A few years ago, a company requested a proposal from IDESAA for a training with a high volume of employees, that is, to train over 3,000 people. The challenge was not just in the quantity of participants but also in their geographic locations, because while some were in urban areas, many others lived in small towns all throughout Mexico. On average, they had a high school education level and employee turnover was considerably high.
For the company’s need, a training was estimated at 40 hours, of which 15 could be self-study whereas the remaining 25 needed to be given as a training taught by specialists.
Today, it’s possible to dream of training thousands of people on the same budget that, previously, would have only trained a tenth.
At first, we proposed to use eLearning as a solution for the challenge of the volume and geographical dispersion. However, the company decided it wasn’t feasible because of the limited eLearning culture in the organization, the poor internet quality in many of the locations, and the turnover, among many other factors.
After weeks of evaluating options, analyzing pros and cons, and assessing the corresponding financial simulations, the company opted to reconsider the option of eLearning as the primary means for training its employees. It was the best decision they could have made.
Today, this project is a resounding success story. Among the data that confirms this, there’s the completion efficiency (90% of the people who began the training have finished it) and the volume of trained individuals. The results have been so positive that, to date, approximately 15,000 people have been trained, which is five times more than in the original plan.
Here are five keys for success based on this training project with a high volume of employees that can be adapted to other cases:
1. Project
To successfully train a high volume of people, it’s essential to conceive the task as a specific or special project. This means setting an exact objective, developing a clear identity, defining the limitations, and defining whom it will be geared at. It also involves formalizing a job process, itemizing the resources needed to carry it out, and specifying the KPIs that should be impacted.
2. Design, design, design
The proposed solution must be customized in the way it is created, planned, and prepared in order to reach the objectives. This factor might seem obvious, but it’s often left out and not given the importance it deserves. In this stage, greater expertise is required to get the outlined results. Moreover, you shouldn’t lose sight of the opportunity cost, that is, the difference of the value of the chosen option in comparison to the value of the best option that was not taken.
3. Technology
Company training has changed dramatically in recent years. Today, it’s possible to dream of training thousands of people on the same budget that, previously, would have only covered the training of a tenth of that amount. Using technology-driven learning is fundamental in projects of this magnitude.
4. Knowledge
Encouraging social learning, reducing travel expenses, standardizing training, and gaining many other benefits requires knowledge of how to use technology. But you should be careful with this. Often, people think that using an advanced LMS alone guarantees modernity in training processes. But that’s not enough. What’s most important is knowing how to make the most of it.
5. Culture
A fundamental part of designing the solution consists of anticipating how to get people to commit to learning, to get them engaged, to ensure they have the necessary incentives and motivation.
Today, more than ever before, you can launch training projects with a high volume of employees. Conceptualizing and designing the project before you start to implement it is sure to bring you excellent results in terms of the growth of people’s capabilities as well as strategic contribution and return on investment for the company.
About the author:
René Mena Seifert is the creator, founder, and CEO of IDESAA, TRUE e-Learning, and Foro Pro-Talento Empresarial. He specializes in the design and implementation of business solutions based on training and talent development projects that are customized for companies.
