Contractors Should Look for 13 Key Factors in Selecting a New Online Training Platform, Says Leadership Speaker Wally Adamchik

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Aug 20, 2013, 08:30 ET

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Online training systems are flooding the inboxes of contractors as they become must-have tools for training employees. But leadership consultant Wally Adamchik asks "How can a busy manager in a construction firm decide which system is the best to buy or lease?"

"Online training has come a long way in just a few years. It doesn't have to be the clunky, ineffective, and painful process many of us have experienced. Technology, bandwidth, user familiarity/readiness, and lower costs have all converged to make today's online training an integral part of any credible employee development program," says Wally Adamchik, President of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting, a Raleigh-based leadership consulting and development firm.

"The savvy contractor is aggressively integrating online learning into their training curriculum. This goes far beyond the now-expected online compliance programs in safety. Previously hard-to-teach subjects, such as supervisory skills, are finding a new home online. The payoff is having a better-trained employee while maintaining production because you don't shut the job site down for a few hours to bring the leaders in for training," said Adamchik, who presents keynote speeches about leadership, management and training issues at construction industry meetings and conventions.

"In the past few months I researched what is out there from a technology perspective and what is actually being used by contractors. I did user demonstrations on nine different online platforms. I interviewed over 20 contractors across disciplines. This research led me to 13 key factors builders should consider when buying training systems," said Adamchik, author of Construction Leadership From A to Z; 26 Words to Lead By.

He created a special report that lists 13 keys that building industry executives should follow as a game plan to decide which system will best meet their needs. To get the free report, go to http://ow.ly/nVmkM

Here are four tips to help guide you as you consider bringing online training into your company:

It is Not About the Technology – It is about the return on your investment. The technology you select to meet your needs should actually train people and improve performance.
Full-Motion Video – Is the instructor talking to you directly? Most online learning I have been subjected to is mind-numbing voice-over-PowerPoint or a bad recording of a live presentation. That is so 2010! Best of Class today features the speaker delivering content.
Interactive Questions-– Just like in a live classroom where the instructor asks questions, in the best virtual classrooms the instructor asks questions, too before users can continue.
Other Language Subtitles – In our increasingly diverse society, it is important to make training available to students who are not fluent in English by using subtitles. However, most programs do not support this option.

Are you wondering if your competitors are delivering training online?

"Of the contractors I interviewed, 41% do some compliance training, in areas like safety. Only 10% did anything beyond compliance training, " he said.

"The opportunity to train people is huge. While all companies expressed knowing they needed to do something in this arena, most hadn't done much. Those that did were often reinventing the wheel. You don't need to do that. I do think you need to make the move soon," he said.

Adamchik listed several benefits for contractors to create their own online training systems:

New employees will view you as a progressive firm that invests in people.
The cost advantage gained from effective implementation of a blended employee development curriculum is compelling. You train more people for less money.
You maintain production while training employees.
You make yourself more attractive to the next generation while educating all your leaders.

"We are finally at a time where new technology is creating real value in employee learning," he said. "Your key to recognizing maximum value is to get the right system. These tips will point you in the right direction. Ask your training provider, or potential technology provider if they have these features. You may decide that some features are not important. Any buyer would do that. The savvy buyer recognizes the payoff delivered from these features and reaps the benefits."

To obtain the free report or to inquire about his speaking or consulting services, go to http://www.FirestarterSpeaking.com

About Wally Adamchik
Wally Adamchik knows leadership. He led successfully in the Marines and in corporate America. His work as a consultant enables him to see and work with many unique situations giving him deeper insights. He is an advisor on Military.com, Past-President of the State Chapter of National Speakers Association and a contributor to countless journals on the subject of leadership.