Employee Training Programs

STAFF TRAINING METHODS EVERY EMPLOYER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

A part of human resource management is also to ascertain the training and development needs of employees within the organization to ensure the upkeep of superior performance levels of employees without jeopardizing the ultimate goals of the organization.

PCS believes any company that invests in training is gearing up for its success. With the expulsion of technological evolutions day in and day out, comprehensive training modules enable employees to better cope with the latest industry processes, trends, and technologies. Having considered employees as the drivers of your organizational success, the management needs to evolve and develop facile training programs to improve organizational know-hows and skills required to handle the jobs competently, without any wastage.

Read on more to find out which training methods are worth considering to suit your company objectives.

WHAT IS WORKPLACE TRAINING?

Training is defined as a learning experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his ability to perform on the job. It is the act of increasing the knowledge and adeptness of an employee for working a particular job more adroitly.

As we highlighted the need of training employees in our recent post on employee retention strategies, organizations that tend to care about their prized assets- people, help them become mobile and versatile.

Whilst choosing training programs for their staff, businesses should first reflect on their size, nature of business, requirements, activities, and training goals.

MAJOR TYPES OF STAFF-TRAINING PROGRAMS

Organizations are equipped with choosing from a variety of training methods for their workers, be it, on-the-job or off-the-job training programs. But always be mindful types of workers you’re dealing with, the nature of the jobs, and crucially-the purpose behind offering the training agenda.

• On-the-job training methods:

OJT is the form of training wherein the individual acquires the necessary knowledge and develops the proper skills while on the job. It's the most commonly followed technique as it less pricey and flexible method.

Let’s learn about different types of on-the-job training methods:

1. Job rotation- It is a managerial technique that assigns trainees (herein employees) to various jobs and departments to avail experience ad in-depth knowledge from diverse job assignments over some time. Under the present type, employees enjoy riddance from boredom caused by monotonous work.

2. One-to-one instructions- in this approach a new entrant accompanies an existing skilled operator to learn by closely watching them. After a period of observation, trainees are given their machine and told to get on with the job. With proper demonstrations from the trainer, trainees are also given feedback and are allowed to ask any questions they might have about the what, how, and why of the job.

3. Apprenticeship- apprentices are the trainees who spend a prescribed amount of time working with an experienced guide, coach, or trainer. Through this training, theoretical as well as practical aspects are provided to the trainees. It might be a little expensive technique because apprentices are paid remuneration or stipend as per the agreements.

4. Coaching- coaching is somewhat of an interactive process through which managers and supervisors aim to solve performance problems or develop employee proficiencies. It is formal and of a shorter duration than mentoring. The coach helps resolve work-related issues and provides feedback on the trainee’s performance.

5. Mentoring- this method provides support and encourages people to manage their learning to maximize their potential, develop their skills and improve job performance. It is informal and of longer duration than coaching.

• Off-the-job training methods:

Off-the-job training is a development activity that allows the individual to acquire work skills and necessary knowledge while being away from the work field. There are several off-the-job staff training methods conceptualized to fully train employees in absence of work pressure.

Different types of off-the-job training methods are explicated below:

1. Stimulations/ vestibule training- trainees participate in a reality-based, interactive activity where they imitate actions required in a particular job situation. This method is commonly used for training personnel for clerical and semi-skilled jobs. Employers administer such type of training to introduce new employees to advanced or modern technological tools and machinery related to their job.

2. Role-playing- this interactional method involves extracting realistic behaviour of trainees in some imaginary situation. They are asked to play the role of certain characters, such as production managers, mechanical engineers, quality control inspectors, etc. Example- making a sales pitch to a potential customer.

3. Lecture method/ classroom lectures- it's an oddly traditional and direct method of training employees while being away from the job location. The instructor organizes the material and provides it to a group of trainees by delivering speeches and lectures. It is quite aneconomical method used to train white-collar or management-level employees.

4. Conference/discussion approach- the trainer delivers a lecture and involves the trainee in a discussion so that his doubts about the job get clarified. When big organizations use this method, the trainer uses audio-visual aids like blackboards, slides, and mock-ups, and in some cases, the lectures are videotaped or audiotaped. Customer Care Centres often incorporate this training method to teach employees how to eave with the customers.

5. Management education- under this program, companies collaborate with bachelors and postgrads from notable institutes to deliver required education to the employees of the organization.

6. Programmed instructions- this method has become popular in recent times. The subject matter to be learned is presented in a series of carefully planned sequential units/questionnaires. These units are arranged from simple to complex levels of instructions. The trainee goes through them by answering questions or filling in the blanks. Manuals and books may be used to execute this training program. It is thus a bit expensive and time-consuming.

Final word

Understanding what staff training methods are, what they entail and how they can benefit your organization is a must for all business owners. The Human Resource Department is tasked with the job of devising appropriate training programs that embrace organizational agility by identifying the training needs of the individuals and the company. Whether you offer on-the-job or off-the-job training or a mix of both to your employees, always contemplate the needs of the workers and the training method’s relevance to the job.

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