Employee training is an important part of any organization’s success and growth. A well-trained workforce will be more productive and efficient in their jobs, which will allow them to contribute at an elite level to the organization. Effective employee training is essential. Next, you need to decide on the best employee training methods for your organization and each member of your team. Different employee training methods have different benefits, challenges, and goals.
Different learning styles are available to different people. Some are visual learners while others need to learn by doing. Others require hands-on experience and some need an instructor to help them. L&D teams must understand the learning styles of their employees in order to find the best employee training method. They also need to consider other factors like their training goals, costs, timeline, and timeline.
It takes a lot of planning and thought to find the right training method for your employees. This is especially important when employee training costs are so high.
This article provides a guideline for understanding and choosing from a variety of employee training methods.
Top 10 Employee Training Methods & Techniques
This is our list of employee training methods that you can understand and choose from.
1. eLearning
Online training or eLearning has been a popular method of training employees. This is especially true in post-pandemic situations where employees can’t travel to in-person training sessions. eLearning allows employees to learn from the comfort of their own homes according to their learning styles and needs.
Pros
- Online courses use interactive games, quizzes, and activities to engage employees and increase knowledge retention.
- Employees can learn wherever they are with their smartphones.
- Some parts of e-learning are possible to automate, which reduces overhead and decreases the need for instructors to be present during training.
- eLearning can be scaled.
- eLearning doesn’t require a classroom. This means that you can spend less money.
- Online courses allow employees to learn while still managing work.
- Learning Management Systems (LMS), which provide sufficient data to calculate the return on investment for training investments, allow L&D teams and L&D professionals to evaluate the success of various training programs.
Cons
- It takes time to create training materials, and keep them up-to-date.
- The lack of face-to-face interaction with instructors can make employees feel isolated.
- Access to stable internet access is required.
- Employees are often using screens, so it is easy to be distracted by other apps and internet sites.
- Practical skills can only be sharpened by hands-on experience.
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2. On-the-Job Training
Employees can participate in on-the-job training, which allows them to learn in a work environment. This is a great way to train employees about a new process or software application. It allows users to navigate the application’s features and tasks through in-app and onscreen walkthroughs. On-the-job training aims to increase user adoption of newly released tools and features.
Pros
- On-the-job training leads to better results because it’s easier for employees to learn while they work on a project.
- Employee training on the job is cheaper than expensive off-site programs.
- Employees learn new skills without interrupting their workdays or productivity.
- Facilitates personal training by allowing employees the freedom to concentrate on the skills that are
- most relevant to their job.
Cons
Employees who prefer face-to-face interaction or guidance may be less productive.
3. Instructor-Led Learning
One of the most popular and traditional types of employee training methods is instructor-led training. This mimics classroom environments with an instructor leading the session. This is usually done using a lecture-style presentation and supporting visual elements.
Pros
- Social isolation is prevented by direct interaction with trainers or other employees.
- All questions that may arise during the course will be addressed promptly and effectively.
- This method is effective for complicated topics that require personal guidance.
Cons
- Trainees can’t move at their own speed.
- It is not economically feasible due to the high costs of rent, travel, and catering.
- It might be boring for employees and cause them to lose interest.
- We have limited data for calculating ROI.
- Remote workers are not suitable.
4. Roleplaying
This is where a learner or instructor plays out the roles they would play in a potential work environment. This technique is best for employees whose job roles include customer or client interaction. It gives them experience in dealing with difficult customers.
Pros
- Roleplaying for relatable scenarios boosts employee engagement.
- Encourages students to use their problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills right now.
- Prepares employees for challenging work situations.
- Improves customer interaction skills for employees.
Cons
- This can lead to a decrease in productivity and a greater time commitment from employees.
- It is unnecessary for straightforward, simple topics.
- Role-playing scenarios are not for everyone. This can impact performance.
5. Coaching
The coaching method involves an experienced professional, a mentor, supervisor, or veteran employee — who guides or coaches employees on specific job tasks and responsibilities. This coaching method is available in person or online, so it’s suitable for both in-office workers and remote employees.
