*This blog post was last updated by our HR experts on August 21, 2026, to reflect our latest free downloads and webinar resources.
Remote learning and development
Remote employee learning and development programming is an essential part of career growth for many job seekers and workers. It’s more than just the money for most employees; they want to feel they are continually learning new things and be engaged in their role. Employees want to sharpen their skills and learn to succeed in their careers. Employers that provide proper training and development opportunities are more likely to increase workforce productivity and improve retention. Keep reading to learn more about learning and development while working remotely.
Online versus in-person learning and development
Fair to say, learning and development took a hit over the past year or more amid pandemic uncertainty. The new normal of working from home required organizations to steer towards full-time online learning. In-person training would no longer be viable. But is online learning the wave of the future?
According to Canadian-owned research and analytics company Leger, two-thirds of respondents said using online learning to deliver education to Canadian students will continue even when in-person classes resume. Expect this to be reflected in organizations, as it will be critical for them, post-pandemic, to maintain employee satisfaction and productivity. But notice they didn’t say it will all be online learning.
Online employee training and education
Since learning and development have been remote for more than a year, workers have come to enjoy the flexibility of learning at their own pace. If we go back just two years to 2019, Vox.com estimated that by 2025, 70 percent of the workforce would be working remotely in some way. In light of the last couple of years, one can only imagine where those numbers stand now. Perhaps it took a pandemic to open our eyes to the future of learning and development.
The shift to remote learning and development
While a shift towards more online learning was already underway pre-pandemic, this latest push has created unexpected opportunities and challenges for companies. Organizations need to continually develop their workers while recognizing that online learning has become more of a default than a backup plan.
Sticking with just online learning brings limitations. Sure, the increased flexibility and cost-effectiveness are attractive. Still, a lack of proper structure, less social interaction, and a lack of consistency in an online-only philosophy should also be part of your considerations. Learning is relationship-oriented. It needs to be creative, engaging, and captivating, with the learning tailored to suit the user’s needs.
Blended employee training and learning gets you the best of both worlds
While the pendulum seems to be swinging heavily towards online learning now, it does not mean it’s time to abandon in-person learning and development. We need to find the best of both worlds, which has organizations asking, ‘Where do we go from here?’ But it shouldn’t be team online vs. team in-person.
It’s about finding that happy compromise and embracing blended learning. Each can complement the other. A U.K.-based study found that 73 percent of instructors said blended learning increases engagement, and 82 percent of students prefer blended teaching to traditional teaching environments. Engagement is much higher when techniques and methods focus on the employees’ learning interests and needs.
Blended learning and development
Most of us already know a great example of blended learning—getting our driver’s licence. You take a written knowledge test and a practical road test. Can you imagine one without the other?
Learning and development, either alone or together, have their limits, but together they can help an organization’s success and growth flourish.
Want more remote learning and development insights from our experts?
Watch our webinar replay, Employee Onboarding That Works , now
Or, download these guides for more great insights from our HR experts
Download our guide to Building the Resilient Workers Canada’s SMBs need here
Download our guide, Top Strategies for Onboarding New Employees, here
And check out these other comprehensive HR blogposts from this series:
- Employee Onboarding – Mastering Remote HR Management
- Offboarding Employees – Mastering Remote HR Management
- Talent Acquisition – Mastering Remote HR Management
- Employee Engagement – Mastering Remote HR Management
Job seekers are looking for learning and development opportunities – don’t risk losing them to job listings that put L&D first.
Our innovative, award-winning software and unlimited live advice services have simplified the onboarding for over 6,500 Canadian businesses. With so many Canadians still working from home and many likely to request flexible work options for the foreseeable future, companies looking to improve talent acquisition can no longer ignore the trend, and many have started adapting their processes accordingly.
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