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When the pandemic hit in 2020, working from home became the norm for many businesses. Doing so meant adapting and introducing new strategies to ensure daily operations could continue. One such adaptation included training new and current staff on company policy and the updated processes and technologies that made remote working possible. However, with employees working from home and a nationwide lockdown implemented, businesses needed a way to bridge the gap and make distanced learning as effective and impactful as in-person events. Enter virtual learning. In our latest guide, we look at how virtual learning has changed corporate education and how it can be used alongside your VoIP system to deliver engaging, cost-efficient remote learning events and resources.
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Virtual learning is any kind of online learning experience where participants receive educational content. In the corporate world, it often takes the form of a webinar or course and can be delivered live, as a self-paced pre-recorded course, or a mix of the two.
As of 2015, 90% of businesses offered digital learning as part of their training, with adoption expected to increase rapidly towards 2030. This shows both its current popularity and the continued value of its many benefits.
As a business owner or employee, you’ll have experienced at least some elements of corporate training. Decades ago, in-person training was the standard, but with the internet now allowing businesses to employ staff outside of their immediate locations, factors like distance, cost of hosting, and bringing everyone together can often be a blockage to in-person events.
Virtual learning—whether an online course or a live training event—solves these problems by allowing everyone to access training or learning resources from anywhere with an internet connection.
It also promotes career progression. You can encourage employees to take responsibility for their professional development and pick up training at their convenience. This freedom improves individual productivity and performance while also building self-confidence throughout your workforce.
From call centre technology to CRM databases, VoIP has an excellent track record of enhancing whatever it is connected with. Let’s take a look at some of the ways VoIP can boost virtual learning in your workplace.
Planning a physical training event can take a lot of effort. If you’re planning to host your training onsite, you’ll likely be paying for both your training service, and ensuring your workforce can attend on the given date. Offsite sessions can be trickier still, with extra costs for travel, accommodation, venue hire and any resources you may need.
To counter these issues, VoIP is less costly than most traditional landlines and allows you to create virtual training classrooms over the Internet. Your training coordinator and participants can then interact via a remote connection using any of their digital devices, saving you the time and added responsibility of pulling together a physical training event.
Better yet, surveys show online learning can cut training costs by up to 25%. This reduction in expense, paired with VoIP’s accessibility and low cost, allows businesses to enjoy significant savings.
In-person training events can often be frustrating to plan due to issues like late confirmations or absences after attendance is confirmed. These challenges can lead to time and money being wasted.
It’s lucky, then, that VoIP systems are versatile, with many providers allowing you to purchase only the features and system capacity that you need. This means that when it comes to training, as long as your allotted capacity can handle the bandwidth, you’ll be able to accommodate any number of participants, free from delays or technical issues.
With in-person meetings, face-to-face interactions can lead to exciting ideas and innovation. But what if you’re a national or global business with employees from around the world?
VoIP’s internet connectivity removes locational barriers, allowing your employees to attend real-time virtual classrooms and collaborate via instant message and breakout room features. These features are perfect for training activities that involve brainstorming or problem-solving, making distance learning just as engaging as in-person sessions.
While we are on the subject of barriers, VoIP’s integration with screen recording tools allows training to be recorded and accessed at a later date. If a participant misses out on essential training, they’ll be able to access it at a time that suits them.
As mentioned, interactive features such as screen sharing allow trainers to present using any form of media they wish, while VoIP’s instant messaging allows participants to ask questions and receive feedback during post-training Q&A sessions.
VoIP can play an important role when rolling out training across your business. However, there are several areas that you should consider before leaping into virtual learning.
Let’s face it: with so many amazing VoIP systems on offer in 2024, choosing the right one for your business can be overwhelming. We understand, and that’s why we put together a checklist of essentials for you to consider when using a VoIP system to host virtual learning.
Whether you’re reviewing an existing system or shopping for a new one, it’s worth asking, ‘What features do I need to host a successful virtual training session?’
Are you looking to create virtual sessions that feel as engaging as in-person meet-ups? If so, it might be worth considering a system with quality-of-service features. Is collaboration key to your training? Then screen sharing and instant messaging features may be something to shop for.
Start by reviewing what your training session involves. If it’s highly interactive, you may need a comprehensive system, whereas if you prefer simple presentation style sessions, you’ll likely be able to save a little money on a more stripped-back VoIP solution.
