We all know that organizations develop and grow through employees, their ideas, skills, and effort. That’s why training employees should be a priority in any business, and hybrid learning is a good option for a learning program.
Corporate training has gone through an extended evolutionary process, going through various approaches and strategies until it was perfected and became what companies need to face current changes. Hybrid learning is the result of this evolution, and in this post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this new methodology.
What is hybrid learning?
The COVID measures’ relaxation allowed many companies to get acquainted with hybrid work, which will enable you to combine office working with online working. The concept of hybrid learning is similar, and it’s an educational model where some learners attend online classes, and others do it in person.
This training is taught online in live classes and with asynchronous resources, which means instructor-led in real time for both attendees and remote learners. Asynchronous learning includes prerecorded videos, virtual classrooms, and online instruction to complement face-to-face instruction.
Hybrid learning vs. Blended learning
Combining these face-to-face classes and asynchronous elements causes confusion between hybrid and blended learning, but they are different:
- In hybrid learning, the content is taught in person and at a distance simultaneously, sometimes using the asynchronous elements mentioned before during a session.
- Blended learning also combines face-to-face training with asynchronous learning methods. But in this case, part of the training is given in person, and another portion (usually activities, projects, or exercises) is offered online and reviewed when the professional decides.
Benefits of hybrid learning
Hybrid learning combines face-to-face and online training because it offers employees a complete, flexible, and accessible experience. Some of its main benefits are:
#1 Flexibility
Hybrid learning offers benefits in schedules and re-location; the students can interact with their learning materials when and where they want to. It allows employees to reconcile their personal and professional lives, boosting growth and development. Mainly because they can attend in person when they can or online if they prefer.
#2 Synchronous communication
This learning method favors effective communication in real-time, allowing enjoying the advantages of a live debate, even when both people, instructor, and student, are in different places.
#3 Space to learn independently or in collaboration
The best thing about online hybrid learning is the freedom of academic exploration. This training invites learners to self-manage knowledge when they want, using the educational material as often as they see fit. At the same time, learners have instructor guidance when needed and can collaborate whit their classmates face-to-face. Hybrid learning offers the best of both worlds!
#4 Efficient resources management
Delivering sessions with remote and in-person attendees makes it easy to schedule training and reduces costs, allowing you to leverage resources on other important things like improving course content or developing new modules.
#5 Increased attendance
In the case of companies with hybrid work models, this type of teaching allows both work groups to attend. Employees don’t have to go to the office or miss training on days they work remotely.
#6 Recognition of work commitments
Hybrid training favors respect for workers’ free time. And since face-to-face employees must train during working hours, sessions are held synchronously within these hours. Remote workers can maintain their free time and train during working hours.
#7 Recruitment opportunities in other countries
The opportunity to train employees online and in live sessions, no matter where they are, is an advantage when discovering new talent without geographical barriers and helps to develop the company.
Why is hybrid learning important for your company?
The current job landscape is leaning towards hybrid work due to the pandemic and the digital revolution. Companies realize that this flexibility is necessary; consequently, they have sought to open different channels to respond to the training needs of their employees.
Hybrid learning is not only available to everyone but also favors the efficiency and productivity of workers since it allows them to grow professionally without sacrificing their free time and obtain new skills to meet the organization’s objectives.
According to an Accenture study, in 2021, 83% of professionals surveyed preferred a hybrid work model, and 63% of companies that offered it experienced revenue growth. Companies that adopt this hybrid work model will face challenges in the area of organizational learning.
The future of work is very likely to be hybrid. The space between personal and work time and assistance and collaboration are vital. Therefore, the need to change how employees learn and develop takes importance, and the best way to tackle these training challenges is by using a hybrid learning method.
How to implement a hybrid learning plan in your company?
• Set goals
What do you want to achieve through hybrid training? It’s important to set short, medium, and long-term goals. To do so, you can assess the training needs of your employees or the power skills they will need for the future. This post will tell you the ten critical skills your professionals will need.
• Create a training plan or map
You can use your preferred tool, such as a timeline or graph. The important thing is to outline the course modules and the order. This way, it will be much easier to determine which activities and resources to use at each moment and detect possible gaps.
• Establishes a face-to-face and an online space
There must be a face-to-face space where employees can meet for training, such as the office, and a virtual one to broadcast the online classes.
Forums, virtual classrooms, or chats are valuable resources that you can find in LMS. Also, this program allows you to make conferences, registrations, notifications, certificates, and more. Remember to review the various e-learning tools that add value to your training.
• Create e-learning content
You can create asynchronous e-learning content and use it during real-time lessons. Each module must deliver timely information that generates engagement and simultaneously fulfills the employee training objective. A good option is to have an e-learning course creation software like isEazy Author, which allows you to create, edit and share fantastic courses in a few minutes without prior technical knowledge. Do you want to know more about authoring tools? Read this post.
• Evaluate your learning program
Do you already have your hybrid learning plan? Put it to the test with your collaborators and analyze the attendance, evaluations, and training results. You can use an LMS to understand your team’s learning progress and its impact by geographical area, department, or person.
Did you know an LMS platform can enhance your company’s hybrid learning?
Discover IsEazy LMS, an online training platform that helps you manage your entire employee training program: academies, itineraries, programs, activities, etc., configured for each profile and in any training modality: Online, blended, face-to-face, and, of course, hybrid!
isEazy LMS offers an attractive, modern, and personalized experience to your employees, along with all the necessary functionalities for you to deploy, manage and optimize your training plan in a comprehensive, agile and efficient way
