eLearning: A Standard, Not a Trend

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When does a trend become a standard? In the training industry, it happens when a majority of companies accept a methodology as the foundation of their overall learning strategy. Such is the case with eLearning, or online training. Experts predict that over 77 percent of U.S. companies will be offering training courses online to their employees in the near future. The restaurant industry historically has been slower to adopt eLearning strategies, but that’s changing too. These days, restaurants can’t afford not to train online.

The Risk of eLearning

It’s easy to recognize the benefits of training online: consistency, efficiency, and accessibility just to name a few. The risk, though, doesn’t come from the training itself, but the management of the training. To effectively manage eLearning, you have to look at it as being personally delivered to each trainee. If you were training an employee on a task, you wouldn’t just explain it once and forget about it. The same is true with online training. Use these tips to improve the long-term effectiveness of your eLearning program:

  • Create customized learning paths. Every employee has different training needs. That’s why it’s important to create a custom learning path for everyone. Your Learning Management System (LMS) should allow you to develop a standard set of courses for all learners, and then customize that path as needed.
  • Use scheduling options. Many training topics require regular re-training. This is especially true with the compliance topics specific to restaurants. When your employees are regularly re-trained on topics such as safety, discrimination, workplace harassment, security and food safety, you’re protecting them, your customers and your entire operation. Use your LMS to re-schedule compliance courses annually, at least.
  • Monitor – and take action on – your training reports. A huge advantage you have with eLearning is the accessibility of a wide range of reporting. To effectively manage online training at your restaurant, monitor training reports regularly. A good LMS will have pre-built reports that you can customize automatically generate.
  • Build in training checkpoints and management sign-offs. As a manager of online learning, it’s up to you to make sure your employees connect the dots between what they learned online and what they need to do on the job. Use your LMS to schedule manager sign-offs and track on-the-job training.
  • Recognize employee accomplishments. If server answered a question right in training meeting, you would recognize them for applying the material they learned. To help eLearning courses really stick, find a way to offer the same kind of recognition to your online learners. Use your training admin reports to recognize employees for completing programs, acing exams, or completing certifications.

eLearning Library for Restaurants

Online training from Service That Sells! offers a wide range of learning content specifically for restaurants. Visit our Learning Library to learn more.

 

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