How e-Learning Can Benefit the Security Industry

South Africa has, per capita, the fourth largest private security industry in the world. With 2,495,899 registered security officers across the country, and a total of 10,298 registered security business, South Africans spend billions of Rands per year protecting themselves, their businesses, and their homes[i].

 

With the security industry being an industry responsible for the safety and security of the population, training of security officers needs to be of the highest standard. Training should form the cornerstone of any organisation; it ensures that employees are familiar with organisational requirements and regulations, as well as upskills them on job best practice.

 

Traditional training and communication methods are too slow to support the needs of a workforce comprising of vast numbers of workers, like in the security industry. They’re too expensive to provide the reinforced and sustained training required to deliver behaviour change, and they suffer from a huge risk of information loss through Train the Trainer, inconsistent messaging, misinterpretation through language or simple lack of interest as the messages flow from hand to hand through organisations.

 

e-Learning is more than just using technology to reach and engage learners. However, to achieve success with your online training it is essential that technology is incorporated seamlessly. No matter the industry, technology has become an essential part of every aspect of work, so remaining up to date with developments will ensure business profitability and staff benefits. Releasing staff for face-to-face training sessions is expensive and often disruptive to the business. Incorporating technology into training to form an online training academy allows learners to train within the work environment. This ensures little to no disruption to the business and allows learners to train at a pace that suits their learning needs. Online training offers the added benefit of allowing managers to expand the range of training courses on offer and to respond to new training demands more effectively.

 

Additional e-learning benefits include:

Easy access to online training resources

When using traditional training methods, employees need to wait to develop their skills until the arranged onsite training session. Online training allows learners access to their training and all the invaluable information it contains, on an unlimited basis. Learners who have free access to online training are able to improve their skills and task proficiencies at a pace that enables them to absorb the knowledge in the most efficient way for the individual learner.

 

Reduced training time

Online training scientifically reduces the amount of time required to complete training, especially when compared to traditional onsite training methods. One of the largest expenses attributed to Learning and Development is the length of time that employees spend seated in traditional onsite training sessions. Online training offers the same delivery of skills development with reduced time away from learners performing the jobs.

 

Increased satisfaction and productivity

Online training has the added benefit of reducing employee turnover. Employees who receive the correct training and skills to perform their job to the best of their abilities experience job satisfaction that many who have been left behind during training onsite training sessions, do not. This satisfaction translates into an increased employee retention rate; this results in less time spent having to upskill new employees. Time is rather spent on refining the skills of already skilled employees.

 

e-Learning has a significant impact on decreasing training expenses, increasing employee retention and boosting productivity.

 

 

[i] https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-40532624