The importance of developing the fundamental skills of a company’s managers has never been more important. In today’s economy, when organizations are struggling to
positively differentiate themselves, an organization’s managers are the key individuals who inspire the workforce to perform at its highest. Research consistently indicates it’s the frontline managers who have the greatest impact on
engaging staff and developing their capability to meet today’s challenges.

To help managers gain the skills they need, it’s important to recognize the reality of today’s world in which they operate. Workloads haven’t decreased with advancing technology. They have increased. Managers can more easily be contacted anytime, anywhere. Most managers are just struggling to keep up with the ever-increasing demands they must face.

For learning to be effective today, it needs to recognize those needs and accommodate them. Online training is uniquely adapted for this. It can be provided in shorter
segments, and distributed over time as opposed to the multiple-day management training sessions of the past.

Two Types of Online Training

There are two types of training for managers that can be delivered in an online format:

  1. Live Online Training: This is delivered by an instructor in an online format. Participants are able to interact verbally with the facilitator and each other. When designed well, it is extremely interactive.
  2. e Learning: This is self-paced and available 24/7 to the participant. This allows them maximum flexibility for accessing their course when it best fits
    their schedule.

Benefits of Online Training for Managers:

There are many benefits to providing training for managers in an online format, among them:

  1. Enhances Learner Retention. The most effective learning design is structured as a process, instead of a one-time event. Live online training and e Learning courseware can easily be delivered in segments and distributed over time. This allows the learner to create an Action Plan at the end of each segment and be held accountable for implementing the learning before the next session. Also, live online training and e Learning can easily be used together to create a blend of learning resources uniquely designed to target a manager’s specific needs.
  2. Fits Into A Manager’s Busy Schedule. Most live online training sessions are no longer than 90 minutes in length. An e Learning course can be stopped and started as needed. This requires less time at one sitting and allows the manager to better meet their daily demands.
  3. Cost Effective. There are no travel costs or accommodations needed when providing live online training or e Learning courseware. This allows any budget
    allocated for management development to be spent on direct learning, as opposed to travel related costs.
  4. Encourages Participation from Everyone. In a traditional face-to-face classroom, only one person can answer a question at a time. But in a live online
    classroom, everyone can type their responses in text chat when asked a question. This encourages participation from everyone and many people are actually more comfortable responding this way. An interactive e Learning program can also engage the learner to participate when asked questions inside the course.
  5. Can Easily Reinforce. Reinforcement is an extremely important element for any effective learning design. When participants create an Action Plan or are
    provided an assignment for completion at the end of the class, a live online reinforcement course can be held in 30-60 days. This allows learners to report their
    progress, encourages accountability and protects your company’s investment in learning.

Summary

There are many reasons why providing online management training makes sense in today’s world. The biggest benefit of all is that it can be designed to be even more effective than traditional face-to-face courseware when used as a process, with opportunities to apply the concepts between sessions. As a result, management skills greatly improve with reduced time away from work and in a more cost effective way.

Look at our list of live online classes and e Learning courses designed specifically for managers.

Author's Bio: 

Susan Cullen is President of Quantum Learning Solutions. She was an early adopter of live-virtual training, having first started using it in 2000. Her organization offers a complete library of live virtual training programs. To learn more, go to www.quantumlearn.com or call 800-683-0681