Providing training to your employees is a good way to professionally bond with them. After these training sessions are done, they will know that someone has their back and they will feel adequate enough to perform the task at hand. Instructing them is a good alternative to having them improvise on the spot. When you train them for new tasks or new technologies, they will feel more confident to do their jobs, which will increase their productivity levels. The question is: how to make the training part easy and effective? Here are our tips.
1. Develop Your Training Program
The first step to an effective training program is planning. First, understand what you want to achieve and what you want your trainees to achieve from that training. Make a list of objectives and divide them into sessions. Make it so they have a good understanding of the point of every session. Then, you need to create an action plan that has all the materials and content you need to use. Part of developing is updating your training program to meet the needs of your employees. Each group you train will be different from the other, and each time you start a new batch, you will have learned new things to apply to the training program.
2. Make Use of Technology
We’re living in the age of technology, so we might as well take advantage of it. There are a lot of tools and training software that can come in handy in the course of your training. Do your research to find out about the best software that facilitates different types of processes. These can make all the difference in the training program. You can plan lessons, upload and share materials, communicate with employees, and do much more, all with the help of these apps, tools, and platforms. You can even make them do quizzes and evaluate them on some of the tools.
3. Make the Program Practical
You can’t be sure that your trainees got the hang of their tasks just by explaining theories. It will make them bored and is an outdated methodology. Remember that you’re aiming for high productivity. Make them perform those tasks in practice and evaluate them. It doesn’t matter what the nature of the job is, you can always make up something they can use to practice all the tools they will use after the training is done. A better idea is to make them do some real work after they’ve learned how, as a part of the training. That way, they will get work done, and you will be sure they’ve practiced well. It’s a win-win.
4. Understand How Their Minds Work
You’ve already made a training program, which is great. But after a while, you should adapt it to fit the minds of the trainees. Are they quick learners or do they take their time to grasp the ideas? Sometimes, you’ll need to explain some concepts in two different ways, one simpler than the other. Some will understand your point right away and some will get the simplified version more. That applies to both theoretical and practical parts. We all learn differently and you should allow them to learn in their paces. Give them time to reflect on the information they’ve learned.
5. Listen to Your Trainees
Part of knowing how their minds work is by listening to them. Allow them to ask as many questions as they want. Some people only learn by asking questions. Take note of frequently asked questions in each group. That way you can tell which parts weren’t so clear. In turn, you can ask them questions about what they expect from this training course. Generally, give them room for error and ask them why they think they made this mistake. At the end of the course, ask them for anonymous feedback. Read their feedback thoroughly and religiously, to learn about what you can do to improve. That way, with each group, you will find yourself growing as a trainer.
Training your employees can be a fun and engaging process. You can learn from them almost as much as they can learn from you. Planning will make it easier and more goal-oriented. And by using new tools and software, you can take the training course to the next level. Practice makes perfect, so make sure your employees have practiced enough, to leave little room for big mistakes. Your employees are your company’s biggest asset, so use the training period to learn more about them. Show them that the company is all about listening to them and giving them support and confidence.