Introduction
Keeping your employees trained and up-to-date is important for every organization, and some professions require you to regularly take courses to keep up on the latest changes in your field. Even matters like changing how employees submit expenses could require minor training and you don't want to have to gather your employees in a single place every time you want to train them. Enter Online Training, which gives the flexibility to train your employees wherever they are.



Types of Online Training
There are two types of online training.

•Computer-based self-learning (CBT): This training is designed by instructional designers and is designed to be delivered on the computer and taken by trainees whenever they have time.
•Instructor-lead with Meeting Software (OT): The other type is more like conventional classroom training, but instead of meeting in a particular spot in person, participants join the class remotely at an appointed time.
For each item below, we indicate if it's for CBT, OT or both.

Analysis
•Save travel expenses (CBT and OT): Since employees participate at their computers, you save the cost of getting employees to a training facility.
•Save facility expenses (CBT and OT): Although you have to pay for CBT production or meeting software fees, you don't have to pay to rent a facility or have equipment and food service for participants.
•Save project management and planning fees (CBT and OT): Since the project is greatly simplified, it doesn't require a great deal of planning to pull off this type of training. You don't have to secure a room and food and beverage, make sure that you have technician on site to set up computers. You don't have to worry about copying or projectors or white boards or any of things you would associate with setting up training at a facility.
•Reach people regardless of location (CBT and OT): With employees often spread out across a wide geographic area, you can reach many more people regardless of where they are.
•Employees can participate at their leisure (CBT): With CBT, you don't have to be at a certain place at a certain time because the training is always available whenever you want to take it.
•It's Green (CBT and OT): If employees don't have to travel, it means they don't have to use any transportation. They also don't need paper guides or food and beverages at the facility.
•Participate regardless of ability (CBT and OT): Even employees with hearing, sight or other disabilities can participate in online training courses, as can employees on extended sick leave or on maternity leave.
•Monitor progress (CBT): With CBT, you can monitor who has taken the course and how they are doing and you can intervene if there are issues or employees are not participating in a timely manner.
•Link to Internet Resources (CBT and OT): You can link to PDFs and web sites related to the training.
•Access a variety of experts without having to gather them in a single location (OT): Online training gives you the advantage of having multiple training experts online at the same time without having to gather them all in a single place.

Conclusion
Online training offers a cost-effective and reasonable way to train large numbers of employees. There are many advantages, and in a time where many companies still need to keep their employees trained, it provides an economical way to get it done without having to move multiple pieces around.

Training

ANALYSIS BY: Caty Kobe, Analyst .

PUBLISHED: May 17 2010 .

AUDIENCE: HR professionals, SMB decision makers, Enterprise decision makers, IT professionals .

TOPICS: Ron Miller, self-learning, online training, human resources .