4 Ways to Train Employees Effectively

 

1. Blend in-person training and online training.

Both in-person and online training have inherent benefits. The aforementioned InterCall survey found that 50 percent of employers believed in-person training helped them retain information. This makes sense considering that the trainer would be able to answer employee questions while presenting the material.  

But once the trainer leaves the office and employees try to apply their new skills, who’s going to clear up any confusion? This is probably why 48 percent of respondents said they still want to be able to review content at a later time.

By incorporating both in-person and online resources, employees are able to get a fuller understanding of the information during training and have a reference to turn to if issues arise in the future.

2. Provide hands-on training.

In a 2013 Skillsoft survey of over 1,000 office workers, 33 percent said they prefer to learn by feeling or experiencing what they’re learning about. Hands-on training affords employees the opportunity to apply what they’re learning before they have to translate the skills to their day-to-day tasks.

Whenever possible, let employees try out and experiment with their new skills in a controlled environment. This will help them build confidence without risking the chance that inexperience will lead to harmful mistakes.

3. Incorporate mobile training apps.

More and more positions now come with some location flexibility. Data from Global Workplace Analytics in September found that as much as 25 percent of American employees work remotely to some degree.   

Given the importance of training, it’s surprising that in a 2014 Brandon Hall survey of over 500 companies, only 10 percent reported a high level of mobile learning module usage.

4. Allow employees to learn at their own pace.

Everybody learns at their own speed, but most companies aren’t considering that fact when designing training programs. The 2014 Association for Talent Developmentsurvey of 340 organizations found that only 16 percent of responding companies use online training methods that allow employees to set their own pace.

SOURCE:entrepreneur.com