If you want to be more successful than your competitors, then make your workforce happier than theirs.
And I'm not currently referring to the perks and fringe benefits. The right employee training can do wonders for your company! It can upskill your staff, develop leaders within the company, and drive skill acquisition. The possibilities for doing this are endless and always changing: from traditional approaches to innovative strategies, and many ways to engage employees, boost workplace performance, and business productivity.
Let’s talk about the importance of employee training and explore the top 10 methods with their limitations, strengths, and applications that can help managers foster continuous learning and skill adaptability.
Importance of Choosing the Best Training Method for Employees
Employee training is the cornerstone of a corporate learning culture, which is why choosing the most suitable training method is a logistical and strategic move that will consequently affect the factors listed below:
Learner Engagement: It is no secret that training is effective when it is engaging. Enjoyable and immersive learning experiences enhance motivation and participation among employees.
Achieving Learning Objectives: Depending on a chosen training method managers can enable employees to achieve their learning objectives through gaining necessary, job-related skills.
Practical Application: Various industries require certain training methods that will prepare the workforce for real-world scenarios. It is very precious when the training provides hands-on experience alongside the theory.
Cost Efficiency: The right method or the mix of multiple methods allows organizations to reduce costs and optimizes the leveraging of resources.
Key Factors to Consider While Selecting Training Methods
Every learner is unique with one’s preferences and capabilities, so it is crucial to thoroughly select the training methods that will boost learner engagement and lead to the expected outcomes either for the employee or the organization. So let’s check what to focus on before making the right decision:
Understanding Learner Preferences: Through surveys or feedback, managers may identify what learning styles can grasp their employees’ interest and foster motivation. Some people prefer structured environments, while others are productive in self-paced learning. This preliminary inquiry will allow companies to tailor methods accordingly, whether it is about new hires or the upskilling of existing staff.
Setting Clear Learning Goals: This stage is important for future development, as it guides which direction to take, i.e., whether the training should be aimed at technical expertise, soft skills, or compliance knowledge.
Considering Organizational Limits: Evaluate available resources not to punch above one’s weight. Measure the budget and tools your company can afford for the implementation of a training program, as well as make sure there are no time constraints that can hinder the effectiveness.
Assessing Content Complexity: Ensure that the complexity level of the selected training methods aligns with the employees’ capabilities. This will facilitate better understanding and result in better outcomes.
Top 10 Employee Training Methods
We've put together a comprehensive list of the most popular training methods, complete with all the features, advantages, and disadvantages. This will help you make an informed decision and choose the perfect method for your business.
1. Instructor-Led Training (ILT)
This traditional method involves face-to-face sessions led by experienced, often external trainers. It allows the participants to conduct in-depth discussions both with peers and with the instructors and involves group activities, thus developing interpersonal skills.
Example: Amazon’s “Career Choice” program uses ILT to train employees on how to grow their skills.
2. On-the-Job Training (OJT)
OJT enables employees to gain job-related knowledge while performing their tasks under the guidance of mentors or peers. This practical approach can be used both in offline and remote work settings through video calls.
Example: Starbucks uses OJT for barista training, ensuring consistency in service and coffee quality.
3. eLearning
This method uses online learning platforms with a variety of digital courses and modules, being the main trend for modern training. E-learning removes the need for physical attendance and allows employees to learn on their own from any convenient location. The features like adoption assessment, tracking progress, and sending reminders make it a perfect solution for large teams and those who frequently change jobs.
Example: IBM’s Think Academy uses eLearning to train employees across the globe on topics like AI and blockchain.
4. Mobile Learning
We are living in the age of smartphones, where everyone—from toddlers to businessmen—satisfies different needs through their devices. The mobile learning method is available across devices and is popular among busy bees who have many demands on time as it is designed for the on-the-go workforce, delivering bite-sized content via smartphones or tablets.
Example: Walmart’s Spark City app provides gamified training modules to retail associates.
5. Simulation-Based Training
Simulation-based learning places employees in a risk-free environment where they can practice and refine their skills. This method is particularly valuable for technical or safety-critical roles, providing the opportunity to develop decision-making skills and confidence through navigating realistic scenarios. Simulations are popular in industries like healthcare, customer service, aviation, etc.
Example: Boeing uses flight simulators to train pilots, ensuring safety and skill proficiency.
6. Gamification
The incorporation of gamification in employee learning is always effective and fun as it transforms training into an engaging experience. With such interactive elements as leaderboards or scoring activities, this method encourages participation and healthy competition among employees. When knowledge is associated with something exciting, retention is higher.
According to Zippia, 90% of employees say gamification makes them more productive in 2023.
Example: Deloitte’s gamified onboarding program offers the new hires to complete tasks, access modules, and earn rewards, which improved learner engagement by 37%.
7. Blended Learning
As it becomes clear from its name, blended learning is a hybrid model of education that combines digital tools with face-to-face interactions. This method offers personalized learning paths, allowing employees with diverse capabilities to progress on their schedules.
Example: Accenture’s blended learning initiatives provide more than 50 connected virtual classrooms and collaborative workshops, allowing for the participation of employees from various locations.
8. Social and Collaborative Learning
This method of employee training involves teamwork and sharing experiences. It fosters a collaborative learning environment for employees to complete tasks and solve problems together, as well as exchange ideas. Whether it is a team-building exercise or an innovative brainstorming session, social learning enhances professional and communication experiences.
Example: Microsoft Teams facilitates collaborative learning by enabling its employees to co-create documents, brainstorm, and access the resource library. Breakout rooms allow doing these activities in separate groups.
9. Mentoring and Coaching
This method suggests one-on-one relationships between mentors and employees through personalized guidance, accelerating employee growth and fostering a supportive workplace culture. Whether implemented personally or using virtual coaching software, this approach to training applies to offline and online work settings and contributes to the adoption of continuous learning across employee generations.
Example: General Electric’s mentoring programs pair industry experts with newer employees to drive career development.
10. Role-Playing
The principle of role-playing exercises is similar to simulation-based training as employees mimic real-life scenarios, sharpening problem-solving and communication skills. With this method, employees are assigned different roles and responsibilities and improvise job-related challenges and situations with their colleagues. Then, before switching roles, follows a discussion or a feedback session where observers comment on “actors’” performance.
Example: Ritz-Carlton uses role-playing to train staff in delivering exceptional customer service.
Conclusion: Choosing The Right Training Methods For Your Team
Well, there it is! Without relevant employee training, organizations are doomed to failure. However, it is critical to understand that this concept isn’t one-size-fits-all. Only by leveraging various methods—from traditional to experiential ones enriched with digital features—companies can succeed in the identification of skill gaps and, as a result, promote a culture for ongoing corporate learning and improved employee performance. This guide can serve as an arsenal of useful techniques that will allow managers across diverse industries to prepare their teams for meeting the challenges of tomorrow and staying competitive.