Despite there being a wealth of free learning and training resources out there on the web, many HR departments of companies both big and small tend to shun them in favor of creating their own tailored learning programs, often with the help of expensive consultants. Although there can be benefits for HR departments customizing their own programs, it at least makes sense to check if an industry leader and expert has already been there and done it, especially if their fountain of knowledge is gratis for an HR department’s flock to sip from.
Some of the best free online learning facilities are to be found at iTunesU Free Courses, which can be downloaded and whose courses can be listened to instantly. This includes Coursera, who partner with Universities all around the world to provide academically approved courses, and Alison, a resource already being tapped by over 3 million users who include everyone from online gaming companies to tech startups.
Certification Means You Can Track an Employees Progress
The main worry of many an eagle-eyed HR manager is that any progress an employee makes on a free platform won’t be tracked, meaning the person supposedly in training could just be using his or her time to paint their nails or play a game online.
It’s for this exact reason that many of the sites mentioned above provide certification and progress charts, allowing you to document the progress your employee is making.
Provide Mentors for Those Learning to Help Them Along
Another good way to ensure that the person in training is given adequate support to supplement their learning is to pair them with a mentor. For example, if you have someone from your content department who wishes to learn more about game coding, why not assign him or her to an expert in that field from your game development department?
Not only is this excellent for cross-departmental team building, but it will incentivize the person learning to redouble their efforts and realize how their new skills can be transferred into the workplace.
They Can Be Great for Afterwork Team Building Exercises
The nitty-gritty of KPIs and group targets aside, there are also other fantastic learning resources out there that will help your team not only bond in the office, but outside of it as well.
Whether you want people to brush up on their poker skills before a company game night, need people to brainstorm ideas before book club or just want to help folk increase their flexibility before the next office yoga session, there’s bound to be a free course that’s right for you, with the likes of Penguin, PokerStars and DOYOU all providing options.
Put New Skills to the Test in the Workplace
Returning briefly to the theme of mentoring; once the student’s mentor is happy enough with their progress and they have their course completion certification in hand, why not go a step further and see if their new skills can be immediately put to use?
Who knows, you might find that the copywriter who was right under your nose the whole time, and is actually a far better game coder than scribe.
Sometimes the Best Training Has Nothing to do with Work
Connected to the previous section, it’s sometimes important to realize that some of the best training happens away from the workplace. People better themselves at home too, enriching their lives with activities completely disconnected to work, and yet that will benefit the company they work for in the long term.
With this in mind, it pays to take an interest in your employees’ activities and hobbies, so that you can enable them to find gratification outside of the office, which should in turn make them a hell of a lot happier at the office. Can your firm strike a deal with the local gym to get your employees free entry? Does the cookery school down the road want to give free classes in exchange for a website revamp? Will the poker whiz you know give up a couple of hours of his time to teach the game? Before you know it, you’ll be getting brownie points from the workforce without so much as spending a dime.
This post is supplied and supported by vimedigital.com