Ask any successful business owner, and they’ll tell you the secret to their success is a team of stand-out employees. And behind every stellar employee—there’s excellent employee training plan. All employees want to grow. When equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, not only do they perform their job more efficiently, but they also exude the confidence. These “purpose workers” are secure and happy in their jobs. They are also inspired and bursting with enthusiasm to put in their best performance. But, they also expect the same dedication from the employers in the form of effective training. Here are 5 ways to create a top-notch team training program for your staff.
Start With A Plan
Before you hatch a plan, consider what skills your employees need to learn. Too many team training sessions get bogged down by unnecessary information and time focused on the wrong thing. Start by listing all the skills and knowledge that your staff needs in order to do their job successfully. Begin with basic information in order to build a foundation, and then move to more complex topics. A good rule of thumb is to have skills and knowledge build upon the training that precedes it.
This is also an opportune time to isolate any gaps in training. If an employee isn’t sufficiently trained in a specific area, they might not be able to understand the training being offered.
Schedule Training Sessions At Regular Intervals
Hosting consistent training sessions nets the most pay-back. Not only does regular training help instill skills and knowledge, but it’s also an opportune time to introduce any new changes, as well as address advanced training techniques.
Ongoing team training opportunities also show your employees that you are invested in their professional growth and development. Holding regular all-staff meetings is another way to
foster company connection. You can up the social factor by booking a room at a restaurant or scheduling a regular lunch meeting. Sometimes it’s not realistic to meet consistently as a group if, say, employees work different shifts. In that case, you might need to meet by specific department or shift.
Alternatively, you can post a list of training items that employees are required to complete during their next shift.
Put Employees In The Driver’s Seat
Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean you understand the ins and outs of everybody's job. In some cases, it can be prudent to find a stand-out in each category. Often, this means managers, but it can also mean an employee who excels at their job, completes tasks on time and pays attention to detail. You can arm them with training materials or let them run training sessions themselves.
Employees often absorb new information better when it’s delivered by a peer, as opposed to a superior. You can also offer training employee incentives in the form of a raise or a bonus.
Cross Training For Better Results
Cross Training involves training employees to do other jobs in their company. There are many benefits to this strategy. For example, an employee might learn new skills that they can then apply to their current job.
Additionally, it means they’ll know what to expect from their fellow employees who work in different areas. Cross Training can also benefit the company in other ways. For example, if an employee calls in sick, a person who has learned how to perform their job can fill in for them.
Goal Setting
It’s essential to assess if training is working. Setting goals and then tracking them is a way to ascertain if your objectives are being met. You can set goals for each individual employee, an entire team, or the company as a whole. Performance reviews are another way to track achievement. By asking employees how they’re faring in their job, you can pinpoint gaps and skills in knowledge and then address them.
The return on investment for employees who are well-trained is undeniable. It’s truly a win-win approach.
