Training techniques have become an essential part of companies, as employees need to have the most up-to-date tools and resources at hand to be able to face today’s work processes. There are different training methods that you can implement in your organization to increase employee engagement.
There are different training methods that you can implement in your organization to increase employee engagement. The choice of the type of training will depend a lot on your objectives: whether it is to improve sales performance or to learn about the handling of a new innovative tool).
In this post, you will discover the most effective training techniques to ensure that your teams are sufficiently prepared to deal with today’s work environment.
Direct expert-learner relationship
This is the most popular training technique, as it is a classic teaching method, in which an expert transmits his knowledge to another individual, without any kind of intermediary.
what is this procedure based on? Mainly on three essential elements:
Observation and retention of information by the trainee.
Learner participation during the training process.
The feedback that exists between the specialized teacher and the student.
It is usually the type of training most used by companies, which decide to include this type of program to ensure the training of employees. For complex issues it is usually a very effective method.
However, it has some drawbacks, such as cost and implementation time.
Strategies focused on each of the learning types
With the advancement of technology, employees have different training options that they can acquire within their companies. Whether your company wants to innovate in training programs or stick to more traditional ways of learning, everyone cultivates their training in a different way.
And, to discover each of the forms of education and teaching, the Medium portal highlights the application of the VARK model, a 1992 study by Neil D. Fleming and Coleen E. Mills, which describes four modes of student learning.
After thousands of hours of classroom observation, the authors identified different multimodal learning styles that a person may have. These are as follows:
Visual Learning
This type of training is where students who best internalize and synthesize information are generated, when it is presented to them in a graphic representation of meaningful symbols, they are described as visual learners.
They can learn best with the following resources:
Graphics
Mind maps
Comparative tables
Although it is called visual, it does not necessarily imply that photographs or videos are used in this teaching method.
Auditory Learning
There are employees who are more successful when they listen to a lecture or class than if they are given a handout or magazine. What commonly happens is that these learners tend not to take notes during the lecture, in order to maintain their uninterrupted auditory attention.
This attitude may be mistaken by educators or teachers as a lack of interest on the part of the students, however, it is their way of learning. This is precisely what developing auditory learning is all about.
Learning by reading or writing
Students who use this type of learning tend to retain written information better, presented in class in the form of elements such as the following:
Handouts
Notes or books
Presentations that can be read in Power Point or Google Slides
After doing their readings, through this type of training, students are able to synthesize the course content. In this context, students often take a lot of notes during lectures to process the information and remember it more easily.
Kinesthetic learning
Kinesthetic learners are participatory learners who need to take an active role in the learning process to enhance their understanding of the subject matter. Some teachers use flashcards or games to make learning an interactive experience and engage students in a more productive way.
Considering the type of learning is helpful in applying training techniques to achieve effective training.
Training Plan
Companies that achieve success through transformation and innovation, based on good corporate training, have at some point wondered how to develop a training program. So, your business is already taking the first step, well done!
And, to that end, the Addie model is an instructional design methodology used to help organize and optimize the production of course content. Developed in the 1970s, ADDIE is still the most widely used model to begin designing learning.
Addie is an acronym for the five stages of a development process:
Analysis
Design
Development
Implementation
Evaluation
This model is based on each stage being carried out in the given order, but with a focus on reflection and iteration.
So, let’s review what are the elements or stages of a training plan according to the Addie method, so that your company can adapt to this methodology.
Analysis
Before starting to develop any training content or strategy, you should analyze the current situation of your employees: what are their learning needs? You could start with a series of questions to understand who needs training and why.
Ask yourself what the objective of the training is, what kind of change you want in your employees and how the training will help achieve that change. This phase should be a complete audit of elements such as the following:
The audience
Business objectives
Training methodologies used
The types of media used
Design
Once the training plan has been finalized, the design phase begins, in which you will have to define:
The training delivery methods (face-to-face or virtual)
The structure
Duration, evaluation
Feedback
The next step is to create a prototype, i.e., put together a course plan and present it to the employees for feedback.
Development
This stage involves the creation of courses. If your company is not creating the courses directly, keep in mind that you should choose a provider that has all the features you are looking for.
This involves elements such as content, design and course structure. There must be a match between your company’s culture and what the courses look like.
