The Future of Training is Pre-COVID. Part One.

I am amused and horrified by people who are excited to declare an end to in-person training and development. In a word (or four words)- you better think again. If you are excited about how much money can be saved, have you thought about how people learn, how they retain and use their training? It's NOT by asking people to sit in front of a computer for hours on end. To that end I must ask you this question:

Is training a "checklist thing" or a "company acceleration thing"?

Wake up! Here are a few things to consider:

• Isolation inhibits learning effectiveness. Have you ever tried to sit in from of your computer in an isolated environment and feel continuously stimulated to learn? Attention spans are short enough, and its harder to learn in isolation, stay alert, and not tune out after (at most) a few hours. The watercooler effect is in full bloom here. Not being able to break bread and take informally is a terrible loss to the class and the company.
• Multitasking happens. The gaps in attention and multitasking that WILL occur guarantees a hole in the absorption and application of the training. Excellent training occurs when a class is physically separated from the myriad of potential distractions. Don't take the easy road and sacrifice successful outcomes.
• It's harder to teach a course remotely. Excellent trainers and speakers get energy from the audience, and that makes the entire experience better and more effective for everyone. That's not up for debate. It also makes for better ROI! Absent that, the course can quickly turn into a boring talking head. It opens the door for people who can talk at you with a Powerpoint deck but are not skilled at engaging people in a way that's effective.

Do you want easy or effective?

• A live session is full of irreplaceable energy and networking opportunities. If leadership thinks of training as a "thing we need to do" rather than a method to attract, retain, and leverage people, then stay remote and see how that works for you.
• ROI. Training that is successfully delivered and coached to has a better chance of seeing an ROI. Is saving a few bucks on the front end worth having the training not fully absorbed, appreciated, and applied? Peers using the training and seeing success, motivate everyone to use the training.
• Have you asked? I have, and an overwhelming majority of people report to me that they prefer being WITH their peers and colleagues. They know they will otherwise be distracted. This makes the entire experience real, more valuable, and they see HOW it can be used by hearing other people's opinions and input. I can see your body language, interact in real-time, and get more mileage out of the time invested. You just don't get the same things in the video room. Do you KNOW how people learn? One size does not fit all.
• Save money, spend money. The rush to go virtual is shortsighted. Employers have to consider the longer-term increase in health care costs ( depression, loneliness, isolation). People will not be as engaged when they can do other things and get away with it. That means much of the content is lost. That means you are wasting your money. If you think that people are staying focused and engaged for hours, you are dreaming. I know I can't stay focused that long as a learner. Check out "Together" by Dr. Vivel Murthy the former Surgeon General of the United States.

I acknowledge that there are technical courses that can be taught remotely, and that's fine. But if you want mileage from your investment, people need people—that fuels training success. No online video tools or technology can replace that kind of real interaction.

Todd Cohen, CSP is a live and virtual keynote speaker and trainer who shows people see we all sell ourselves every day. He leaves people feeling great about themselves and ready to make a difference in their careers and lives. Oh, and he loves the live audience and sees how it makes it BIG difference in how we learn.