All business owners know that when you have a group of employees working for you, it’s essential to train both new and current employees. This training sets the foundation for how your employees behave in the workplace and also communicates your expectations and goals.
Lack of instruction or clear objectives leads to chaotic day-to-day operations. In this kind of environment, miscommunication and missed deadlines could become routine.
Before you begin training employees on topics such as customer service, workplace compliance, and leadership, it’s important to have a plan laid out. How will you train your employees? Will you use videos or in-person training? How will you measure their success? Consider all of these when making your plan to train employees.
Keep the Company Aligned
The best thing about training new and current employees is that it creates an alignment of ideas and values. Employees can see where the company is taking them and how they can help get there faster. Whether it be training to use a new software program or introducing a new mentality in the company culture, when your employees are on the same page, your business’s revenue and productivity will skyrocket.
Use Microlearning
When it comes to the actual training of your employees, you may feel lost as to how you should get your message across. Many employees prefer using a microlearning model, such as the one created by ej4.
These bite-sized training modules are easy to digest and help employees go through their training in an efficient manner at their own pace. Sitting in front of long videos or listening to an in-person lecture often results in losing your employee’s attention. With short videos, they are more likely to stay engaged. Plus, they will feel that the training isn’t as long and intensive when it’s broken down into short units.
Incentivize Employees
It’s easy to get a new employee on board to train for their new position and get to know the company. The hard part is getting your current employees to do it as well. Even when new routines or programs are introduced, your current employees may feel like they don’t need to complete the training right away.
To help you encourage your employees to complete their required training, try to incentivize them to do so before a certain date. Whether you hold a raffle or simply offer a certificate of completion, some type of reward ensures your team gets through the training exercises at a reasonable rate.
Try Different Training Techniques
There is no right way to train your employees. In fact, the type of training depends on the topic you’re teaching. For example, if you’re introducing a new software program to your employees, the best way to train them might be through online video courses. However, if you’re teaching leadership, an in-person conference or classroom setting could be more effective.
Try out different training techniques to see what works best for your company and employees. It’s important to find the right fit for productive and effective training of your employees so you can make the most of their time and yours.
