10 Best online course ideas for workplace training

Investing in your employees’ growth is the key to boosting sales and collective productivity. With the changes in the digital economy, company training has morphed into flexible forms, shifting from face-to-face interactions to online programs.

This article presents the best online course ideas for workplace training. Read on to discover their definition, benefits, and best practices for implementation.

What is an online course?

Accessible through the internet, an online course is a form of education that allows learners to take lessons remotely. Compared to the traditional setup where the teacher and student meet face-to-face, online learning breaks down distance and language barriers, giving everyone more opportunities to interact, collaborate, and learn at their own pace.

Online course idea #1 - Digital literacy

Harness the power of today’s digital landscape for your business. Technology offers plenty of options for training and marketing through the use of computers, smartphones, and artificial intelligence. It also streamlines workflow operations, allowing employees to optimize their daily routines.

Empower your team to use the latest trends by investing in digital literacy training. Learning management systems like SC Training (formerly EdApp) have long been the go-to for upskilling employees. Its mobile-first platform lets you put training in your team’s pockets anytime and anywhere. Explore their extensive course library, where you can choose from over 1,000 courses to customize according to your preferences.

Deliver highly-targeted digital literacy training with programs that can be completed in under five minutes. These can be taken on any device and shared among popular work platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Recommended courses on digital literacy:

• Digital Marketing by SC Training
• Cyber Security by SC Training
• Digital Skills: Digital Skills for Work and Life by Future Learn

Access popular online course ideas perfect for upskilling teams. Join SC Training (formerly EdApp) today.

Online course idea #2 - Project management

Enable the smooth execution of projects from start to finish by training your team to understand the importance of time management and goal setting. To guarantee your project stays within budget from conception to completion, maintain open lines of communication among your team.

If you’re looking for online course ideas for your next instructional design project, SC Training’s course library offers plenty of opportunities for your team to hone their report writing, collaboration, and delegation skills. Remember, proper staff training saves you from unnecessary expenses produced by miscommunication and preventable errors.

Recommended courses on project management:

• Introduction to Project Management by SC Training
• Communication in Project Management by SC Training
• Fundamentals of Project Management by Alison

Online course idea #3 - AI for business

Digital advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed how businesses conduct their operations. Forbes reports that from 2010 to 2020, the state of data increased by almost 5,000%. Technology has made it easy for companies to broadcast their products to a global audience.

Stay ahead of the game and take advantage of the latest AI trends! Through precise data and analytics, AI can help you develop algorithms to analyze market trends, automate repetitive tasks, and simplify training.

Recommended courses on AI for business:

• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence by SC Training
• Introduction to Generative AI by Google Cloud Skills Boost
• Generative AI for Everyone by Coursera

Online course idea #4 - Social media marketing

Reach more customers by elevating your brand presence online. Course examples like social media marketing help your business tap into a wider market by using various social platforms to advertise your products.

A strong presence online increases your chances of attracting a loyal customer base. Popular channels like Instagram and Facebook are the go-tos for increasing traffic to your website. So find an employee training LMS with course topics on strategies for effective online engagement.

Recommended courses on social media marketing:

• Social Media and Electronic Communication by SC Training
• The Complete Social Media Marketing Course by Alison
• Introduction to Social Media by Simplilearn

Online course idea #5 - Cybersecurity essentials

Safeguard your business from online threats! Cybersecurity training equips your team with the awareness to understand the different cyber-attacks your business is exposed to. Giving them the knowledge and skills to remain vigilant reduces the chances of exposing private company information to lurkers.

Phishing emails, unsecured websites, and fraudulent links are some common tactics hackers use to steal your data. Take a proactive stance by investing in cybersecurity training for your employees today.

Recommended courses on cybersecurity essentials:

• Cybersecurity & Internal Threats by SC Training
• Cybersecurity Awareness by SC Training
• Network Defense Essentials (N|DE) by EC-Council

Online course idea #6 - Diversity and Equity

Cultivate a safe and inclusive working environment for your team. Diversity training educates them to let go of their unconscious bias toward others, boosting employee engagement and retention rates.

Building a space where people of diverse backgrounds can thrive is key to achieving collective success, as it removes prejudice and misunderstanding. When workers feel accepted for who they are, they’ll feel more comfortable and inspired to come to work every day.

Recommended courses on diversity and equity:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by SC Training
• Gender and the Sustainable Development Goals by SC Training
• Unconscious Bias by The Open University

Online course idea #7 - Networking and relationship building

The backbone of a healthy work-life balance is nurturing strong, working relationships with your team. Surrounding yourself with people with whom you can be your most authentic self eases the burden of your job’s day-to-day activities.

Encouraging healthy relationships among your members is good for both individual morale and the entire team. This ultimately leads to faster turnarounds, smoother collaboration, and higher retention rates. As the manager, you can initiate this through after-work dinners or team-building activities.

Recommended courses on networking and relationship building:

• How to Develop Strong Working Relationships by SC Training
• Connection and Collaboration by SC Training
• Developing high trust work relationships by The Open University

Online course idea #8 - Mental health awareness

We live in an age where the discussion surrounding mental health is no longer considered taboo. Many companies have realized how it affects their employees’ overall performance and productivity.

Reduce the stigma by encouraging your team to care for their mental health. Foster a safe space where they can open up about trauma, stress, depression, and anxiety. Mental health awareness strengthens your bonds, as members feel assured that they don’t have to struggle alone—everyone in the team is willing to listen and help if needed.

Recommended courses on mental health awareness:

• Mental Health in the Workplace by SC Training
• Mental Health & Wellbeing (Hospitality) by SC Training
• Personal and Team Resilience by SC Training

Online course idea #9 - Presentation skills

The ability to effectively communicate your ideas to an audience is a skill that’s sharpened over time. Good communicators are highly sought after in the workplace, as they’re proven to be valuable team players. For an organization to achieve its collective goals, there must be healthy collaboration among its members.

Presentation skills training will inspire your team to effectively explain their ideas during meetings through structured content, data, and visuals. Aside from reducing miscommunication in the workplace, this also opens up doors of career opportunities for your members.

Recommended courses on presentation skills:

• Effective Communication by SC Training
• Communication in Project Management by SC Training
• English for Freelancers: Communication Skills I by SC Training

Online course idea #10 - Copywriting

While it’s true that everyone can write, not a lot of people are skilled at engaging their audiences through the power of words. Time has proven that the best way to drive product sales is to craft engaging content that makes a lasting impression on customers.

Harness the power of digital marketing by improving your team’s copywriting skills. Take advantage of social media posts, email blasts, website content, and advertisements. Copywriting training is among the most marketable courses, as it encourages creativity and teaches workers about the latest trends and best practices.

Recommended courses on copywriting:

• The 5 C's of writing news for mobile audiences by SC Training
• Effective E-mail Communication by SC Training
• Learning to Write Marketing Copy by Class Central

How to choose an online course topic

After reading through this list of examples, now’s the time for you to select the best online course topic for your team. To help narrow things down, follow these three easy steps:

1. Analyze your target audience: Does your team work in retail, manufacturing, or hospitality? Make sure your online course fits into the industry they’re working in.
2. Consider their industry-specific needs: how will your course address specific pain points or any lingering questions they might have?
3. Choose topics you’re familiar with: Lastly, in finalizing your ideas for online courses, make sure your choices cover topics you’re familiar with. As their manager, you’ve got to guide them throughout the learning process. You can also elevate their learning experience by sharing personal discoveries and reflections, to make it easier for the team to absorb new information.

Discover the best online course ideas with the top mobile learning platform for global teams. Join SC Training today.