Guest Blog: How To Plan For Your Employee Training

As companies change and adopt new policies, strategies and technologies, the need to implement employee training becomes more prominent. Too often though, companies put off training because they fear it will be either too expensive or take too much time to complete. Instead, they offer a basic overview, often in an e-mail or memo, and hope that it will provide their team with the knowledge needed to complete their jobs successfully. Sadly, this is far from the case and most companies following this strategy end up losing much more money due to employees not having the resources needed to be truly productive.

No matter what the subject is, employee training does not need to be expensive or time consuming. In order to effectively and efficiently conduct training in your company, creating a set training plan can make the entire process hassle-free while providing valuable knowledge to your workers.

Outline Your Company’s Training Needs

When considering implementing training, write down the specific needs of your company. What knowledge is needed by your employees to perform their jobs to their maximum potential? Don’t assume that any aspect of your business is common knowledge and establish a list of everything team members in various positions of your company will need to be successful.

Determine Who Needs To Undergo Training

Once you have a comprehensive list of all of the different areas that your employees need to be proficient in, it’s time to identify who will need to partake in which training. The larger your company is, the more diverse this list will be. All employees may need to complete training on the core principles of your business, while those in sales may not need to learn the ins-and-outs of new technologies put into place for the IT department. By carefully listing who needs to undergo which training courses, you can reduce the costs associated with unneeded training while ensuring all employees are receiving the guidance that they need.

There are numerous different training methods which should be used depending on the situation. One of the most popular in today’s business world is online training. Companies such as K Alliance allow businesses of all sizes to develop training plans and lessons for their employees while keeping costs low and knowledge retention high. In some cases, company-wide in-person training can be a great way to introduce new ideas and concepts, and emphasizes the importance of topics compared to sending out a terse, impersonal e-mail. There are additional training options such as conferences and in-company classroom seminars which can cost more but may still make sense in certain situations. Luckily, technology-based training is one of the most affordable ways for businesses to impart knowledge on their workers while utilizing the most sophisticated learning methods available.

Human capital is one of the most important assets in any business. While most companies understand the importance of having qualified, proficient employees, not providing the training they need will cut back on their productivity through no fault of their own. By planning for employee training, your company can make the entire process much simpler and reduce the implementation time of new procedures and technology. Your employees are only as prepared to complete their jobs are you train them to be, so consider creating a comprehensive training plan that educates your team in the most effective and affordable way possible.

Mark Arnold has worked as an HR manager. He likes to help companies of all sizes develop effective training programs for their employees.

Comments

• Anonymous
  December 17, 2013
  What a great article. I think that gamification will play a large role in the future of employee training. What do you think? Check out an article by Danielle Arad, Director of Marketing at Wheeldo, to learn more about how social learning and feedback ensure successful employee training. Or visit Wheeldo.com to learn more about a company that creates employee training games in minutes!
• Anonymous
  December 18, 2013
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