Five steps to developing an effective training program

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Assess training needs: The first step in developing a training program is to identify and assess needs. At the employee level, the training should match the identified areas where improvement is needed. This can be comprehensively identified through feedback and evaluations. Create training action plan: The next step is to create a comprehensive action plan that includes learning theories, instructional design, content, materials and other training elements.

Resources and training delivery methods should also be detailed. Many companies pilot their initiatives and gather feedback to make adjustments well before launching the program company-wide. Implement training initiatives: The implementation phase is where the training program comes to life.

Organizations need to decide whether training will be delivered in-house or externally coordinated. Program implementation should consider employee engagement and learning KPI goals, as well as thoroughly planning the scheduling of training activities and any related resources facilities, equipment, create questionnaire process etc.

The training program is then officially launched, promoted and conducted. During training, participant progress should be monitored to ensure that the program is effective. In the end, the entire program should be evaluated to determine if it was successful and met training objectives.

Feedback should be obtained from all stakeholders to determine program and instructor effectiveness, plus knowledge or skill acquisition. Creating a strong employer value proposition. Providing training to employees is a good way of attracting new candidates, thus having a stronger group of potential candidates to choose from. Classroom-based Certified facilitators generally lead classroom-based training seminars or programs.

Interactive Interactive training can be cost-effective and useful for training larger groups of employees. On-the-job This employee training approach requires employees to learn as they perform their duties. Online training Online training or e-learning is one of the most commonly employed and effective methods of training. Types of employee training and development programs Beyond training methods, there are also a number of other things to consider before developing your employee training program.

Internal or outsourced training: You can choose to create a company training program or hire a professional to do the job. Classroom-style or workshop-style: For presentations and sessions that involve storytelling, classroom-style is often best. In-house seminars vs. Skills-based training or management training: Training can revolve around hard skills, such as technology use, or soft skills, such as being a better supervisor.

On-the-job training or external resources training: Training can be done while the employee is doing their job or through external sources, where the employee is given material such as e-learning tools to review at home.

How to create an effective employee training program Planning is critical when setting up an effective employee training program. Here are a few steps you can take to plan for and implement a program to help ensure a solid return on your investment: 1.

Perform an assessment The first step is to assess any gaps in areas such as productivity, quality assurance and employee satisfaction. Identify the necessary competencies A competency is a general term that refers to the groups of skills, knowledge, behaviors and abilities that are necessary for the success of the organization as a whole, as well as each employee in their specific position.

A few examples of competencies are: Building effective teams Business acumen Customer service Once you pinpoint the competencies that your company wants to develop, you can define the training needed to instill them in your employees. Develop a targeted training and development plan Your training and development plan should specify learning objectives that aim to strengthen weak points.

Incorporate mentorship and coaching Mentorship is a valuable addition to any training and development program because it encourages your team to build relationships with each other.

Here are a few tips to make sure your mentoring program is a success: When mentees and mentors have similar personalities, communication styles and approaches, it often results in a much more successful experience for both parties involved. Make sure that both parties understand the purpose, responsibilities and expectations of the relationship.

Match employees with a mentor that possesses enough experience to educate and challenge the mentee without overwhelming them. Conduct a test program Once your plan is approved — but before you set it into motion — conduct a pilot training session to see what works well and which areas need tweaking.

Measure training results Measuring the results of your employee training program is likely the most important step. Employee training FAQs Does training and development improve employee retention?

How can training and development improve employee performance? Can an employee refuse training? Why does employee training fail? Some of the top reasons employee training can fall short of expectations include: Not following up on employee training Too much lecturing and not enough learning Authoritarian training styles that hinder engagement and retention How long should employee training be?

What is post-training reinforcement? What are the lesser-known benefits of employee training programs? Note all of these details. This is where an LMS becomes especially beneficial, as the system helps you track a range of data points to determine the effectiveness of your program.

For instance, Axonify highlights your top performers and identifies employees who need extra help to reach their goals. Participants can also complete surveys and share their thoughts on different materials. Axonify analyzes data from across the employee experience, including knowledge growth, behavior change, and business results, to determine if your content is or is not working as intended. All of this information can be reviewed on interactive dashboards or exported into custom reports.

Are employees actually absorbing the material and applying it in an actionable way? Using your reports, surveys, and real-world observations, determine where your training materials can be improved. Once you determine the strengths and weaknesses of your training program, you must make the necessary adjustments. As you develop and improve your training program, there are a few other things you can do to ensure ongoing success.

Finally, make sure that all of your training and development materials are relevant, useful, and engaging. We're lucky to have so many bright minds authoring content that disrupts traditional thinking, challenges the status quo and provides a fresh perspective on how to drive company performance through learning.

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get new insights delivered right to your inbox. Blog The 80 Percent podcast Newsletter sign up Featured resources. How to develop an effective employee training program The bare essentials of developing an effective employee training plan can be broken down as follows: Establish your plan and goals Determine your core training methods Develop effective training content Follow up with trainees Fine-tune your training content 1.

Do the trainees already have some knowledge of the material being taught? Are they completely green? Knowing this information will help you to tailor the content for maximum comprehension and retention Which learning objectives do you need to teach?

Safety procedures? System software? Customer service? Make a comprehensive list of topics, each of which will warrant its own training module or modules Which learning objectives have the highest level of urgency?