When it comes to training, efficiency is key. If you’re using an external provider for a training event, you’re paying for their time, so having an accessible, easy-to-use VoIP system will save you time and money. If you’re keeping things in-house, it still pays to use time effectively, so staff don’t waste time waiting on technical difficulties when they could be more productive elsewhere.
Consider how you’ll use your VoIP system outside of virtual learning, too. If it’s part of a call centre environment, choosing an intuitive VoIP service will allow your workforce to operate at their best, while providing excellent service to customers.
We talked earlier about the scalability of VoIP solutions, and while many models like T2K’s 3CX system are compatible with top tools and platforms, it’s worth checking if your virtual learning session will require your system to work alongside any other tools.
For example, if you’re a global business with international participants, you may need to use third-party translation software. Other popular presentation tools include virtual blackboards, which allow remote collaboration.
Regardless of your training topic, security is a top priority. Check that your system has the security protocols to keep any sensitive customer or corporate information safe. This might include encryption or access control features that block access to anyone without permission. These features mean that should your system come under attack during training, any information shared will be safe and secure.
If you’d like to learn more about security in relation to VoIP, head to our article ‘What does the Evolution of Online Security Mean for VoIP?
If you’ve invested in a VoIP system to facilitate your virtual learning, it’s important that potential users understand how to use it. Most VoIP systems are incredibly user-friendly, with a low learning curve. However, if your training involves interactive elements, you may want to roll out training on features such as video conferencing, screen sharing, and instant messaging.
Many people feel that new technology will improve their workplace. However, it's still essential to be open-minded and cater to those who learn differently. Consider asking your workforce how they’d prefer to be shown your new VoIP system. Some employees may find it easier to understand visually via live demonstrations, while others may prefer user guides or manuals they can review at their leisure.
While VoIP’s upside is significant, it’s important to understand that there are still potential roadblocks to using it for virtual learning. Let’s identify some of the challenges, while offering you handy ways to tackle them.
Picture it: your training is going well, everyone is engaged, and then, out of nowhere, the call quality drops. Bad connections like this can lead to distorted or choppy audio and delayed voice signals, which can be frustrating, while also wasting time that could be better spent elsewhere.
To prevent issues like this, start with your internet connection. Is it robust enough to support multi-person training sessions? If not, it may be worth asking your internet provider for a more suitable option.
You may also want to check your network capacity and whether it can shoulder your training call load while also carrying other traffic loads throughout your business. This can be solved by using quality of service (QoS) buffers to monitor network performance and identify any problem areas in real-time.
If you’d like to learn more about quality of service (QoS) in relation to VoIP, head to our article ‘How to Optimise Quality of Service (QoS) for your VoIP System’.
Earlier in this guide, we discussed security as an essential component of your VoIP system. This is because, while your training call may not contain confidential information, your network and system likely do. This means that should malicious threats invade your system, your sensitive data may be vulnerable and open to theft.
Luckily, as we mentioned, modern VoIP systems use encryption methods to keep data safe when it’s been transmitted, for example, over email or instant message. As an additional safety measure, you should ensure your own network has relevant security features in place. This may include firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems and access control features. By having a comprehensive security setup outside of your VoIP system, you can be sure your data is safe, no matter how it’s transmitted.
Virtual training over VoIP has opened many doors for businesses looking to educate and engage their workforce. It allows convenient, remote access to useful training sessions, while also allowing participants who can’t attend or want to focus on personal development, to access training or learning resources at their convenience.
Unlike in-person training, which can be costly to organise, VoIP allows your participants to come together, collaborate, and learn using an internet connection and a digital device of their choice. This cuts the cost associated with in-person training, while elevating your reputation as an employer who encourages continuous learning.
Simply put, VoIP takes virtual education to another level; allowing you to unite your workforce through learning without the cost or hassle that in-person training can bring.
If you’d like to understand more about how VoIP can elevate virtual learning for your business, contact T2K today.
Having worked for T2k for nearly 25 years, it's fair to say that Lee is an expert when it comes to all things telephony and business communications. Overseeing the commercial side of the business, he has helped the company evolve and grow through the decades. In recent years, and with the advent of VoIP and hosted telephony, Lee has made sure that T2k is at the forefront of technological developments. With a firm interest in helping businesses navigate the world of telecoms, Lee is responsible for the majority of the content on this website.
