This informal CPD article on the benefits of webinar-based training was provided by JC Social Media a specialist social media agency providing management and training.
The world has changed dramatically because of the coronavirus and it would be naïve to imagine this will be a temporary diversion from normality. The pandemic will likely cause a permanent change in human behaviour and, therefore, how businesses operate. Every sector will be affected by the outbreak; some positively, many negatively, but those that are able to thrive beyond it will be those who can adapt their service offering as necessary.
Whether you’re considering remotely upskilling your team or adding webinar-based services to your offering, here’s why it’s time to evolve.
Webinar-based training
As a business, JC Social Media is already familiar with webinar-based training delivery but it has sometimes been deemed an inferior option compared with face-to-face training. Whilst there may be some drawbacks, there are many positives of remote training. The opportunity, here, is to test out these new ways of working as a necessity before taking what works into more efficient practices moving forward. Let’s take a look at the benefits.
Reduce frictional down-time
Whoever is making the journey to the training venue has to factor in that time, much of which may be entirely unproductive. Any delays on the roads or with public transport can throw timings out too. Issues at the venue including finding parking, getting lost or experiencing technical glitches create other potential hiccups. With a webinar, there is relatively little prep time and everyone can easily switch tasks before and after the webinar.
Reduced cost
The cost of hosting a webinar is significantly lower than an in-person session. Aside from the time, travel expenses, which either comes out of the trainer’s fee or is shouldered by delegates may be significant. Other things to factor in include parking costs, venue fees and any lunch or coffee expenses.
The course material is the same
An experienced trainer will be able to deliver exactly the same material whether it’s online or in-person. The same slides can be displayed and the same topics can be discussed. Group discussions and Q&As can happen much in the same way too. Tasks that were designed for smaller groups to discuss amongst themselves will need to be switched to a whole group or individual task unless other online sub-groups have been organised.
Improved etiquette
When multiple people are in a video conference, it’s important for one person to speak at a time. Whilst this can take a little while to master, it actually improves the level of courtesy afforded by attendees. A text chat is usually available for people to raise issues without interruptions.
Reduced risk of illness
The cost of illness to the UK economy is estimated to be around £77bn. Anything that can reduce the chance of workers catching or spreading disease is hugely beneficial and this is precisely why social distancing measures are encouraged. Even under normal circumstances, online communication has this benefit and it suits anyone working from home or feeling under the weather.
The scale and duration of this down period is uncertain but it’s highly likely you will have to evolve. This is may represent an opportunity to upskill yourself and your team and to think carefully about how your business operates in the short and long term. Now may be the perfect time for you to focus on genuine improvements that will strengthen your business for years to come. Adopting more webinar-based training and other services is certainly one way you can achieve this.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from JC Social Media please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively please visit the CPD Industry Hubs for more CPD articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
