In recent weeks, many normal business practices have been adjusted to accommodate the need for social distancing as states aim to protect their populations from COVID-19. Businesses may find themselves in unique and often uncharted territory as they establish new ways to incorporate employee learning programs. Whether you’ve continued to onboard employees, kept your workforce intact, or have been faced with layoffs, now is the time to evaluate and diversify your internal training programs to better serve your workforce.

If you have solely relied on training new or existing employees in a classroom setting, it’s likely your organization has been forced to make recent accommodations with little time to adequately prepare. While it may seem overwhelming, it is never too late to adjust the sails. It is crucial to first take time to evaluate your current training programs and ask yourself what is working, what is no longer applicable, and how the organization can make changes now to create an appropriate mix of e-learning and instructor-led training (ILT). This type of inventory will not only shed light on outdated practices, but it will also pinpoint areas where all types of learning can serve your employees well, both now and in the future.

Even if your organization has halted classroom ILT sessions temporarily, it is still possible to maintain face-to-face communication using a web conferencing tool. This often helps employees feel connected with one another while also offering interaction to enhance learning retention. Utilizing online learning platforms is another route that offers existing on-demand videos with various topics from basic HR content to industry specific subject matter.  Both web conferencing and learning platforms have fees associated with their usage; however, if your training team is limited in resources or you find yourself needing an immediate course of action, these are excellent tools to integrate.

Many organizations feel overwhelmed at the prospect of curating new training programs, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. An excellent guide to aid you in this process is the Association for Talent Development which has an abundance of information on its site at www.td.org. Resources like ATD will help you establish a diverse training program that will assist you in navigating your new business environment.

_{By Jordan Harvey}