With learning trends such as eLearning and microlearning on the rise, training outsourcing is becoming a more popular option for enterprise companies around the world. In fact, that a 2014 Docebo report found that up to 42% of learning and development (L&D) budgets were spent on outsourced online training. Now that recent events have caused a huge jump in the number of employees who work remotely, this trend is only expected to continue.
However, outsourcing L&D projects can often become complicated and involve multiple vendors. To help you better navigate the world of training outsourcing, here are five tips to consider:
1. Adjust Your Current Learning Strategy
Now is a good time to look at the training and development programs you have in place and take some time to determine whether you need to adjust them. Organizations in just about every industry have had to adapt in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are many organizations who used more traditional forms of training delivery that are now ineffective. For example, some companies that previously relied on instructor-led training now have a large number of their employees working remotely. As a result, they’ve had to find new cost-effective learning solutions to replace their former training programs.
2. Reassess Your Current Outsourcing Plans
This shift has caused large enterprise companies to rethink not only their training delivery methods and content development strategies but also their relationships with their outsourced training providers. Companies that developed training in house may need to consider whether outsourcing could help them provide better learning experiences to their employees. Meanwhile, organizations that already outsourced their training may need to evaluate whether their current provider can help them with their changing needs.
Whether you currently outsource training or are looking for ways to better adapt to the current situation, reevaluating your current learning partnerships will help you find ways to optimize the entire L&D process.
3. Select the Right Partnerships
It is has always been important to select the right partner for training outsourcing, but what you need in a L&D partner may have changed this year. After evaluating their current training strategies, many large organizations are finding that they need to create or strengthen their digital training. Whether they choose to create an entirely new eLearning program from scratch or convert an instructor-led course into virtual instructor-led training (VILT) session, selecting the right partner makes all the difference.
To create effective modern learning programs, it is wise to consider outsourcing partnerships with organizations that have a strong background in delivering high-quality eLearning solutions and strategies in particular. A working knowledge of trends, strategies and tools is essential for delivering the successful online learning programs employees need today.
Furthermore, as the global workforce continues to expand, enterprise organizations are finding their employee training program need to appeal to larger and more diverse audiences than ever before. As a result, they are looking for eLearning programs that they can personalize and update to meet these needs. You may want to consider a training outsourcing partner that has the resources to help you deliver large-scale training programs in different languages, whether it’s a microlearning series for your sales team or a webinar to train new leaders.
4. Consider Whether Managed Learning Services Is a Good Fit
As organizations continue to adjust their learning strategies and look for opportunities to optimize the L&D process, many business leaders are considering partnering with providers that offer management services. To meet this need, many training outsourcing providers now offer end-to-end training services.
Managed learning services providers can assist with everything from strategy development to training management. This form of outsourcing has some unique benefits that include consulting, vendor consolidation, strategy alignment and reduced costs. Whether your organization is looking to develop a new strategy to improve your training or to reduce the number of training vendors it partners with, managed learning services may be an option worth considering.
A good managed learning services partner is more likely to have the resources needed to handle large-scale employee training projects for enterprise companies, as they can often dedicate an entire team of experts to one customer. They also have access to the best tools and are up to date with best practices in the training industry.
5. Set Clear Expectations and Objectives
When it comes to achieving the most out of your outsourcing partnership, it is important to set clear expectations and objectives from the start, especially when there are different teams working on different portions of a project. Think about which parts of the project are the most important, and include them in your discussions and terms.
In addition, there are many ways to monitor and measure the success of the work that the training provider completes. Be sure to discuss measurement ahead of time to ensure that all aspects of your learning and development projects are aligned.
A Final Note
Training outsourcing can be a simple and effective process, when it is executed correctly. Outsourcing your training and development needs can be excellent choice if you need to scale your training programs, optimize your training plan, improve operational efficiency or deliver high-quality development programs that impact your business objectives.
This year, learning trends and current events have greatly impacted the way employees work and learn, making now a great time to assess and measure the effectiveness of your training programs. It could also mean taking a deeper look into your current outsourcing partner and plans to see if you can make improvements.
To learn more about training outsourcing, watch this replay of the webinar “The L&D Vision 2021.”
