6 Innovative Employee Training Tips
Training has evolved a lot over the years. Online simulations, scenarios, and webinars have largely taken the place of traditional ILT sessions. Which cuts costs, reduces seat time, and removes geographical limitations. Every employee also expects to be able to access support resources on the go. All of these factors should come into play when choosing your next employee training software. Here are some employee training methods to consider in your modern workplace.
1. Mobile-Friendly Support Resources
Even the most inexperienced staff member with limited tech know-how probably has a smartphone. After all, the average high-schooler has a better phone than their parents. For many college kids, fresh graduates, and even seasoned employees, their phone is the most expensive (and treasured) thing they own. They spend the bulk of their day glancing down at their little black screen, so turn it into force for good. Smartphone employee training LMS apps are an effective support tool because you can use them anywhere and they’re always with you. Even in the restroom. For training purposes though, keep teaching units to five minutes or less. Otherwise, your corporate learners’ attention will stray to the latest, loudest, and shiniest notification.
2. Video-Based Training
Following the same train of thought, videos are an essential feature for incidental learning. Think of some random fact and chances are you picked it off a video (or a gif, or a meme). The trick is to keep educational videos short. If they run on, you lose interest. Video training should be concise, immersive, and entertaining. It doesn’t have to be Hollywood quality. You can record it on your smartphone, then use editing tools and emotive soundtracks to deepen its impact. You’d be surprised how powerful the right sound effects can be, even with average visuals. In addition, focus on real-world applications so that employees can replicate the process. For example, show them how to perform a sales task or equip the proper safety gear.
3. Collaborative Training Experiences
One of the most touted benefits of online learning is the ability to study alone. But in the work-space, you sometimes want company, pun intended. Modern training technology can ‘get you a course that can do both. Use rich, secure, intranet messaging apps. They mimic and clone standard texting apps. But because they’re restricted to your workspace, there’s higher security, confidentiality, and accountability. You’re also less likely to miss important messages crowded out by spammy ‘sent as received’ missives. Use these intra-messengers for group work, feedback, and collaborative training activities.
4. Interactive Serious Gaming
Gaming is no longer just for kids or introverts who want to lose themselves in the virtual space for a while (though some gamers still are). Nowadays you can find video gamers in boardrooms and runways. And because simpler versions are available on smartphones, everyone can get into it. There’s a wider variety too, from first-person shooters to candy swipers and playful house-cleaning sequences. Incorporate these games into your employee training LMS. But make them ‘serious’ by building in a work-based lesson. You should also include gamification in the form of badges, leaderboards, and so on.
5. Open Invite Live Events
Send an open invitation via employee training software and social media for your next online training event. Mention the topic, time, and how they can access the platform. For example, include the link to the video conferencing tool you’ll be using. Or provide clear instructions for how to access the event through the LMS. Try to host at least one live event per month to keep everyone updated and give them a forum to voice concerns. This also offers modern employees the opportunity to interact with peers and team leaders. Especially if they work remotely and don’t usually get the chance to engage with co-workers. You should also record the event for those unable to attend. They won’t worry about missing out on valuable info if they have a client meeting or happen to be mid-flight at that time.
6. Staff-Sourced Content Creation
You might have noticed explaining something to someone (else) helps you understand it better. It’s the principle behind having school children lead a lesson, and you can apply it at work. In fact, learning by teaching is a powerful way to train your employees. Involve your staff in generating training content. It’s really easy to do now because there are so many options. They could record audio or video on their phones. Or share relevant articles from the web. They could put together a PowerPoint training deck on a subject of their choice. Or do a screen-grab-video tutorial to teach a given skill. (This works especially well for software training, report writing, invoicing, and desk-top-based tasks.)
Leading Employees To Becoming Familiar With Training Tools
Modern (online) training tools don’t have to be expensive, which is good news for the c-suite. The focus is on speed, convenience, and immersion. You also want to think about knowledge transfer and retention – both of the acquired skill and the trainee themselves. Employees must be able to apply what they’ve learned and have access to JIT support, wherever they are in the world. So, what contemporary tips and tricks can you employ to raise your training bar? Ensure anything you upload is mobile-friendly, whether it’s responsive, adaptive, or native. You can also use video, interactive (serious) games, and collaborative online exercises. Finally, invite staff members to generate their own training content (and reward them when their content is a success).
Take the stress out of employee training LMS selection and use our online directory to create a shortlist. Search by features, use case, and pricing model to find a system that meets your needs and doesn’t put you over budget. You can even determine which vendors offer free trials to ensure you get the best value for money.
Download the eBook Employee Training For Your Mobile Workforce: How To Maximize The Perks And Minimize The Pitfalls to surpass employees' expectations and achieve your objectives.