Implementation
The time has come for you to present the courses you have implemented or chosen to your employees. You should monitor the situation to detect any problems that may arise.
A good idea to prevent any problems is to conduct a pilot before rolling out all the training.
Evaluation
Getting feedback on all aspects of the courses is really important so that you can improve and revise the content. To do this, you can ask yourself if the objectives set in the analysis phase were met; you can also conduct surveys to ask learners what aspects can be improved.
As we have seen, while corporate training techniques are essential, you also need to know how to design a training program. Now, here are the main job training techniques you can start applying in your company.
1. Creating courses and assessments
In the spana LMS you can upload your courses, onboardings and content for your teams. You will be able to create customized trainings and evaluate the learning of your teams with tests, following your own training techniques.
In addition, the platform has a catalog of more than 1000 courses on different topics and areas, perfect to reinforce your staff training strategies.
2. Live sessions
You can schedule and assign face-to-face or virtual sessions to professionals, individually or in groups, to complement your usual training methods.
3. Gamification
One of the most popular training techniques is gamification, also included in the spana LMS. With this tool, you can transform the learning experience of your teams by implementing challenges and achievements to motivate them to actively participate.
4. Integration with providers and content
Another of spana’s functionalities is that it allows you to connect all the services and providers you use in the same place, to make job training easier and more effective.
In short, LMS platforms are one of the most effective and complete training techniques for companies. To have everything even more under control, you can download this free LMS template, which will allow you to plan every step of your staff training process.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality training is most often provided through a computer, augmented reality or virtual reality device. Despite the upfront costs to produce such software or technology, it is a necessary option for high-risk employees.
For example, it is often used for pilots or doctors. But it would not be its only advantage. do you want to know what benefits this training technique has?
It is accessible in terms of investment: currently, there is a decrease in the price of equipment, which makes it accessible to companies interested in investing in this type of system.
It has real and effective training processes: although it is a simulation, the training generates that people begin to act in these simulations in the same way they would do it during a real event.
It eliminates distractions: it increases the body’s capacity to capture everything that happens around us and prepares the person for an adversity.
It has movable equipment: the equipment can be moved from one place to another, without so much problem.
Itallows several users to interact in the same environment: it is not restrictive in the sense that it allows a large number of users to perform the same action.
Increases productivity and results: if collaborators are prepared for adversities, the workflow improves and capabilities increase.
Conferences and workshops
Conferences are a useful training method for delivering large amounts of information to a population of workers; however, they are often considered ineffective training because they do not allow for much interaction between trainer and trainee.
In contrast, workshops are a highly interactive and practical training technique that focuses on developing specific skills in a group setting. During a workshop, employees participate in hands-on activities and group discussions designed to teach skills and foster collaborative learning.
Workshops can be designed to teach specific skills, such as communication skills, leadership, problem solving and teamwork. Workshop facilitators can provide real-time feedback and offer practical tips to help employees improve their skills.
Role play and case study
There are also two widely used training techniques when it comes to using skills and abilities in recreated events and hypothetical situations. Let’s start with role-playing.
It is one of the training techniques that motivates employees to consider different points of view while working in role play. Each employee can act out different potential work scenarios.
This method is most effective in industries that require customer interaction, as it allows employees to practice handling difficult situations. The downside is that this type of training is more time-consuming and, for some specific topics, not necessary.
On the other hand, the case study is similar, except that it is based on the study of a particular situation, which may or may not have happened, to measure the trainee’s reaction and get a glimpse of how he or she applies the knowledge acquired.
In order for students to learn more about real problems on the job, they are assigned some case studies that describe common work situations so that they can improve their problem-solving skills. Although it is not very effective when they want to learn much more complex topics.
Readings on job training techniques
As if that were not enough, within the training techniques, there is the opportunity for you to be self-taught and worry about cultivating your knowledge within the area.
Going hand in hand with learning by reading or writing, here are some book recommendations that will surely help you if you want to learn more about job training.
The Connector Manager: Why Some Leaders Build Exceptional Talent and Others Don’t
In this book, written by Jaime Roca and Sari Wilde, you will find relevant information that will allow you to learn more about the different leadership styles that can be glimpsed in a company and how these figures are relevant to exploit the potential of a collaborator.
