Multi Media Activities for Employee Development

Online learning using Multi-Media Activities for Employee Development

1.  Introduction

The popularity of e-learning in the corporate world is immense. Business people for a long time have been struggling to decide on ways to incorporate new work skills to their employees amid effort to ensure that their workers match the revolutionary work trends and remain effective and efficient in what they do thus improving company productivity. Some time back, employee training in the organization depended on the organization’s commitment to hiring competent personnel to conduct training to the employees. Training and development of employees may be achieved through online learning even in situations, such the current state where the world has been shut by Covid-19 paned. 

2. Overview of this approach and types of activities included

Content-related barriers would be if an employee wasn’t understanding the material. Businesses must make their training easy to comprehend since employees are e-learning they may not receive the same one-on-one training, so the information needs to be easy to comprehend so that employees can do their position successfully. According to Federman (2019), online learning in training and development of employees includes use of multi-media tools, such as DVDs, CDROM, videotape, and cell phones to develop employees’ skills distantly. As such, online learning in employee training and development comprise activities that put in use electronic instructional material delivered through social media platforms. In the contemporary business environment, employee training and development is an important strategy of achieving competitive edge since the new skills gained by employees play a key role in the development, application, and creation of goods and services (Federman, 2019). Besides, the current Covid-19 infested environment, employee training and development will involve conferencing applications such as Zoom, GoToMeeting, Skype, and Slack.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Learning

Human resource practices all over the world is being affected by many topical issues. This era of digital age, a common issue affecting HRM is e-learning. E-learning is a process of teaching and learning through electronic technology for the purpose of employee training, development and learning (Dessai and Kamat, 2012). It is very advantages to both the employees and employer and reduces the cost and hassles of the employers. The most obvious advantage of online learning is that it solve the problem of distance, employees and the HRM department can share the knowledge even that they are not in the same city, country or time zones. Also, e-learning can provide instructionally effective and highly interactive learning experiences that are flexible equitable and responsive to individual needs. The flexibility is greatly facilitated by the use of technology particularly new information technologies. Technology has undergone major revolutions starting with the print media out of which correspondence system of education was born, the radio and television, pre-recorded audio and video programs, self-learning instructional materials, application of satellite communications and finally the information and communication technology revolution. The result of distance independence is that the employees have the opportunity to participate in the same activities regardless of physical location. Especially, for the organization during this period that the world is locked down as a result of Covid-19 pandemic. Secondly, innovative teaching. Compared with the traditional classroom teaching, e-learning is not the normal teaching approach that students get knowledge from one teacher in one subject, through e-learning, learners can choose experts, courses and discussion groups. Some of the demerits associated with e-learning in employee training and development include personal mastery, which promotes selfishness and employee resistance to change and learning (Lyons and P. Bandura, 2014). Resistance to learning new skills and change is among the most common risks, but can be astounded by using appropriate amount of dedication. For instance, informing about their worth and value to the organization.

4. How this approach might address specific learning styles amongst employees

According to Dessai and Kamat (2012), using e- learning and technology this can ensure that all employees have access to learning. The more that e-learning is used the more ICT skills they develop by default at the same time and this has a direct impact on employees’ learning styles as most of them will do the required activities at their convenience (Dessai and Kamat, 2012). Learning styles among the employees can forecast the pattern of their involvement in e-learning practices. Therefore, the key learning-style linked aspects can in fact be employee’s understanding of IT skills. Besides, Dessai and Kamat (2012), offered a functional characterization of e-learning that recognizes the pedagogic and motivational value of employee support services. This perspective identifies three main functions: cognitive, affective and systemic. The three are interrelated and institutions should therefore ensure that their employees training through online platforms are well supported in all these three areas.

5. Internal or external factors that may impact on implementing online learning

According to Zanwar, Narote, Narote and B. Shinde (2019), there numerous internal and external factors that are deemed to affect the effectual and efficient of online learning in employee training and development to larger extent. Foremost, the culture of organization is based on internal communication, including newsletters, interpersonal interactions, applied policies philosophical statements, and training materials. Indeed, some of these factors may support e-learning by ensuring that all individuals within the firm are interacting freely (Zanwar, Narote, Narote and B. Shinde, 2019). The economics factor is another element is also another factor as most of the activities will rely on the ability of the organization to support the process. Another factor that could affect e-learning in employee training and development is lack of support, which may result in institutions failure to acknowledge importance of e-learning and leading to employees dropping the program and opting for conventional method of learning.

6. Financial implications for delivery using E-Learning

Some of the financial implication of conducting and online learning employee training and development during this Covid-19 period include average training cost per employee, recruitment and administrative amount spent on new hires. Cost of devices involved in the process, as well as cost of facilitation or subscription of conferencing access airtime. . Computer Conferencing is categorized low cost approach unlike live broadcast and video conferencing. Dessai and Kamat (2012), in study on analysis of factors and attitude that influence lecturer’s readiness to adopt ICT at university level supported e-learning indicates 95% of lecturers supported eLearning in teaching distance education. Learner support system cost is another major element in distance education system though highly driven by the number of students enrolled in a program. Budget allocation facilities purchase of reading resources, counseling session and communication with learners, postage of materials and other miscellaneous expenses required to run offices

7. Conclusion

Adopting e-learning approach in the organization is inspired by the current situation of Covid-19 pandemic that has posed threat on face-to-face learning. Besides, online learning provides mediated media through internet or intranet. It provides the self-development opportunity to the employees. Usually, learning is given through web lectures, webinars, podcasts and microblogging. Also, the company only requires information technology for providing the services.

References

Dessai, K. and Kamat, M., 2012. Improving Learning Outcomes Through Iterative Teaching/Learning Methodology. SSRN Electronic Journal,.

Federman, J., 2019. Interruptions in online training and their effects on learning. European Journal of Training and Development, 43(5/6), pp.490-504.

Lyons, P. and P. Bandura, R., 2014. Using performance templates for manager and employee learning – in-action. Industrial and Commercial Training, 46(2), pp.100-107.

Zanwar, S., Narote, S., Narote, A. and B. Shinde, U., 2019. An Effectual Optical Character Recognition Using Efficient Learning System. SSRN Electronic Journal,.