Effectiveness of online off-the-job training in attracting participants and video-on-demand streaming in improving work–life balance: A study focusing on medical technologists

Abstract

The Nara Association of Medical Technologists has introduced online Off-Job Training (Off-JT) starting from FY2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we aim to evaluate the online Off-JT, which differs from the traditional face-to-face format. First, we compared the online Off-JT and face-to-face Off-JT formats in terms of their ability to attract participants. Despite having fewer training sessions (40.8% less), the online format had an average attendance of 105.4% higher (39.7 vs. 19.3) than that of the face-to-face format. To enhance participant convenience, we offered a limited number of live and video-on-demand (VOD) sessions on YouTube and evaluated their usefulness through an online survey focusing on work–life balance (WLB). The survey results showed that 81.9% (458/559) of the respondents reported an improvement in WLB. The effect on WLB improvement varied depending on the viewing method, with VOD sessions showing an 84.1% (376/447) improvement and live sessions showing a 73.2% (82/112) improvement. We believe that the increased capability of the online Off-JT to attract participants is mainly due to the elimination of travel burdens through internet-connected devices. The combination of live and VOD sessions on YouTube allowed participants to adjust their viewing time, leading to a better allocation of free time and improved WLB. The online Off-JT and VOD delivery have been shown to enhance convenience for participants by eliminating geographical and time constraints, resulting in positive effects.