Professional training is undergoing a revolution. With the advent of new technologies and the democratization of digital tools, it is going digital at high speed. In 2024, 87% of French companies are already using e-learning solutions, according to a study by Seira Formation.
Faced with these changes, employers are faced with a question that is as urgent as it is important: what role should digital training play in their training strategy? Is the digitization of training simply a fad, or is it an essential shift to keep pace with the times?
Let's decipher together the real impact of digital on training and its future impact on your businesses.
Digitizing for better training
Digital transformation has profoundly changed expectations and practices in the field of professional training. Faced with a fast-changing job market, companies are confronted with new challenges, to which digital technology offers appropriate solutions.
💡Psst: exploreand decipher the major trends in professional training in our dedicated article !
Training more often, faster and cheaper
For 93% of HR managers, training will be a strategic priority in 2025. This is the result of a study carried out by Beedeez gives the pulse of the training market: a growing and increasingly urgent need.
This trend is underpinned by several phenomena: the rise of AI, the arrival of new professions and practices, and the proliferation of tools that are transforming our everyday working lives.
But training managers are faced with another reality: while demand is exploding, budgets are stagnating. And training is expensive. Even if it's a profitable investment, the funds have to be found, the costs justified, and the expenditure aligned with the company's objectives.
In this context, digital appears to be a golden solution. Digital training enables programs to be launched more quickly, and significantly reduces costs. According to a study by Sales Hackingcompanies can save up to 60% in time and costs with e-learning.
Adopting new professional training practices
In recent years, training has taken a decisive turn, with the notion of the "learner experience" playing a key role. The aim is no longer simply to impart knowledge, but to ensure that it is understood, retained and put into practice. To achieve this, we need to engage employees in their learning journey.
Certain concepts are becoming essential to enrich the digital learner experience:
- Greater flexibility of formats and schedules
- Interactive and stimulating content
- Ultra-customized training paths
- Practices such as gamification and social learning
LMS and LXP are the most popular tools for digitizing training, well ahead of mobile learning and intranet.
The tools available on the market, such as LMS and LXP, respond directly to these needs and are designed to put the learner at the heart of the experience.
🔎 If you'd like to find out more about LMS, read our dedicated article by clicking here!
Digitizing training: limits and risks
The digitalization of professional training has many advantages. That said, 100% dematerialized training entails risks and limits that should not be overlooked.
A need for face-to-face sessions for certain training courses
Not all training can be digitized. Let's take the example of a wind turbine installation technician: it's obvious that he can't be satisfied with online training and will need face-to-face sessions, with the appropriate equipment.
The first limitation of digital training is its scope. This fact should not be overlooked: it applies not only to technical training courses, but also to training for managers or those focused on soft skills, which require real-life situations.
Standard content in an isolated context
Loneliness is one of the biggest obstacles to e-learning. Learners can feel isolated and lacking in support when faced with content that is often not progressive and standard. Because, beyond the technical aspects, learners express a need for human interaction and personalized support throughout their training path. This factor needs to be taken into account, particularly in terms of knowledge assimilation, which would be enhanced by human interaction.
Blended learning: the best way to digitize?
What if the best option were to be found at the crossroads of digital and face-to-face learning? The hybrid model, also known as blended learning, is the solution that combines the advantages of e-learning and face-to-face sessions, offering a complete learning experience perfectly adapted to the needs of companies and learners.
This approach is also widely adopted: 56% of companies choose blended learning, according to the the ISTF digital learning barometerdigital learning barometer, while 21% prefer asynchronous distance learning.