Backed by a global study of 9,000 people (conducted by Gartner analysts), the authors identify managers who act under the following parameters:
Faculty managers
Cheerleading administrators
Always active administrators
Connector managers
the last category has the most sought-after capability: building successful cross-functional teams. That’s why the authors put “connector managers” under their microscope.
Neuroscience for learning and development: how to apply neuroscience and psychology to improve learning and training
In her book, author Stella Collins illustrates scientific and psychological insights, deepening her understanding of learning and development. Although if you think it’s a very technical and specialized read, be prepared to be surprised!
Not only is this book recommended for anyone interested in didactic and teaching methods, it is also a great book for bringing neuroscience and learning together for effective training.
Hidden Talents: practical tools and inspiring stories to unleash higher levels of leadership performance
This book, developed by Maryanne DiMarzo, Amy Acker and Rodica Ceslov, shares in-depth insights into methods you can use to unlock your employees’ hidden talents. Employees often don’t realize the potential they hold, but if you can expose it, you’ll not only make their work lives easier, you’ll benefit your company.
By representing stories from their extensive consulting experience, the authors will guide you in developing talent in your company. You will then know what training programs you can push forward in your business.
Structured On-the-Job Training
This is one of the most interesting texts on the list, as it is based on 20 years of research and development in a variety of organizations.
This revised and expanded edition of a classic text, but published by Ronald L. Jacobs, provides a comprehensive guide to understanding, developing and using structured on-the-job training in a variety of training situations and organizational contexts.
The Book of Learning and Development by Tricia Emerson and Mary Stewart
Everyone thinks they know everything about training, right? We’ve all gone to school, received on-the-job training and perhaps endured the occasional corporate seminar. But if you’re a professional in this field, you know that’s familiarity, not experience.
Instructional design and implementation are not as easy as they look. There is an art to enabling people to truly change their behavior, moving themselves and their organizations toward the right future.
E-Learning and the science of instruction: proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning
This book offers a comprehensive review of multimedia learning for both users and designers. The publication, developed by Richard E. Mayer and Ruth C. Clark, contains design principles that are written to enhance learning and debunk many popular theories about good design.
Not only does it include useful guidelines, it also contains the most current research and includes new topics, such as:
E-learning for educators
New delivery technologies
Management of social networks
Remember to always think of your employees first, before implementing any of these training techniques.
Microlearning
Microlearning, or microlearning, is a training technique that focuses on delivering information in small doses. Rather than providing long training sessions, microlearning breaks training content into short, easily digestible modules. These modules can be delivered to employees through a variety of digital platforms, such as email, text messaging, mobile apps and social media.
This is one of the most popular training techniques in recent years due to its effectiveness in delivering information. Employees often have busy schedules and do not have the time to devote long hours to professional training. With microlearning, employees can learn at their own pace and at times that fit their schedules.
In addition, microlearning also fits the way people learn in the digital age. Today’s collaborators are used to consuming information in small doses through various digital devices. Therefore, microlearning is perfectly suited to their learning style.
Skills-based job training
Skills-based training is a training technique that focuses on developing specific skills in employees. Instead of providing general training, it focuses on the specific skills that people need to perform their jobs effectively.
This training methodology is based on the idea that employees learn best when they are taught skills that are relevant to their work and that they can apply immediately. Therefore, it focuses on providing employees with the practical tools and skills they need to do their jobs.
This method can include a variety of training techniques, such as microlearning, virtual reality or online training. In addition, skills-based training is highly personalized and can be tailored to people’s individual needs.
Coaching
Another training technique used in companies is coaching, which involves a collaborative relationship between a coach and an employee with the objective of improving the latter’s job performance.the coach is an expert in the area in which the employee seeks to improve, and works with the employee to help him or her identify strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop an action plan to improve performance.
The coach works with the employee to identify specific areas in which the employee wants to improve, and then provides guidance and support to help the employee achieve his or her goals.
Coaching is an effective training technique because it focuses on the long-term development of the employee. Rather than providing one-time training, coaching involves an ongoing relationship between the coach and the employee, and can last for weeks, months or even years.
Coaching sessions can be conducted in person or remotely, and can be one-on-one or in a group setting. The coach can provide feedback to the employee, run simulations, and provide tools and resources to help the employee improve his or her performance.