Are you making these L&D mistakes?
Employees don’t expect confetti or balloons to fall from the ceiling every time they log into the training platform. They know that “fanfare and fun” is not part of the equation. However, they want an engaging experience that will help improve workplace performance and avoid common mistakes. Given that they serve your organization well and their success will lead to the success of the company, it doesn’t ask for much. There are certain L&D deal breakers that need to be avoided at all costs. These factors allow staff to click away from the employee’s online training course before absorbing the information.
Avoid 7 important L&D trading breakers
1. Great Wall of China in the text
Forget about the historic landmarks of China. It is the Great Wall of China, a text that you should worry about in e-learning design. One of the most common L&D mistakes is that the course is flooded with so many texts that confuse trainees rather than improving knowledge retention. If you need to include a significant amount of text, split it into smaller paragraphs. Better yet, convert it to checklists, infographics, and charts to make assimilation easier. If the subject is digested quickly, employees are more likely to stick.
2. An outdated demo video
Even if you long for the good old days of blurry footage and outdated outfits, you don’t want to see a demo video made 10 years ago. Employees assume that the information is irrelevant, so when the second retro uniform appears, they will likely click away from the course. So, make sure your demo is up to date and reflects current processes, tools and policies.
3. Tricky navigation
Trainees may not even have the opportunity to click on the course, as they cannot find the right button. Tricky navigation controls make it impossible to return to the course homepage or access important training resources. I think that’s one way to keep them there. Contain them in the course with confused icons and broken links. Seriously, you need to streamline your employee’s online training navigation and frequently verify hotspots. Make sure the buttons are easy to understand and allow users to redirect to the relevant resource, module, or activity.
4. No built-in feedback
Employees cannot ask to wander aimlessly through e-learning courses. I hope they are doing the right thing. Feedback is essential for them to identify personal areas for growth and improvement. They may move away from constructive criticism. They pay tribute while recognizing the benefits they provide to their career path. In fact, many employees expect to see feedback and recommendations after every module or activity. They understand that this assessment tool will broaden their horizons and continually hone their talent.
5. Lack of real applications
Employee involvement usually depends on practicality. Can they use what they learn in the real world, or are they all theoretical? Online training courses must provide opportunities to apply skills and knowledge in context. For example, simulations and scenarios that help you explore everyday challenges and learn from mistakes. These require you to build important experiences, including realistic characters, settings and obstacles. Another way to promote practical applications is through personal anecdotes and demonstrations. Tell the story to show how past errors have improved, and communicate video clips highlight every step of the task.
6. Distractions in the course
There are many things that allow employees to wander and lose focus on their online training goals. Your design should not be one of them. Course distraction is an important L&D deal breaker to help keep employees away from experience. They are supposed to be immersed in content and focused on the tasks at hand. Don’t be distracted by unrelated graphics, confusing charts, or controversial images. The golden rule of employee online training design is that everything serves your purpose. All elements that you include must contribute to the outcome and bring employees a step closer to understanding. Memes that make everyone laugh may brighten up the mood, but they still need to be linked to the subject. Otherwise, you will not earn a spot on the next e-learning course. Save a touch of humor for social media training groups or online discussion forums.
7. No personalization
You can’t please everyone. That’s a lesson that many of us must learn as we age. However, it is also important to online training design for employee engagement. You can’t make every trainee happy, but they should feel like the course is made for them, building skills to use in the workplace and bridging personal gaps. It should be useful. If everything is common then employees won’t stay in the course (or your organization) for a long time. Give them the power to choose their own paths and resources that resonate with their duties and goals. This is as easy as opening a course catalog and allowing you to personalize sequences, complete them at your own pace, or develop interactive course maps that allow you to choose activities that suit your personal preferences.
I’ll summarize
Many organizations blame low employee engagement statistics for motivation and lack of busy schedules. However, this may be due to the design of online training. Too much text, distractions, and built-in feedback is just the beginning. Evaluate your current strategy to find these L&D mistakes and get your training program back on track. Without these dealers, you may need to dig deeper into employee habits and training preconceptions.
Do employees click on record numbers? Perhaps it’s time to hire an eLearning content provider that can help you analyze your training strategy and make some minor adjustments. Our online directory is equipped with leading e-learning content providers, with reviews, company details and specialized information.
