At S&W Training, we offered online modules in addition to our intensive face-to-face German courses long before the Corona crisis. However, these online modules were not designed as an alternative to face-to-face courses, but as a value-adding supplement. This was the explicit wish of our clients.
Then came the corona crisis – an extremely unpleasant and tragic event, but also an experiment. Under extreme external pressure, many companies suddenly discovered what they could have tested before: Namely, that home office could be a not only unavoidable but also quite sensible alternative to daily office presence.
For our industry, the pandemic meant that face-to-face courses were ruled out for some time and the demand for online courses boomed.
For us at S&W Training, this was a very difficult but also very educational experience. We had to adjust to the possibility that the time of face-to-face courses might be over for good. And that’s what we did, of course.
Today we know more. Many large companies – especially in the USA – are calling their employees back to the office from the home office with some pressure.
And intensive face-to-face courses are also becoming much more important again in German training. Personally, I think that’s a good thing. And more importantly, our clients think so too.
All experience suggests that – at least in the areas of language, communication and intercultural skills – face-to-face training is clearly superior to all online alternatives. But well-designed online modules can be what economists call ‘second best solutions’.
Our experience is not the only clear indication that hybrid concepts, i.e. the combination of individual intensive face-to-face courses with online modules, are particularly promising.
At S&W Training, we offer you a programme tailored to your individual possibilities and needs.
However, those companies which, even according to the current state of knowledge, stick to a ‘digital-only policy’ should perhaps reconsider this in the interest of their managers.