The Corporate Storyteller

Corporate training departments have dramatically increased the percentage of training offered virtually, through both live and recorded online classes. Virtual classes rose from 8 percent of corporate training in 2008 to 13 percent in 2010. Shrinking budgets drove the change, and companies found that for certain types of classes, such as technical topics, online-based instruction can be highly effective.

According to the Corporate Learning Factbook 2001, a joint venture of Bersin & Associates and Workforce Management, virtual training may have reached its peak since employee engagement is more challenging in a virtual environment. Also, soft skills, such as communications and customer service, benefit from the synergy of an in-person classroom experience.