Face to face (F2F) training has sharply decreased owing to Covid. The longer that lockdowns drag on, the more that organisations will question if they ever will return to using F2F training. Most discussion has focused on which parts of the formal F2F learning experience can be replicated using other digital channels e.g. virtual classroom. What this misses is that there are other important aspects of a F2F training course that are beneficial to replicate too.
Here are five examples:
- Ring-fenced time away from distractions (e.g. emails and messages) to focus on your own agenda and get deep into a topic (and feel more psychologically safe to do so)
- The opportunity to meet counterparts from other offices (and sometimes countries) in an informal setting – spontaneous networking without the cringe factor
- A tangible reward from the organisation – taking yourself out of your routine into a more luxurious hotel/conference centre environment with free meals and drinks
- A way to informally benchmark yourself against your peers and learn from their experiences
- The realisation that many of your work dilemmas are shared, typical and/or systemic, rather than a result of something you’ve personally done wrong.
When converting a F2F experience into blend of digital channels, it is important to do user testing and performance consulting to ensure that valuable benefits are not being thrown away.