Pros
- Establishes a relationship between employees that lasts beyond the end of training.
- Employees can ask questions that they might not feel comfortable asking in the classroom during instructor-led training.
- Watching their mentors do things in real-time is a great way to learn.
Cons
- Needs a significant amount of time investment from the supervisor/mentor. A successful training session is determined by the relationship between the mentor and the learner.
- We have limited data on social learning works and calculate ROI.
6. Simulation Training
Simulation training presents different scenarios that allow employees to practice tasks that are similar to the work of their job. For employees in high-risk, high-stakes professions like pilots and doctors, simulation training may be necessary. Sometimes, simulation training is required by the federal or state government as compliance training.
Pros
- Develops problem-solving skills and critical thinking under pressure.
- Learning can be done in a safe environment. Learners can also experience the consequences of making different decisions.
- Participation by trainees keeps learners interested and focused.
- This allows learners to learn from their mistakes and improve their skills.
- The ability to understand the consequences of one’s actions and how to reduce mistakes is a benefit for learners.
Cons
- Simulating exercises can be costly.
- Simulation is not always capable of accurately recreating real-life situations.
- Learning simulations need to be updated and maintained in line with industry trends.
- Simulator training can cause a false sense of safety, or employees may downplay simulations due to desensitization.
7. Collaborative Training
Collaborative Training is a method where employees share their expertise and knowledge, teaching and learning from each other at the same moment. This technique enhances the employee training experience by leveraging their ideas, skills, and knowledge.
Pros
- Creating an environment where colleagues can collaborate and create a culture of shared learning.
- Training in groups reduces the time and cost of training.
- Promotes better learning retention.
Cons
- Slow participants can cause the whole class to fall behind.
- It can be difficult to get everyone together in the same place at once.
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8. Video Training
Video training is a great way to get employees involved and provide high-quality learning experiences at a fraction of the cost of traditional training. Training video allows employees to understand the information in an easier-to-understand format. Employees can also go back to the training video at any time.
Pros
- Video training can be a one-time investment that you can use until your processes become obsolete.
- Videos are more engaging for your team members and result in better information retention.
- Employees can learn when it is convenient for them without compromising their workplace productivity.
- Videos are more effective at knowledge retention, employee engagement and learner attention than basic text documents or traditional classroom seminars.
- You can track training effectiveness and measure it with different metrics from your video hosting provider.
Cons
- Video training is not as personal as in-person contact.
- When it comes to making any information changes, videos can take a lot of time.
9. Cross-Training
Cross-training is the process of teaching employees who are hired to do one job function new skills and how to perform them. Cross-training allows employees to support one another in times of need, rather than having to outsource. Cross-training is beneficial to employees as it allows them to learn new skills and increase their value within the company. It also allows them to switch roles that are more in line with their career goals.
Pros
- Prepares employees to temporarily fill vacant positions in times of need.
- Enhances employees’ current skills with newer skills.
- Collaboration is enhanced when teams work together more actively.
- Increased ability to promote internally, which reduces recruiting costs.
Cons
- Cross-training is difficult for larger companies because it requires a lot of effort and time.
- For most employees, additional duties can cause serious distractions.
- Overworked employees can feel like they are being overworked.
10. Job shadowing
Job shadowing allows employees to follow and learn from other professionals in different roles to get a better understanding of their work areas. Job shadowing can also be implemented to allow less experienced people to work alongside more experienced professionals to learn skills from others who are already proficient in them.
Pros
- Improves communications across different departments.
- Employees are encouraged to continue their development and improve.
- Employees can explore other career possibilities.
Cons
- In the beginning, the observer must shadow their mentor for a prolonged period of time to fully grasp the information
- Before an observer can begin to learn about a job, they must have some knowledge of the field and workplace behavior.
Last Line
The factors that influence the choice of the best employee training methods include the organization’s culture, size, learning preferences, office or remote environment, and other factors such as company culture. This list of different employee training methods will help you make the right choice for your company. You can choose one approach for all employees, or you can use multiple for different groups depending on your company’s learner needs and requirements.
