Digital learning continues to be an exceedingly popular option for organisations looking to keep their people up to speed with ongoing change at work – whether that’s technological, behavioural, regulatory or beyond.
More than 40% of Fortune 500 companies use digital learning regularly; and 96% of learning leaders agree it is important.
But in the rush to adopt the latest and greatest way of engaging employees, some are neglecting key questions and are seeing weak outcomes as a result. Leaders need to first be asking: Is eLearning really the best solution for us? And, if it is, how do we ensure it’s a success?
A recent conversation
A few months ago, our team was wrapping up a digital learning project with a large global financial organisation. When discussing learnings, our client confessed that they had significantly underestimated the amount of time and engagement they would need from their internal content reviewers to get the project across the line. In light of this comment, we asked:
“What more could we have said at the start to help you understand what was needed to make this project a success?”
They candidly told us that if we’d explained upfront how much time and stakeholder engagement would be required, they might have assumed we were exaggerating. But the truth is that good eLearning takes care, clarity and collaboration.
That conversation really stuck with me. It highlights the gap between expectation and reality that many organisations face. It can seem like a quick, scalable solution, but without the right engagement and approach, even the most well-intentioned project can fall flat.
Step 1: Is eLearning definitely the correct solution for you?
The first step is to clarify why you’re doing it. Is the goal compliance, awareness, or genuine behaviour change?
For topics such as data security and health and safety, eLearning is great for delivering information consistently and at scale. But shifting culture or behaviours in relation to issues such as inclusion, leadership or workplace conduct usually requires significant investment in design and expertise at the early stages.
Wider cultural work and communications are also essential to ensure it’s landing with a receptive and primed audience. Without that, it may fall flat and be perceived in your workplace as a tick-box, rather than an important mindset movement.
This is because the experience needs to match the outcome. Self-paced eLearning is excellent for conveying knowledge; the what and why. Behaviour change, on the other hand, requires more interaction, reflection, and feedback.
If your objective involves empathy or complex interpersonal skills, you will need to consider a layered approach, including live discussions and/or coaching to reinforce learning. Depending on the gravity of the topic, you may need to go even further. For example, eradicating sexual harassment requires a fully holistic approach, with training being just one cog amongst many others.
You also need to know your audience. Look at how past learning initiatives landed. Were online courses well received or met with low engagement? If digital learning hasn’t had an impact, explore why. Were modules too long or generic? Did employees lack time to engage?
Understanding the context will help you design for reality rather than fantasy. Consider your audience. Office-based staff may find online modules convenient, but manufacturing, retail or shift teams often need a blended approach to match their work patterns.
If you’ve decided that digital learning is definitely what you need, next you need to lay the groundwork to ensure it’s a hit.
Step 2: Get the right stakeholders involved early on
Involve your tech and communications teams early. Because even the best-designed course will fail if people can’t access it. Check your hosting platform (whether LMS or microsite) for ease of use, mobile compatibility and reliability. Involve IT and communications early to avoid firewalls, browser issues, or bandwidth constraints, and factor in quality assurance timelines. Neglect here will lead to huge frustrations down the line.
Step 3: Design for everyone
Accessibility shouldn’t be optional. Follow WCAG guidelines to ensure the content works for everyone, including those using assistive technology.
And think beyond technical access: use plain language, short modules, and clear navigation to make learning engaging and digestible for all. Remember, doing this will enhance the user experience for all, not just those who need it.
Step 4: Think global
If you have a multinational workforce, plan early for translation and localisation. True localisation adapts tone, imagery and examples for cultural relevance. Avoid embedded text in graphics, design layouts for language expansion, and involve local reviewers to check nuance. This upfront planning saves time later and ensures learners feel represented.
Step 5: Build your launch and reinforcement plans
Your eLearning will fail if people don’t understand why this matters. Launch with clear learning outcomes: what problem does the training solve, and how does it link to organisational goals?
Then embed reinforcement. Encourage managers to reference training in meetings, follow up with reflection questions, and provide short refreshers. eLearning works best as part of an ongoing conversation, not a one-off event.
Step 6: Measure what matters
Completion rates and quiz scores are useful, but they don’t show behaviour change. Embed qualitative feedback mechanisms to track engagement, shifts in conversations, or confidence levels. These insights help refine future initiatives and demonstrate real impact.
Societe Generale, a leading European financial services group, measured – at the beginning and end of their inclusion sessions – how comfortable each participant felt at engaging in inclusion conversations with their colleagues. These responses showed a significant improvement.
Make digital learning the powerful tool it can be
Thinking back to that client discussion mentioned earlier, it reminded me that successful eLearning isn’t about overpromising speed or simplicity. It’s about setting realistic goals, being transparent about what’s required, and designing for people.
When chosen deliberately and delivered thoughtfully, it’s a powerful tool. The measure of success isn’t how fast it launches, but how deeply it lands.
