8 Strategies for Training New Employees

Every company has different policies for management and training of new employees. While some think that employees will learn as they go, others provide extensive training at the beginning of their new employees’ career. Whenever new employees join an organisation, there is a lag time between their joining and their actual contribution to the workplace. Utilising this time appropriately can make a significant difference in the performance of the employees.

A well-planned employee training programme can help new employees learn about the business objectives, corporate policies, department structures, operating procedures, work culture and employee roles and responsibilities. Different employees have different learning capacities. Thus, while creating an employee training programme care must be taken to address the various needs of your employees. To help you with this, we have compiled a list of 8 strategies using which you can teach your new employees the skills required to efficiently accomplish their tasks.

1. Leverage modern tools and automation

Due to the growing use of technology, both fresh graduates and experienced professionals depend on different tools for monotonous tasks. Before the induction of your new employees, make sure to leverage modern tools and automation at your workplace. Although it is a great idea to know all the processes manually, asking new employees to spend time on repetitive tasks is likely to make them lose interest.

In case, you do not have the budget to spend on hi-tech tools, then try to add some free tools like a grammar checker, a project management software, a customer relationship tool or a time management tool. Using these tools will show that you are keen on the use of technology and support new employees to use innovation and creativity. These tools will not only streamline processes, but will also give new employees more time to focus on training and learning new aspects of their job.

2. Create a checklist

During the onboarding process, it might get difficult for the hiring team to analyse the progress of every new employee. Using a dedicated checklist can make it simple to know the progress of your employees. In your training checklist, you can include all the skills that are needed for the job role. Once your employees start their training, plan multiple assessments at the completion of every session. After analysing the skills gained during the training, you can grade your employees to see if their skills match the benchmark set by the organisation. A checklist will also help you identify the key areas of improvement for different employees. Based on their requirements, you can provide them with a mentor to speed up their training process.

3. Allow online learning

Online learning can make it easier for new employees to access information. It is one of the most widely used methods by businesses who have a remote or hybrid workforce. With online learning, employees can pick up the necessary skills from any location. Additionally, they can learn at their own pace and go through the topics that are relevant to their job position. Due to the flexibility of online learning, employees also get an opportunity to manage their time between learning and job duties well. By integrating relevant e-learning courses into your existing programmes, you can make the most of online learning at your workplace.

4. Make it interactive

Giving your new employees a big handbook and expecting them to learn everything about the organisation and their job role might not be a good way to train new employees. To keep the employees engaged from the day of joining, create an interactive learning programme where they can learn, communicate and share their ideas. Instead of just focusing on written material or instructor-led training sessions, try to divide the training material into different formats. For example, you can use instructional videos, quizzes, flashcards or group discussions to completely involve the employees in the training.

5. Try hands-on training

Hands-on training gives employees an experiential learning opportunity where they can learn while accomplishing their job activities. With hands-on training, you can focus on the individual requirements of every employee. Additionally, you can train them to work in specific job roles that require special skills and expertise. Hands-on training is more than a one-time learning experience. It is a continuous process and allows employees to constantly learn by completing different tasks. Here, instead of spending time on studying, employees spend time observing, practicing and becoming more productive.

6. Inculcate values

The best way to keep employees associated with your organisation for a longer time is by teaching them the different organisational values that they are expected to follow during their tenure. This will ensure that their thoughts and goals are aligned with the organisation and its vision. While practical information can be collected from different resources, values can only be inculcated by demonstrating the ethics followed by the company. For example, if you can show your new employees how to deal patiently with different types of customers or how to solve an unforeseen problem without losing calm.

7. Use case studies

A case study can be a perfect example of how the techniques learnt in training can be put to use in real-time situations. You can design a case study based on the challenges faced by the employees while working on the job. Based on your experience, address these issues and suggest ways to find tangible solutions. Adding case studies to your training can make it more interactive as it will simulate the minds of the employees and they will find ways to apply their skills to solve a problem.

8. Hire professional trainers

To make the training experience more effective, consider hiring professional trainers for dedicated sessions. If case you have an in-house expert then, you can arrange these sessions under their guidance. As professional trainers are more experienced in delivering instructor-led sessions, they can make your training programme more engaging. Additionally, with their tactics, they can turn a dull and boring training session into an impactful one. This will ensure that all the employees develop a good understanding of the skills and identify ways to implement them in different job situations.