Need an employee training program but not sure where to start? Here’s a 4-step process to get you started.
There’s a reason US employers spend $177 billion annually on training: it’s vital to the health of every organization.
Developing a continuous learning culture can help your business solve problems, fix inefficient processes, outsmart the competition, and retain top talent. But it’s not as easy as slapping together a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation.
Not all training is created equal. Anyone who experienced lackluster VHS-tape training in the ‘90s knows this all too well.
The good news: effective training doesn’t come from a secret formula. And it doesn’t have to break the bank, either! Like everything else we do at RTG Solutions Group, we believe excellent training is developed through proven methodology.
And that’s exactly what we’re sharing here: a straightforward, 4-step method to create an effective employee training program.
In this article, we cover the following steps and how you can execute them like a training pro:
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- List and prioritize training objectives
- Select a format for your employee training program
- Develop an interactive curriculum based on your goals
- Measure the results
1: List and prioritize training objectives
The first thing you should do when planning a new training program is identify your objectives. In other words, define exactly what you want to accomplish with your training program. This step will be a two-part process.
The first part of this process is to outline all possible goals for your employee training program. You can pinpoint these goals by asking yourself (and your team members) questions like:
Which tasks are employees struggling with?
What business problem do I need to solve?
Which areas of the business are under-performing?
What skills do I want my employees to develop?
What is the competition doing better than my organization?
Once you’ve listed your goals, it’s time to narrow down that list. Why? Well, every business initiative needs a realistic scope, and training is no exception.
If your goals are too lofty (or too many), you risk over-extending your resources. Consequently, you’ll end up with a watered-down result. So, if you want to maximize the impact of your new training program, prioritizing certain goals over others is a must. This will ensure that your project is guided by a clear and attainable scope.
To sum it up, Step 1 is to identify and prioritize the goals of your training program. While it may seem tedious, this will maximize your program’s success. This is because it will tie your training program to your organization’s strategic goals – but more on that shortly!
2: Select a format for your employee training program
Once you define the goals and scope, you should select a format for the training. That is, you need to decide how you want the training to be delivered to employees.
There’s a variety of training methods you can incorporate, such as:
- Instructor-led training
- Online training
- Simulation-based training
- Asynchronous learning
- Hands-on training
You can also develop a hybrid training program, which combines one or more of the methods listed above.
Depending on your timeline, goals, budget, and audience, some delivery formats will be more effective than others.
At RTG Solutions Group, we believe online training is the right path forward in 2021 and beyond. With Learning Management Systems (LMS), organizations can easily create remote or hybrid training programs that are flexible, cost-effective, interactive, results-driven, and based on best-practices in instructional design.
For further reading on LMS platforms, check out these articles:
Transition to Remote Training: 3 Things to Know for 2020 and Beyond
3: Develop an interactive curriculum based on your goals
So, you’ve set your goals and selected your training format. Now you’re ready to create the actual content of your training.
The strategic goals you outlined in Step 1 should form the basis of your training content. In other words, training modules should include the information needed to achieve your goals. This is how you’ll sync your employee training program directly to your business’ overall performance objectives. See why that step was so important?
Leaders who develop training for the first time often find it difficult to determine what bits of information should be included, and what should be left out. For this reason, it is helpful to collaborate with an instructional design consultant when you craft your training.
As experts trained in the science of learning, instructional design pros help you prioritize the most important information for your training needs. They will also organize and display your training content in a way that is optimized for learning.
As you assemble your training modules, make sure to use effective training strategies. Specifically, don’t forget to make your training interactive! There are many proven benefits to interactive workplace training:
Helps employees retain information
- Makes employees more engaged in training
- Encourages active learning
- Boosts the overall impact of training
- Allows businesses to gauge employee understanding
- Gives trainees the chance to practice new skills in a low-risk setting
Over the last few years, interactive learning technology has exploded in popularity. This means it’s easier than ever for businesses to create immersive training experiences, even for remote training!
Some of our favorite interactive learning techniques include:
- Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
- Gamification
- Interactive videos
- Adaptive learning
- Microlearning
- Simulations
- 360° media
To read more about innovative, immersive training tech: 5 Innovative Online Learning Tools That Will Boost Employee Engagement.
4: Measure the results
When you invest company resources on training, you are going to want the results to support the investment. Therefore, it’s crucial to measure the results of your training program.
Remember those LMS platforms we mentioned earlier? One of the biggest advantages of utilizing an LMS is they can measure the efficacy of your training for you.
LMS software comes equipped with tools to monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A KPI is any variable that can gauge business performance. So, in addition to housing training modules, your LMS software can measure KPIs related to training.
It can track everything from employee comprehension to performance changes. It is a huge benefit to measure the real-time impact of your employee training program right in your LMS.
Conclusion
Training is vital to every organization. It helps employees reach their potential, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and enhances business performance.
At RTG Solutions Group, we help businesses develop training programs that meet their immediate needs and set them on course to reach long-term goals. With these 4 simple steps, you can create a high-impact employee training program for your business.
Need help developing a new employee training program? Contact us today to speak with our training experts!