Intranet is a valuable asset for organizations, providing several uses and benefits. It can improve internal communication and collaboration between employees, deliver timely updates, provide secure access to company resources and do a lot more. It is easy to use for local as well as remote employees and can effectively improve employee engagement and productivity.
Intranet has also changed the way organizations offer training to their employees. Intranet-based training methods transform the learning experience in the company, resulting in a collaborative, educated workforce. Let us try to understand what organizations should know about using intranet and internet-based training in the workplace.
Intranet Based Training – A Complete Guide
Well-rounded training is important in any industry to ensure that skills stay sharp and the workforce stays accountable. There are several forms of learning a company should indulge its employees in, regardless of its size and industry – product training, onboarding, leadership training, corporate policies education, safety training, and more.
An intranet simplifies training procedures and aims to replace traditional approaches. Your internal website can make training more effective, interactive, engaging, and simpler. Let us try to learn about the benefits of intranet-based training and the different ways organizations can use their digital platform for effective corporate learning.
Benefits of Intranet Based Training
Here are some of the top benefits organizations reap from using the intranet for their training programs.
1.Low Cost
One of the most valuable benefits of hosting training materials on the intranet is cost reduction. With intranet-based training, there is no need to hire instructors, book meeting rooms, and spend on travel. The content is readily available when a new person joins the organization or somebody needs a reference.
2.Real-time Feedback
A real-time opportunity for discussion and feedback is specifically helpful for employees who don't feel comfortable communicating their thoughts in person.
3.Collaborative and Mobile
Modern intranets are accessible across devices, allowing employees to have constant access to all the educational content even when away from the office or on the go. An intranet also provides opportunities for discussion by offering a collaborative environment through social features like discussion boards, communities, and commenting. Employees can easily discuss topics with teams in remote locations.
4.Searchable Content
A highly appealing feature of digital content is its easy discoverability. Employees don't waste time finding the educational material they need. They can instantly access content and learn at a faster pace. Each user on the digital platform can search for different types of content including documents, videos, and conversations about a topic.
5.Flexibility
An intranet makes training an ongoing process. Though it is important to start with something meaningful, once the system is in place, you can keep adding to the library of materials for training and education that increase in value with time.
6. Consistency
With an intranet, training material is accessible by all the employees, so there is no need to worry about copies of outdated material circulating around the organization, like with print-based information.
Intranet Based Training Methods
Here are some of the ways organizations can use an intranet to ensure employees receive all-rounded training.
1.Onboarding
Though employee onboarding is quite important for an organization, the process can divert the staff from their critical tasks. Digital software provides a centralized place to manage the onboarding process. New hires can register, create an account and start accessing training and company documents. Intranet-based onboarding can supplement human interaction with a dedicated course that helps new employees get started easily.
2.Tutorials
With the help of an intranet, you can build interactive tutorials across topics to help employees walk through a process step by step. From simple everyday tasks to complex procedures specific to the business, these tutorials can save time and resources in the long run. The interactive nature of these materials ensures employees can remember the steps and process better.
3.Reporting
Different teams and employees may require completing various courses. A powerful intranet software not only gives them access to the right training, but also allows you to monitor who takes what training, the progress, certificates, and other details for future planning. Reports can be automatically run on an intranet and can be generated as required.
4. Automation
With automated alerts and notifications, employers can save time and energy notifying the staff about upcoming training sessions. You can also set up subscription-based content and notify users about the new material and course. Calendars allow scheduling training events and courses, sending reminders to those who register, and rescheduling to ensure they don't miss other important tasks at work.
| Intranet User Guide |
Organizations may not always have the time and resources to hold live training sessions for everything they want to cover. This is where intranet-based training proves useful. In the absence of an enterprise-level learning management system, you can use the digital platform to store learning material.
You can consider creating a library of course containing training documents, engaging videos, and interactive graphics to help the staff stay updated on procedures. Companies can even consider linking the intranet course content directly to a learning management application if there exists one.
Intranets come loaded with features that help manage training registrations. Users of the intranet can pick the course and register for in-person and online classes based on the schedule. Instructors can use this data for tracking the trainees, their attendance, progress, etc. to stay updated on the performance of the employees. Create a Intranet User Guide to help support your team.
Understanding Internet & Intranet Based Training
Today, employees and employers need to keep up with the rapid technological evolution by adopting newer training and education methods. Managers with employees spread across locations need a cost-effective, powerful way to provide training. Web-based training methods involve real-time instructions delivered to learners to create an organized experience regardless of their physical location.
Training can be delivered using a combination of methods over a company intranet or web browser. Static methods like learning portals, audio/video streaming, broadcasts, hyperlinked pages, tutorials, and interactive methods such as video conferencing, live chats, and discussions or a combination of both these types of methods help create an effective training system that both instructors and learners find convenient.
An effective internet and intranet-based training should have these features in the first place:
Mobile-Friendly – With the growing use of mobile devices among employees, it is desirable that the training experience is mobile-friendly. Employers should send out reminders, notifications, and updates on training sessions over the phone.
Social Features – The intranet platform should host social features or integration with social media to help learners communicate with others in real-time and share their feedback and concerns.
Flexibility – The internet or intranet-based training should utilize different mediums including podcasts, questionnaires, narratives, demonstrations, and infographics to suit varied learning styles and preferences.
Conclusion
Intranet-based training can take some time and effort in the beginning but pays off in the long run. Millennials are growing up with technology-infused learning environments and expect the same in their workplace.
An intranet offers you an effective way to engage and train millennials for better productivity and cost-saving.