Online vs. In-person Harassment Prevention Training

Are you meeting California’s requirements for harassment prevention training? California legislation requires any employer with five or more employees to provide sexual harassment training within the first 30 days to six months of hire. All employees are required to be retrained every two years.

If you’re looking for a training solution that will help you create a culture of respect in your workplace, you might be considering whether an online e-learning type of training is best for your organization or whether your team might need an in-person training modality.

California’s sexual harassment prevention training requirements allow for in-person, online e-learning, or webinar training. 

Which will be better for your organization?

Online Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Mandatory or compliance training is done mostly online, with 90 percent of organizations doing at least some of it online and 46 percent entirely online, according to a 2023 training industry report.

Online Learning Pros

Online learning can be an effective method of training employees, whether you have remote workers or not. All you need is a computing device, such as a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or even a smartphone, to deploy most e-learning courses. 

Online harassment prevention training can help organizations save time and money compared to in-person, facilitated training programs. With online courses, you don’t have to worry about the cost of a training facility or paying a professional facilitator to run your training program. Many times, an in-person training day can also include food costs or equipment rentals. 

One of the biggest benefits of online learning is the ability for learners to take courses individually and at their own pace. You can train employees as needed, and they can take the time they need to access learning materials and take assessments in a manner that ensures they are getting what they need out of the training.

Online training also ensures consistency in course content and structure; you won’t have to worry that one facilitator is providing a “better” training experience than another. 

Consistent record-keeping can be easier with some online training platforms, as well. If you ever have a harassment claim, Equal Opportunity Employer Commission (EEOC) investigation, or lawsuit, maintaining training records can be an asset.

Learning management systems (LMS) are the most often used training technology used by 89% of organizations.

Online Learning Cons

The drawback to online training is knowing whether your learners are actually learning and engaging with the materials or simply letting a course become background noise. To avoid this, look for courses that require assessments or some level of engagement or action from the learner to continue. 

In-Person Harassment Prevention Training

In 2023, 30% of training hours were delivered by a stand-and-deliver instructor in a classroom setting.

In-Person Training Pros

Facilitator-led training can help overcome the question of engagement. With a real-life facilitator in the building, learners can stop and ask questions and get answers. Facilitators can also spot learners who are disengaged or “checked out” and help re-engage them into the conversation or materials. 

In-Person Training Cons

Facilitator-led, classroom-style training can cost an organization more time and money compared to online learning. In-person training doesn’t make sense on a one-by-one basis, either. 

Hybrid Training Alternative

Some organizations deploy a hybrid training approach, using an LMS to deliver online training to individuals but in a group facilitator-led session. 43% of organizations use a hybrid or blended approach to training for some of their training needs. HR professionals or training facilitators are on hand to answer questions or to ensure employee engagement while learners work their way through an online course.

SIMPLE LMS provides organizations with online compliance training solutions. To make compliance training SIMPLE, contact us for sexual harassment, mandated reporter training, and other training solutions for your employees. Schedule a demo today.