Corporate training programs are a necessity. They help develop a skilled workforce. They lay the groundwork for employees to become experts and assets to the company. Each organization approaches training differently – and it quickly becomes obvious which are doing it right and which are doing it wrong. If you have an employee training program or need to build one, there are several things to consider to maximize the benefits for trainees and the company as a whole.
Why Do Corporate Training Programs Fall Short?
There are several reasons that a training program may fall short. There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but there are some commonalities to consider. You can’t fix something until you know what part of it is broken.
- Learners That Aren’t Engaged – Engagement is one of the biggest challenges corporate trainers face. When the class is engaged, they will remember more and be enthusiastic about the process. They will be more likely to continue to learn after the class is over. A Gallup report found that 51% of employees are not actively engaged in their jobs with another 17% being actively disengaged. Engagement is directly linked to business outcomes and financial success, which is why companies should be concerned about these statistics.
Gallup report: https://news.gallup.com/poll/188144/employee-engagement-stagnant-2015.aspx
- Poor Information Retention – Trainees shouldn’t just be going through the motions to complete a course. They should be gaining knowledge that stays with them and can be applied to their job roles. Poor information retention means a business could end up with employees who do not fully understand some or many of the tasks that they are responsible for each day. A training course that enables learners to slide by without expanding their skill set isn’t beneficial to anyone.
- Inconvenient Access to Training – There’s no excuse for inconvenience when it comes to access to training materials and coursework. Employees are often already busy and sometimes overloaded. They will be less inclined to become successful learners if the training material is hard to find, if they have a time limit on access to key resources, or if course schedules are restrictive.
- A Lack of Learner Autonomy – Adults prefer to have autonomy. If they feel like they have no freedom or are being micromanaged, it can hurt their motivation and morale. They want to know that they have options and can choose the direction their career moves in. Rigid training programs tend to eliminate any sense of independence.
- Too Much Information at a Time – Too much information coming at a learner too quickly is much more difficult to digest. Some training programs work with large, cumbersome segments of instruction that can leave learners feeling frustrated. It can also harm self-confidence since the implied expectation is that the learner should remember most of what is presented to them, even when the quantity makes that nearly impossible.
How Can I Maximize My Corporate Training Program?
The first thing to remember is that your employees are human beings, and should be treated as such throughout training. Using an assembly line approach dehumanizes the learner. It also means individual educational needs will not be met. The good news is that you can maximize your corporate training program simply by taking a different approach to how you handle the process.
- Engagement is a Two-Way Street – Engagement requires two-direction communication. That means employees should have a voice. Open-door policies are beneficial to keep dialog about training and other topics open and free-flowing. Casual, friendly relationships with managers and supervisors are also recommended. This will not only improve the training process but set a positive tone throughout the workplace.
- Apply Different Training Methods – Different people learn in different ways. Your training program should utilize multiple methods. You can still utilize traditional learning materials like documents and slideshows. Modern learning management systems include advanced features like simulations, social activities, and whiteboards. Expose learners to the information using different approaches that include text and visual mediums. Also be open to feedback so you can refine your methods or explore new ones.
- Keep Learning Materials Accessible – The more convenient your learning materials are to access, the more likely your trainees will be to use them. Chances are the people attending the training course must also work a part or full-time shift and manage their personal and family life. eLearning improves accessibility by letting learners login 24 hours a day from anywhere. Also remember to use file libraries, wikis, and similar repositories that create a searchable collection of resources for employees.
- Let the Trainee Choose More Often – Give your trainees options and let them choose at least part of their educational journey. While some classes may be required, you can also include cross-training opportunities that let the employee expand and diversify their skill set. This improves engagement and will make trainees more interested in the training program. Give them more control over their learning path and watch them flourish.
- Break Lessons into Bite-Size Pieces – Microlearning has proven to be a valuable asset to corporate trainers. Break content down into small bite-sized pieces that focus on one topic or one aspect of a topic. This makes the information much easier to remember and prevents the learner from feeling overwhelmed. Many LMSs offer features related to microlearning that let trainers break bigger subjects down into smaller segments that can be easily organized and distributed.
Listen to your employees to gain insight into how well your corporate training program is working. Companies have access to a wealth of features and eLearning tools that can completely change the way you train for the better.
