We’re all familiar with some kind of online learning, whether it’s a remote degree, a virtual math tutor, a MOOC, or an employee training course.

However, some businesses have been slow to catch onto the online employee training revolution, opting for traditional classroom learning instead.

Big mistake.

While established businesses might be able to get away with wasting a little cash on old-fashioned training, making the wrong choice could be detrimental for startups.

Online training makes it easy to educate staff wherever they’re located, helps you to save money, and means that learners get more out of their training. For cash-strapped startups with a varied workforce, online training is a dream come true.

Keep reading to find out why should consider ditching classroom learning and going online instead.

It’s a convenient way to train remote workers

With more and more startups hiring remote workers in 2018, training needs to be adaptable and accessible.

Part of the beauty of online training lies in the fact that it’s accessible from anywhere in the world. You won’t need to spend a fortune on flying employees out to attend training sessions because they’ll be able to access all the information they need from the comfort of their home office.

If you hire employees who speak different languages, it’s easy to choose courses which are translated into multiple dialects.

You can be confident that all your staff are on the same page, having been trained via exactly the same online courses. Running the same in-person sessions in different locations could result in more differences than you’d expect - and inconsistent messaging is never good for your business.

It’s more cost-effective than classroom learning

Think about the price of hiring out a location, paying for an instructor, arranging catering, and printing out learning materials. The costs quickly add up, and training can soon become a huge expense for your startup.

On the other hand, online learning is affordable, cost-effective, and doesn’t come with any extra, unexpected expenses. It’s a great option if your industry has a high staff turnover, because you won’t spend a fortune on training staff who are quick to leave.

If your preference is still for in-person training but your budget doesn’t cover it, online training can be a good stop gap in the meantime.

Interactivity and gamification boost engagement

We’ve all sat in training courses yawning, staring out of the window, and checking the clock for the hundredth time. The fact is, in-person training can be seriously boring - particularly if the instructor isn’t engaging.

In contrast, online training courses are specifically designed to boost engagement and capture the attention of your employees. Tools like gamification increase motivation to do well, and interactive elements, like clickable graphics, help staff to feel more actively involved in the learning process.

For millennial startup employees, learning via technology is the new normal, making it the best way to reach them.

For startups, traditional face-to-face training can be a huge waste of time and money.

Unless you’re training staff in something that can only be taught in-person, think about choosing online training instead. You’ll save money, have less trouble training remote employees, and will see better engagement and outcomes.