Training budgets are down, and layoffs within L&D organizations are mounting. So how are companies delivering their training these days? You'd think that they would be moving more of their programs online to save money, right? Wrong.

It is true that L&D organizations have modified their training delivery methods - but not toward e-learning. In fact, the proportion of training hours taken online has dropped for the first time ever, partly due to recent budget and staffing cuts. (See the recently published "Corporate Learning Factbook' report for more information.) This is somewhat ironic, since many companies originally turned to online learning to save money from their classroom programs.  But companies have found that the investment in learning technology, content, and internal staffing adds up, and so they are switching to coaching, collaborative programs, and other less costly methods.

The proliferation of social networking tools such as communities of practice, wikis, and blogs is helping this trend. Companies are recognizing that group exercises  and facilitated communication improve not just the learning experience,  but also social connections with the company.

So if your company is facing budget constraints, try looking at coaching and collaborative approaches. These can be relatively inexpensive - and yet highly effective - methods for learning.