This article details about how blended learning can help train employees within your organization. In the last decade, organizations, irrespective of their size, have begun to appreciate and even imbibe the concept of blended learning in corporate training. Every organization needs to train their employees with respect to their work culture, product knowledge, business goals etc. Implementing a blended approach in training employees ensures that all the roles perform their functions in a streamlined manner.

Blended Learning offers a bouquet of benefits to corporate employees, trainers and instructors, and organizations alike. Here is a bundle of benefits offered by blended learning in corporate training —

Blended Learning is effective:

• BL is an effective corporate training strategy: BL uses more of interactive elements in the learning modules. More interactivity means increased involvement, which in-turn implies enhanced retention.

• BL is a cost-effective elearning strategy: BL requires dissemination of information through online channels. Fewer trainers means fewer expenses, lesser travel time and lesser expense on logistics. In addition to this, it brings free source technologies into use, therefore, lesser expenses on technical requirements as well. Once developed, all resources such as content library, Images, links and other resources can be repackaged and reused in line with the learning outcomes of the corporate training objectives and business goals. The efficacy of the effort alters according to the learning technology implemented and learning modules created to suit the learners’ needs and wants. Usually a survey is conducted before executing a corporate training through blended learning, which helps to calibrate and gauge its effectiveness.

Blended Learning is productive:

• BL incorporates a mix: It offers a mix of both offline and online training technologies and activities. This ensures that the employees get the best of two mediums of learning.

• BL increases productivity: It is implemented with so much flexibility that learners feel relaxed while learning and thus retain more, which increases the long-term productivity of employees. Thus, it ultimately results in improved employee performance.

Blended Learning is multi-dimensional:

BL is gauged as a more fulfilling experience as compared to the traditional, classroom, instructor-led model because incorporating multiple learning techniques such as multimedia videos, animations, quizzes, feedback etc increases learner interaction and involvement during the session. Attempting these instructions successfully gives them a sense of accomplishment thereby fulfilling their need for engagement and experiential learning. BL includes various learning styles with a wider learner appeal.

• BL improves employees’ soft skills: Implemented through online channels, BL requires active and passive communication during and after the training is done. This polishes the employees’ communication skills – written and verbal. This is because they need to exchange information and communicate their ideas and knowledge acquired in an accurate and concise manner.

Blended Learning is employee oriented:

BL offers more controls to employees i.e. learners, in contrast to the instructor-led classroom training sessions. It is more user-friendly and offers convenience to the employees. They plan the timing, schedule of their learning and thereby develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills during the whole blended learning training experience. Moreover, learners can continue their training at their own pace and convenience.

Blended Learning is flexible:

Employees can choose to learn according to their schedule, learning environment; format preferences at their own choice of place, time and speed.

• BL is modular: It is module-based and thus can be categorized or compiled as per corporate requirements. This feature makes it more flexible, breaking the monotony of non-interactive corporate training.

• BL is schedule friendly: It is not a time-driven training. Learners have complete control over how, when, where and how much do they want to access the training LMS. Such flexibility boosts their work performance as well.

Blended Learning is supportive:

BL provides easy-to-use and easy-to-understand interfaces for separate functionalities. Learners even get the support online and from their instructors or trainers, if and when required.

Blended Learning is natural:

BL is an obvious choice where one piece of information is introduced and reiterated to the learners through more than one channel. This repetitive exposure makes the information more obvious and thus makes the learning experience more natural. This experience extends from the learning to the working environment.

Blended Learning is simple:

BL simplifies the learning experience. It simplifies comprehension. It simplifies the arrangements and the logistics involved. This is because organizing training sessions in the conference format or workshop format involves lots of planning and logistics, unlike BL, which reduces the number of seminars,workshops and distribution material. All of this can be very easily and effectively managed through the training LMS.

Blended Learning is eco-friendly:

BL uses LMS. Learners can access information by logging into their respective accounts. This reduces, and in some cases, even cancels the need to publish and print the distribution material at all, thus making blended learning a green alternative.

Blended Learning is experimental:

BL provides feedback to the management and trainers through automated reports. They can easily view scores, gauge performances and identify areas of improvement in employees, thereby helping to generate an effective learning experience.

Blended Learning is motivational:

BL provides individual access to employees through their respective logins. Individualized experiences provide individual exposure to the learning material including questions, sample problems, case scenarios and simulations. Engaging in these interactive activities motivates the employees and gives them a sense of achievement.

Using blended learning for corporate training entails offering different approaches which constitute a holistic, well-fitted blended learning strategy for the benefit of employees. Researchers have proved that implementing a variety of learning approaches stimulates employees’ interests and also increases their engagement quotient. Increased engagements lead to active participation, thereby empowering employees with newly acquired skills and a professional approach. Blended Learning provides a multidimensional experience in employee training and makes it easier for employees to bring their knowledge into action. Blended Learning has a profound impact on the organization’s business results as it boosts employees’ work performance by optimizing their abilities to attain their learning objectives.