Instructor-led training can be a terrific tool for global drug and device companies. But it is no secret that instructor-led training is expensive.
For instance, PharmaExec.com reported that 85% of sales training budgets in the pharmaceutical industry is allocated for travel and logistics - and only 15% is spent on content. With those kinds of economics, it's no wonder that the use of eLearning continues to grow.
Companies are realizing that eLearning provides an easy way for people from different parts of the world to contribute cultural insights into the most effective way to operate globally and harvest knowledge from all corners of the world. The contributions and insights that stem from e-Learning sessions can open the lines of communication between groups and countries that were isolated before due to distance. eLearning can help create a unified vision, communicate values across corporate and country boundaries, and develop common skills for a company when its workforce is spread throughout the world.
Despite all of these advantages, many device and pharmaceutical companies are struggling to prepare training teams for the shift from an instructor-led training environment to eLearning.
Many teams are short on the required know-how to create engaging course ware. Instead, they launch "page turners" that fail to engage the workforce, lack the learning integrity that leads to performance results, and risk wasting the company's technology investment (e.g., Learning Management Systems, authoring tools, and virtual classroom platforms).
Christine Duckworth of Intrac Design provides a quick reference guide to developing effective eLearning. Christine's audio conference helps training teams address the skills gap and to deliver the engaging eLearning courses that management and the target audience expect.
If you are thinking about moving into eLearning or are less than satisfied with the results of your eLearning program, be sure to take a listen to Christine's presentation!
For more eLearning resources, take a look at some of our other training articles:
- eLearning: minimizing costs and frustrations when localizing voiceovers
- Culturally accessible e-learning
- Authoring without borders
ForeignExchange provides specialized medical translations for training programs developed by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Contact us to find out more!
Is eLearning or instructor-based trainings the only options?
ForeignExchange sometimes hosts trainings for people across many cultures and time zones. Often, this training will include 2-3 times to dial in, as well as an option to listen to a recording. While the recording isn't as interactive (think, no Q&A), it is a time (and, therefore money) saver. Sometimes, the trainings just have moderators. Maybe an expert isn't on the line, but someone to help facilitate group discussions, and take questions that are left unanswered back to the team.