If you are already a thriving and business with a large workforce, it may seem like you have employee training figured out. But there’s always room for improvement, and with the ever-changing landscape of business, it is important to keep up with the latest best practices for employee training. Some of the trainings found here on worktraining.com may even surprise you.
Developing a comprehensive employee training program can be daunting, but it is worth the investment. A good employee training program will improve job satisfaction, decrease turnover, and increase productivity.
Here are some tips:
1) Make sure your employees are receiving the right type of training for their position. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to employee training – what works for a customer service representative may not work for a software developer.
2) Consider using online training tools and resources. With so much information available online, there is no excuse not to take advantage of this wealth of knowledge. Not only are there numerous articles and blog posts on employee training, but there are also entire online courses available.
3) Utilize a mix of training methods. While online resources are extremely helpful, they should not be the only training your employees receive. In-person training, role-playing, and shadowing are all excellent ways to supplement online learning.
4) Make sure your employees have the opportunity to practice what they have learned. Simply learning new information is not enough – employees need to be able to put their knowledge into practice in order to truly benefit from it.
5) Provide feedback and encourage collaboration. After employees have had a chance to try out their new skills, give them feedback on their performance. Additionally, create opportunities for employees to share their experiences with each other so that everyone can learn from each other.
The Training and Development Process
There are four steps in the training and development process: needs assessment, design and implementation, evaluation, and maintenance.
1) Needs Assessment:
The first step is to assess the needs of your employees. What skills do they currently have? What skills do they need to improve? What new skills do they need to learn? Once you have answered these questions, you can begin to design a training program that will address the needs of your employees.
For example, if you find that your employees need to improve their customer service skills, you can design a training program that focuses on teaching them the necessary skills.
2) Design and Implementation:
The next step is to design and implement the employee training program. This step includes creating learning objectives, selecting appropriate instructional methods, designing materials and activities, and developing a schedule for delivery.
For example, if you are going to use online resources as part of your employee training program, you will need to select the specific articles, blog posts, or courses that you want your employees to use.
3) Evaluation:
After the employee training program has been delivered, it is important to evaluate its effectiveness. This step helps you to determine whether or not the objectives of the training were met and identify areas for improvement.
For example, you may want to survey your employees to get their feedback on the training.
4) Maintenance:
The final step in the process is maintenance. This involves maintaining records of employee training, updating materials as needed, and providing ongoing support to employees.
For example, you may want to create a system for tracking employee training so that you can easily see who has completed which courses.
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind:
- Before anything else, you need to know what kind of training your company needs and wants.
- What do you hope to achieve?
- Home in on specific training goals to achieve.
- Make a list of your objectives in one easy-to-access place.
- Choose the most effective Training and Development strategies.
- Consider all your options and decide what is best for you.
- Implement programs.
- Set up and execute your training programs.
- Evaluate programs.
- Make sure you have effective methods of assessment and use them.
Types of Employee Training Programs Based on the Mode of Dissemination
Employee training and development can also be sorted by the type of learning channel being used. Classroom sessions used to be the only option for HR, but now there are a variety of modes that have expanded its reach:
1. Self-driven e-learning: In this system, workers are given training materials in a digital format, such as on a learning management system (LMS) or via MOOCs. A specific time limit has been established, allowing the employee to choose a convenient training timetable. Online education may also come with certificates that improve the employee’s overall employability.
2. Role-play/Simulations: In the past, role-play was a popular method for teaching soft skills and diversity training. With the recent rise in popularity of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), people now have easier access to simulated environments. By placing employees in real-world scenarios, they are able to learn through observation.
3. Mentoring/One-on-one coaching: The employee is assigned a dedicated trainer who leads them through the learning process. Mentoring can happen through an internal community, like Google. Or, it can leverage skilled professionals who are already present in your company. In contrast, coaching could engage outside experts.
4. Lecture sessions: Online training is unique in that it allows one instructor to teach a huge group at the same time. You may also conduct live webinars with interactive features so that employees can have a meaningful Q&A on the training topic, in addition to in-person lectures.
5. Hands-on/Apprenticeship: This is beneficial for new employees during the onboarding process, as they may observe managers and workers and pick up essential skills. Keeping in mind the 70:20:10 framework, 70% of learning comes from experiences — and this training method takes advantage of it.
Conclusion
By following these best practices, you can develop an employee training program that meets the specific needs of your company. With the right strategy in place, you can ensure that your employees have the skills and knowledge they need to perform their jobs effectively.