Business training 'must be in line with company goals'

Employers must ensure all staff training is relevant to their company's business goals and is properly evaluated.

This is the suggestion of a post from TrainingZone, which claimed firms need to be able to produce innovative training models that allow workers to access knowledge on demand and from any location.

It also pointed to a number of emerging trends in learning and technology in the workplace, one of which is mobile training. The article stated most companies have been slow to adopt this approach, despite the fact it comes with a number of benefits.

For instance, it helps staff to look up performance support, guides and checklists, while they can also use their own mobile devices to view training videos.

The blog further referred to a recent statement made in Personnel Today that revealed at present, 60 per cent of learning and development managers say their training budget is among the first to be cut in times of financial crisis.

By turning to online models of workplace learning, organisations can save themselves a pile of cash in administration costs and staff will enjoy being able to access training on their own terms.

According to TrainingZone, another emerging trend in the sphere of employee learning is do-it-yourself rapid e-learning - and this is another great way for companies to save themselves time and money.

It means firms can build their own resources and tailor training to their needs, an extremely cost-effective approach. What's more, staff will feel more motivated after being taught information that will help drive their company forward.

By allowing employees to log on to view online learning materials whenever they want and from anywhere in the world, they will enjoy an increased sense of freedom and this will likely boost retention levels.

With Virtual College, an e-learning provider based in West Yorkshire, firms can provide workers with online courses in a number of key workplace areas, including health and safety modules and training in equal opportunities.