Organizations need to learn continuously in order to keep growing. However, traditional boardroom training can be an expensive and disruptive affair. This is the reason why major organizations have fully embraced the concept of online training to meet their learning needs. Online learning (or e-learning) provides a world of opportunities not previously available with the traditional learning methods. This article explores why this approach is the new normal in building learning organizations.

The corporate world today has become extremely competitive. Survival in this environment is heavily dependent on how well organizations are able and willing to innovate. The pressure to provide goods and services at the cheapest cost has never been higher. This makes learning a critical component in the work environment, as it ensures organizations remain relevant in the marketplace.

With the current technological advancement, many things have changed. One of these things is how we learn. There is a huge change with regard to how we access information, from sitting in a library to a few taps on your phone. The proliferation of smartphones and mobile internet provides a unique opportunity for online learning. Research shows that mobile internet penetration has grown astronomically over the last few years, from 29 per cent in 2013 to 52 per cent in 2019, and is projected to reach 61 per cent of the global population by 2025. This means that 1.74 billion new users will come online by 2025, most of whom live in emerging markets where mobile technology is the only channel for most people to get online.

This presents a unique opportunity for organizations to adopt a cheap and effective online learning approach. For a long time, online learning has been scorned over due to the view that it may not be as effective as classroom training. However, with new innovations in this field, the effectiveness of online learning has surpassed that of classroom learning by far. According to one research by IBM, online learning is up to 5 times more effective than traditional classroom training.

With the convenience of e-learning, more organizations are sure to adopt this approach in the coming years. Whereas traditional online learning requires staff to put on hold their daily activities to attend the training, online learning allows continuation of operations while learning is still going on. Staff only need to set aside an hour or so of their workday to interact with the learning materials, and then proceed with their daily activities. Assured of minimal interruptions, organizations will endeavor to train more often, leading to improved productivity.

There are however organizations that may not be in a position to build a robust e-learning platform for their staff. They may be lacking the necessary expertise, or they may simply not have time to do it. That is where online learning providers such as Vantage Africa School of Leadership comes in. This organization provides a highly effective learning management platform that aims at building a learning culture in organizations. Small and Medium enterprises as well as large corporates can benefit greatly from this platform. Vantage Africa School of Leadership partners with world class trainers to develop state of the art learning materials and follow-up mechanisms to ensure there is real observable behavioral change in participants.