Additionally, they are also a popular change of pace for your participants in the classic online course.
Web-Based Training refers primarily to the way in which learning content is delivered. In WBT, learning content is provided in the internet or intranet.
In principle, WBT is the basic form of e-learning that you can combine with other digital learning methods.
A webinar is essentially a classic seminar that takes place online. A web seminar is conducted live and simultaneously from anywhere over the Internet.
Webinars have the advantage that, like in-person sessions, you can directly address questions and issues. Although they often take place live, you can of course also record them and make them available later.
As you can see, there is a wide variety of e-learning methods that can naturally be combined with each other. They mainly differ in whether the learning takes place synchronously or asynchronously – that is, whether instructors and learners meet live together or the course takes place independently of time and location. Before you make this decision, you should ask yourself whether pure e-learning is the suitable continuing education method for your learning goals. You can read in detail about the various e-learning methods in the free overview.
The best e-learning methods for companies
You can find detailed definitions of these methods along with helpful practical examples in the PDF overview "The Best E-Learning Methods for Companies."
Is E-Learning suitable for my use case?
In principle, E-Learning is suitable for almost all use cases in the company. Some supposed reasons against E-Learning are based on prejudices. Therefore, do not rule out E-Learning altogether just because you assume that E-Learning fundamentally...
is "cold" and impersonal.
has no practical relevance.
requires high technical knowledge.
The following checklist gives you a quick impression of whether E-Learning or a classic in-person event is more suitable for your use case:
Example: How is E-Learning Applied in Companies?
The applications of E-Learning are as diverse as the method itself. And that is exactly why E-Learning is so valuable for companies. It adapts to the needs of the company and the employees and brings with it various advantages. E-Learning is suitable not only for traditional digital training, it can also serve as a permanent companion in everyday work (for example, in the sense of Learning on Demand) or for onboarding new employees. The most popular variants of E-Learning for companies can be found in the following sections.
Top 3 Examples of E-Learning Concepts in Companies
1. E-Learning as a Closed Online Course
The most common way to implement E-Learnings is probably the traditional online course. In most cases, the course is completed and takes place asynchronously. The course instructor creates learning content that he or she makes available on a special learning platform or a LMS for the participants, so that they can access the provided learning content at any time. An online course typically consists of ...
a welcome from the course instructor in the form of a short video
a rough outline of what to expect in the course
different chapters and varied learning content
a final test to assess knowledge
Sign up now for our free online course on "Time Management" and get to know a traditional online course from the participant's perspective. Although the linked example is technically part of a blended learning approach, you will quickly understand why the course would also work well as pure E-Learning. Enjoy!
2. E-Learning for Learning Support and Knowledge Management in Everyday Life
Successful further training can also take place directly in the workplace and in the situation, in the spirit of Learning on Demand. Many companies are already relying on this E-Learning method and are gradually building their own learning library in the online course. This can answer simple questions like “Where can I find what?” or explain entire processes or tools.
When employees document new work processes, for example, once with a quick screencast, everyone in the company can benefit from it. It is particularly important that there is a responsible person who maintains and continually fills the learning library.
3. Use E-Learning for the Onboarding of new employees
You probably initially thought of E-Learning as just a typical training that takes place online. You can also use the method in the onboarding process of new employees. After all, there are also phases in onboarding where the new employee must learn processes and basic knowledge. Accompanying E-Learning helps new employees keep track and better process the new impressions. In particular, videos are a good method for welcoming new employees in the online course to establish personal contact.
Special form: Implementing E-Learning as Blended Learning in the company
Blended learning is often seen as the perfect introduction to E-learning, and for good reason: The mix of traditional in-person and digital preparation and follow-up greatly eases the transition. Both instructors and participants get used to the online learning phase while still maintaining personal interaction during in-person sessions. Usually, this aspect is also clearly in focus, and the online course serves as supplementary material. But even this is an important first step to getting used to digital learning!
Typical Areas of Application for E-Learning in Companies
Of course, in addition to Blended Learning, Onboarding, and Learning Support in everyday work, there are many other topics and concepts that are particularly well-suited for E-Learning. For example, the following areas:
- Sales Training
- Product Training
- Compliance Training
- Software Training
- Soft Skills Training
Practical Examples of Implementing E-Learning in Companies
The most successful long-term E-Learning concepts for companies use a mix of online and face-to-face, that is, Blended Learning. In the following paragraphs, we will present two good E-Learning examples from the practice of large companies:
Virtual Training and Education at DVAG
The Deutsche Vermögensberatung offers more than 17,000 freelance financial advisors a variety of training and education programs in the form of virtual Blended Learning. High flexibility is a must for freelance consultants from different age groups, which is why DVAG relies on completely digital training. This consists of:
an Online Phase to acquire basic knowledge about the software and individual functions of the systems. These phases are meant to prepare for the active tasks in the face-to-face training.
a Face-to-Face Phase to deepen subject-specific topics in direct digital exchange with other learners. There are live workshops for specific content in regional groups.
Learners can always choose which learning format suits them better. After all, learning should fit all individuals and their preferences and daily routines.
The concept is based on the Blended Learning Model "Reiher" and is structured as follows:
You can find the practical example of DVAG along with other examples in our e-book "Successful Blended Learning Concepts for Companies". Use the practical examples as a basis to develop your own concept for your application case!
The success in practice: With the flexible blended learning concept, NOSA succeeds in training staff from various locations with consistently high quality, focusing strongly on presence. Above all, the commenting function of blink.it ensures very active participation from all participants with high individual learning success.
Simple e-learning for your company with blink.it
Technology is not everything, but it is essential for the success of e-learning! At the learning platform blink.it, high usability is a priority: simple operation, appealing design, and the best possible support for success.Request a free admin demo now
