hort answer: Several HR webinar providers run live sessions and also keep recordings: SHRM (live webinars plus SHRM On Demand and eLearning), BizLibrary (monthly live webinars plus an on-demand course library, usually bought by employers) and Pedu (every live session recorded and added to your account within 24 hours). Others offer free live webinars with credit tied to live attendance. "Both" only helps you if one purchase covers both formats and the recording earns the same credit.
What "both" should actually mean
Plenty of providers record their webinars. That alone doesn’t make them hybrid. A provider that genuinely offers both formats should give you five things:
- One purchase, two formats. Registering for the live session should also get you the recording, without a second fee.
- A fast recording. If the recording takes two weeks to appear, you’ve lost the point of catching up the same week.
- The same credit either way. Watching the recording should earn the same SHRM PDCs and HRCI credit as attending live, if the provider’s approvals cover recorded viewing.
- A clear access window. You should know how long you can watch before you start.
A way to ask questions later. Even if it’s just emailing the provider, recording viewers should be able to get an answer.
Who offers both, and how they differ
- SHRM. Live webinars worth 1 PDC each, with free registration for members on many. On demand: SHRM On Demand (1 to 60 PDCs) and eLearning (1 to 5 PDCs). Best value if you’re already a SHRM member; topics follow SHRM’s calendar.
- BizLibrary. Monthly HR and L&D webinars, select ones approved for SHRM and HRCI credit, plus a large course library with many PDC- and HRCI-eligible courses. Usually an employer subscription built for whole workforces.
- Pedu. HR, payroll and OSHA compliance webinars of 60 to 120 minutes. The recording lands in your account within 24 hours, next to a recorded-session library, with the same SHRM and HRCI credit live or recorded. $199 per session, or annual plans.
- Payroll software companies, such as Patriot Software. Free payroll webinars; in Patriot’s announcement, credit is tied to live attendance.
- E-Verify (USCIS). Free Form I-9 and E-Verify webinars eligible for SHRM and HRCI credit, plus on-demand videos. The official source for I-9 rules, with a narrow topic range.
This list is a starting point, not a ranking. Which one suits you depends on what you need: SHRM’s breadth, a library your employer already pays for, or specialist compliance topics with flexible timing.
Why hybrid access matters more than it sounds
Live webinars run at fixed times, usually midday U.S. Central or Eastern time. That’s fine until real work collides with it. A payroll manager in the middle of a quarter-end close isn’t joining a 90-minute webinar at noon, however good it is. Neither is an HR generalist handling a termination meeting that got moved.
Hybrid access turns those missed sessions into next-day viewing instead of a lost fee. It also helps teams across time zones: a 12:00 PM Central session starts at 10:00 AM in California and 8:00 AM in Hawaii, right when many West Coast HR teams are clearing their morning queue.
The other benefit is rewatching. Complex topics like multistate payroll tax or the overlap between FMLA, ADA and workers’ comp rarely sink in at one sitting. A recording lets you replay the 10 minutes that matter to your case.
Six questions to ask before you register
- Does my registration include the recording, or is it sold separately?
- How long after the live session does the recording appear?
- Does watching the recording earn the same SHRM and HRCI credit?
- How long can I watch it, and can I rewatch?
- Do I get slides or a transcript?
- If I watch the recording, how do I ask the speaker a question?
If the provider’s site doesn’t answer these, email them before you pay. A clear answer within a day tells you something about the support you’ll get later.
When one format is enough
Live-only is fine when the topic is changing fast and you know you can attend, because the Q&A is worth more than the flexibility. On-demand-only is fine for stable, process-heavy topics, such as filling out a form you handle once a year, or when you’re closing a credit gap against a deadline.
How it works at Pedu
Every Pedu registration covers the live session on GoTo Webinar and its recording. The recording lands in your account within 24 hours, you stream it on any device, and you earn the same SHRM and HRCI credit as live attendees. Transcripts and certificates download from your account.
See what’s coming on the webinar calendar, browse live webinars or start a recorded session today. For help with access links or recordings, the help center has step-by-step fixes.
Each session page names the speaker, and the speakers page shows their full background.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a live webinar and an on-demand webinar?
A live webinar happens at a set time, and you can ask the speaker questions as it runs. An on-demand webinar is a recording you start whenever you like and can pause or rewatch. Many providers turn each live session into an on-demand one afterward.
How soon after a live HR webinar is the recording available?
It varies by provider, from a few hours to a couple of weeks. At Pedu, the recording is added to your account within 24 hours of the live session.
Can I ask questions if I watch the recording instead?
Not in real time. Some providers pass emailed questions to the speaker or answer them through support. Ask before you register if Q&A matters for the topic.
What happens if I register for a live webinar and can’t attend?
With a hybrid provider, you watch the recording instead and still earn the credit. At Pedu, the recording arrives in your account automatically, so a missed live session isn’t a lost purchase.
Do recorded HR webinars come with slides or a transcript?
Some do, some don’t. Pedu provides transcripts, certificates and invoices as downloads from your account, so you can search the material later instead of scrubbing through video.
What platform are live HR webinars hosted on?
Most providers use Zoom or GoTo Webinar. Pedu runs live sessions on GoTo Webinar, with join links emailed 24 hours and again 1 hour before the start.
Can I watch a recorded HR webinar on my phone?
Usually, yes. Most providers stream recordings in the browser. Pedu recordings play on any device from your account, which helps if you catch up during a commute or between meetings.
Is on-demand HR training as effective as live training?
For stable, process-based topics it can be just as effective, and you can rewatch the hard parts. For new or messy legal topics, live is usually better because the Q&A surfaces real situations. The best results come from mixing the two.
How do I decide between live and on-demand for a particular topic?
Ask two questions: is the rule new or changing, and will I have questions specific to my company? If either answer is yes, go live. If both are no, the recording will do.
