As a training professional, you are convinced about the powerful benefits of e-learning. However, the decision of using e-learning for corporate training may not be solely in your hand. The top management needs to be convinced. Their approval is of utmost importance in order to start the initiative at the workplace.
Unless the e-learning option aligns with the management strategy and long-term objectives, there is no reason to push it forward. The leadership team will never give a stamp of approval.
Convincing top management may not be all that difficult if the proposal has a strong basis. Here are some tips to gain buy-in for the employee training program.
Expect resistance from the leadership. The leadership may not be all that convinced about the benefits of e-learning. Otherwise, it would have been rolled out by now. Obviously, they have their reasons to not implement it. So, it is practical to expect resistance and not be disheartened by it. It is important to realize that the resistance is not personal. Maybe they are not aware of the benefits of e-learning, or they do not have sufficient budget, or they have doubts about how to implement it.
Know the management. The first step is to knowing the individuals on the management team. Knowing how they prefer to receive information and presenting the proposal accordingly eases the task of convincing them. Be sure to select an appropriate time in the business cycle to introduce e-learning.
Connect with numbers. The top leadership mostly understands numbers. The proposal needs to align with the long-term business strategy. It should show management how the training initiative will contribute to the bottom line. The Return-on-Investment is a big factor. However, even though the cost is the most quantifiable benefit, organizations have been weighing e-learning benefits on factors other than cost. So, you may also wish to make a case on Return-on-Engagement and its impact on productivity in the workplace.
Build a case. It is easy to build a case in favor of the training initiative by showcasing e-learning training success stories. The stories can be from other organizations too. Be ready to show them a demo. Discuss your thoughts and plan with management in a way that convinces them that enough research has been done for the proposal. Be prepared to provide examples comparing the benefits of e-learning to traditional learning. Show the results of your needs analysis that supports the implementation of e-learning.
Prepare the roadmap. The proposal should have a tentative roadmap for implementation. This should include the details about the various phases involved, content decisions, course development options, and so on. A macro level understanding is good enough. There is no point wasting time and effort trying to drill down to the minute details even before approval.
Position the initiative. It is really important to position the initiative as strategic and important for long-term strategic goals of the organization. When management realizes how invested you are in the initiative and the positive impact e-learning will have on the organization, they will definitely give it a second thought. Your enthusiasm will drive the project.Keeping the goals aligned to business strategic and objectives.
- Marketing the plan to others in the organization.
- Convincing every one of the positive benefits.
- Avoiding unrealistic expectations.
- Socializing the initiative.
Implementing an e-learning strategy at the workplace can work wonders for the employees. Management will eventually realize the benefits and support the initiative if the training proposal is communicated with the right passion and supported with quantifiable and qualitative assessment measures.
