Steps to creating better training programs

An employee is only as good as the training program used to bring him or her up to speed – this can be said of anyone within a company, whether it's someone completely new to the job or a manager being promoted to a new position. Effective training initiatives help a company achieve a unanimous vision and create a more cohesive work environment among everyone at the business.

“To keep your employees updated on product changes and new company policies, there needs to be regularly scheduled training,” Demand Media's Arnold Anderson recently wrote for Chron.com. “A successful training [program] is one that gives your employees the knowledge they need in a format that is simple to understand in a way that helps productivity.”

Tips for creating a better training program

First and foremost, it's crucial that companies have focused training initiatives. Many companies make the mistake of trying to cover a number of topics in a single training session. According to data from Silverchair Learning Systems, however, most employees only retain knowledge about a few key points. It's better to hammer those important tidbits home rather than trying to cover all the bases in a single initiative. That's why it's so important to have regular training frequently, as it enables a business to cover a variety of topics over an extended period.

Speaking of which, it's also important that companies plan a training schedule well in advance and then adhere to that calendar throughout the process.

“A regular training schedule allows employees to prepare for training and be ready to absorb the material,” Anderson explains. “It also allows employees to fit a regularly scheduled training class into their routine, which makes it less stressful for them. Spread trainings out to weekly or monthly to avoid making training a daily routine that becomes too repetitive for employees to handle.”

Use different media

Finally, companies should remember to use a variety of training media. Not everyone learns the same – some people do best by simply absorbing what a speaker has to say, while others may prefer reading books. That is why it's pivotal to create training programs that appeal to all these different people.

Enna offers Kaizen training materials in a variety of forms, ranging from interactive games to books, which helps ensure everyone at your company can get to grips with the concepts of continuous improvement.