It works until it doesn’t.

It happens, even with the best intent in the world and a great learning offering, carefully curated using best practice techniques and plenty of meaningful interaction. Sometimes it just doesn’t give you the desired result. We’re human. And not everyone will get there first time. E-learning is not a magic bullet, it’s a tool. A tool that can be used most effectively when it’s wielded with care and within an environment that is ready for everyone. Accepting that you will need to plan and provide an additional layer to catch those who need a little extra, will optimise your return.

An additional layer? I can hear the panic. Let me bring this down. It’s not investing in more. It’s about using what you already have. And that starts with planning to manage those learners before you even launch your training. We all want success. For your e-learning to bring about change and to be complimented in the workplace.

So let’s look at ways we can plan for the learner fallout-  those who have not completed the training, got stuck part-way or failed to meet the required standards. And give them a means to get to the end of the learning with a great outcome.

1.  Identify the learners who don’t make it.

Use your LMS workflows and reports to identify the learners who have not completed the training or have failed to meet the required standards and take action.

2. Have a structured response to action immediately.

Design and implement processes that will manage the next steps to enable a positive outcome. This will support compliance and address the learner’s needs.

Here’s how you can handle failures:

3.  Take Immediate Action

• Automatic Retakes for Quizzes/Assessments
  If learners fail a quiz or assessment, configure the LMS to allow automatic retakes. This gives learners a chance to review the material and try again.

• Detailed Feedback
  Provide immediate feedback on which sections or questions they got wrong, guiding them to the right learning resources. Some LMS platforms allow for specific feedback after incorrect answers to enhance learning.

• Notify Managers
  Automatically notify the learner’s manager about the failure. This allows them to intervene quickly.

4. Follow-Up Plans for Learners

For learners who fail the training, implement a structured follow-up plan:

• Update the Manager
  Send an email to the learner’s manager with details on what went wrong, next steps, and a deadline for retaking the training.

• Mandatory Review Sessions
  Schedule a review session or webinar specifically for learners who fail. This could involve live training, Q&A, or targeted learning sessions to address weak areas.

5. Intervention Escalation (For Compliance-Critical Failures)

If the learner fails a compliance-critical course (especially if they’re required to complete it due to failing compliance checks), you may need to take a more formal approach. It is likely that your organisation already has a process for all compliance-related issues. But here’s some actions that you could take:

• Set a Deadline for Completion
  Provide the learner with a strict deadline to complete the course or retake the failed assessments. Clearly communicate the consequences of missing the deadline.

• Escalate Internally
  If learners fail repeatedly or miss deadlines, escalate the issue to higher management. Work closely with your legal or compliance team to determine the necessary steps.

• Compliance Reporting
  If the learner continues to fail or doesn't meet compliance requirements, provide them with a formal report outlining the compliance risks. This may include documentation of their training gaps and the potential consequences of non-compliance.

6. Offer Additional Support

For learners who struggle with training, offer more in-depth assistance:

• Custom Training Sessions
  Set up one-on-one or group training sessions with an expert, either virtually or in person, to address specific challenges.

• Learning Resources
  Provide additional learning materials, such as explainer videos, cheat sheets, or reading materials, to reinforce difficult concepts.

• Access to Help Desk
  Encourage learners to reach out to a dedicated help desk for any technical or content-related queries. Ensure support teams are prepared to offer guidance quickly.

7. Monitor Compliance Risk

For learners that consistently fail or are close to missing compliance deadlines, set up a compliance risk-monitoring plan:

• Weekly Progress Check-Ins
  Have a Manager or other suitable person check in with the learner weekly to ensure they are progressing on retakes and are on track for compliance.

• Compliance Reports
  Regularly provide Managers with a compliance progress report, highlighting where they are in terms of meeting regulatory requirements and passing the necessary training.

8. Consequences of Non-Compliance

In cases where learners are unable to meet compliance requirements, it’s important to have a clear plan for addressing this; and you may need to consider:

• Formal Warning Letters
  If the learner is at risk of violating compliance regulations due to training failures, send a formal warning letter outlining the risks, consequences, and next steps.

• Contractual Clauses
  If your service agreement includes compliance training as part of the contract, consider invoking any contractual penalties, such as withholding certifications, charging additional fees for non-compliance, or limiting services.

• Notify Regulatory Authorities (If Required)
  In extreme cases where non-compliance poses a significant risk, and they are legally required to complete the training, you may need to notify the appropriate regulatory authorities.

9. Preventative Measures

• Identify Problem Areas Early
  Track common failure points in your training assessments. If a specific module or quiz is frequently failed, it might need to be revised for clarity or content relevance.

• Pre-Training Diagnostics
  For high-risk learners, offer a pre-training diagnostic or readiness assessment to identify knowledge gaps before they begin. This helps to better target their training needs.

10. Build a Long-Term Compliance Strategy

Work with learners to build a continuous compliance strategy:

• Scheduled Refreshers
  Make refresher courses part of an annual or biannual plan, helping learners stay up to date with compliance requirements.

• Learner Training Plan Reviews
  Periodically review the learner’s overall training plan to identify areas for improvement and ensure they remain compliant in the long term.

Summary Approach to Handling Learner Failures:

1. Immediate action: Retake options and feedback, notify managers.

2. Follow-up: Email communication, review sessions, or live webinars.

3. Escalation: Formal deadlines, internal escalation, compliance reporting.

4. Support: Additional learning resources, one-on-one support, help desk access.

5. Monitor compliance risk: Regular check-ins, compliance progress reports.

6. Consequences: Formal warnings, potential contractual action, regulatory notification if required.

7. Preventative measures: Analyse failure points and improve content accordingly.

By planning ahead and having a comprehensive response strategy, you can help learners recover from early failures and achieve a great outcome. Accepting that you will need to plan and provide an additional layer to catch those who need a little extra, will always optimise your return and give your training experience a positive outcome.

Hopefully, this has given you ideas for helping your fallout learners, however, if it all feels a little overwhelming or you want an extra pair of hands or just a sounding block for your plans, please contact me and we can manage it together.