The rise of tailored employee training programs: Why course marketplaces are becoming obsolete

A one-size-fits-all approach is not an effective strategy when it comes to internal employee training. Think of it like walking into a clothing store to pick out a suit for a special occasion. The best option is to choose a tailored suit that would fit your measurements, is made from a material of your choice, and is designed according to the occasion. You would not simply walk in the store and buy a one-size-fits-all suit. The generic suit will not suit you well, won't meet your standards, and will obviously provide a subpar experience. 

Now let's apply the same logic to internal employee training. As a business owner, you want to train and upskill your team to help grow the business. What's the best approach to achieve this? Do you choose a tailored training model aligned to your business nature, market needs, and existing processes, or do you simply go to a marketplace, buy bulk licenses, and adopt a one-size-fits-all approach?  

This blog post briefly covers the advantages of choosing tailored training programs and how they can impact business outcomes. 

What are course marketplaces, and why do businesses choose them?

Course marketplaces offer a vast library of courses that cover various industries, technologies, and levels of expertise. Some popular online course marketplace providers include Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and Coursera. Businesses that cannot afford the time and resources to build their own training programs often rely on these marketplaces and buy bulk licenses for their employees.
 

The drawback of choosing course marketplaces for employee training

The landscape of internal training is undergoing rapid transformation. Today, businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of tailored training programs, and the results have been evident. Let's take a look at the drawbacks of purchasing bulk licenses in course marketplaces.

Lack of alignment with business objectives

Opting for off-the-shelf courses from marketplaces like LinkedIn learning or Coursera provides access to a broad range of courses, but those courses may not align with the specific skill gaps or business objectives that you need. This can waste money and resources because your team may spend their valuable time on irrelevant training. 

Poor return on investment

Bulk marketplace licenses are expensive, and as you scale, the additional subscriptions can easily dent your business's financials. You may end up spending more in training your workforce with irrelevant skills, which won't translate into tangible business outcomes. The training ROI will diminish, putting business owners in a tough spot and the entire training program in jeopardy. With limited learner performance tracking and engagement analytics in marketplaces, identifying areas of improvement or measuring the program's success can become a nightmare. 

Subpar employee engagement and retention

The bulk licensing model can be overwhelming for employees because they may end up with hours of training sessions that aren't entirely relevant to their current roles and responsibilities. This ultimately leads to decreased interest and poor learning outcomes. 

Marketplace learning methods also lack interactive tools and opportunities for peer-to-peer interactions, which are critical to enhance the overall learning experience. The lack of engagement and motivation will eventually hinder employee retention and result in a workforce lacking critical soft skills.  

Lack of microlearning and personalized pathways

The modern workforce demands flexible and engaging learning experiences. Online course marketplaces lack tools to create personalized learning paths, resulting in unguided, distraction-filled learning. Most online course marketplace providers lack microlearning, which involves short, bite-sized learning modules that are increasingly preferred by learners. 

The advantages of choosing tailored online training programs

Every business is different, so each team needs a personalized training program to stay competitive in the market. Let's take a look at the advantages of implementing tailored training programs in your own business.
 

They align with business goals perfectly

The major advantage of choosing tailored training programs is their alignment with business goals. You have complete control of the program's structure and the intended program outcomes. For example, you can create a course for new employees on the finance team that covers the organization's principles, internal SOPs, and an overview of the technical tools they'll use in daily operations. 

This ensures that new hires are sufficiently trained and can contribute more efficiently. You can also structure future learning paths by aligning learning materials that help individuals prepare for promotions and provide a forum to equip themselves with the latest technologies.  

Cost-efficient and easily scalable

One of the major advantages of opting for tailored training programs is that they're cost-efficient and easily scalable. For instance, with course marketplaces, the business owner must purchase more licenses as the team grows. However, this isn't the case with tailored training programs. 

Once you spend the time and resources to get the program up and running, the business can reap many benefits. There are no additional subscription charges or training fees involved; you can simply add new people to the program at no extra cost. If there's any change in the business process, all you need to do is make changes to the existing program. This flexibility in swiftly adapting to business requirements makes it an optimal choice for businesses.  

Better ROI and clarity of the program's impact

Through tailored training programs, businesses can focus on the most critical skills and deliver training that can directly impact business outcomes. This way, organizations can achieve a higher return on their training investments. 

Let's say you create a tailored training program for your support team. The program covers all of the essential aspects of your business as well as the necessary soft skills. The support staff is now well-versed in both business and soft skills, allowing them to provide the best-in-class support services for your business.

Improved learning engagement

Businesses can create tailored learning experiences for their workforce. Employees feel more motivated when the training is aligned with their current roles and are driven to learn further to accelerate their career growth. Providing a clear path to career success helps employees stay more engaged in the training and improves the retention rates.

Data-driven decision making

Because most tailored training programs are hosted on online training software that offers comprehensive analytics, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of learner engagement and training performance. This helps the business identify which type of trainings are their team prefers and where improvements can be made. A data-driven approach makes decision making easier and more business-friendly. 
 

How do you choose an online training software for your business?

There are several online training software solutions in the market, solving different training problems in various ways. As a business owner, you should have a clear understanding of your requirements, such as the mode of training, expected scalability, must-have features, analytics, and affordability. Once you jot down these details, you'll have a clearer idea of the type of online training software that will be a good fit for your business. 

You can also check out this detailed comparison blog post of the top online training software in the market.

Types of tailored training programs

Industry-specific training: A healthcare organization will require specialized training for its nurses and caretakers on new medical procedures or technologies. Likewise, each industry requires a curated set of training programs for their workforce. 

Role-based training: A business can create a structured training program for its sales representatives that focuses on specific sales techniques, product knowledge, and customer relationship management skills, helping them to excel in their current role. 

Leadership development programs: Empower your workforce to become leaders with the needed managerial skills to motivate, mentor, and lead their teams effectively.  

Onboarding programs: Providing a smooth training onboarding experience creates a positive initial impression among new hires. Tailored onboarding programs help new employees quickly integrate into the company culture and become productive members of the team. 

Conclusion

In this competitive business landscape, a tailored training program can significantly contribute to an organization's growth. When getting started, tailored internal training programs may seem demanding, but once you begin investing in them patiently, the benefits are endless. Your team will be perfectly aligned to your business goals, unlocking the full potential of your workforce and achieving sustainable success.