Every approach to training employees has its advantages and disadvantages. You must employ the right training methods for your training to be effective. In making a choice you need to look at your resources and the needs of your employees. You may even decide to use a mix of traditional and e-learning to experience the advantages of both.
Overview of traditional training methods
Instructor-led learning: Traditional training methods often consist of instructor-led learning in a physical setting. This typically takes place at a specific time in a certain venue. Employees can get feedback and ask questions. They can interact with colleagues in a classroom and learn from others.
Cons: instructor-led training is often monotonous and can encourage passive rather than active learning. It can be hard to schedule when employees work different shifts. A high number of attendees can prevent the instructor from interacting with everyone. Attendees don’t have the option of learning at a pace they can manage.
On-the-job training: On-the-job training can be one of the most effective corporate training methods for employees. It may involve internships, shadowing, or job rotations. It is a hands-on form of training where employees learn by observing experienced employees and carrying out real tasks.
Cons: Hands-on learning isn’t always practical as it can take experienced employees away from doing their own tasks. If employees learn from making mistakes, doing so on the job can result in costly errors.
Mentorship programs: Many organizations offer mentorship programs where experienced employees pass on skills to less experienced employees. An advantage of mentoring is that it can help new employees quickly become productive. A mentor can provide great encouragement and give an employee the motivation to want to learn. Mentoring can also help your organization to pass on valuable skills and knowledge to the next generation of employees.
Cons: If this relationship doesn’t develop organically, it can be strained. A mentor may become frustrated if an employee isn’t progressing fast enough. The mentee may feel the mentor isn’t really motivated to help.
Modern training methods for the digital age
By using an online platform for learning, employees can access training material from anywhere at any time. The flexibility and scalability of online learning make it very suited to modern workplaces. You can deploy it in real time and deliver it to everyone in your organization no matter how many employees you have. You can modify it for different groups and personalize your employee learning strategies.
Online training platforms
The use of online training platforms helps organizations to offer high-quality remote training. This involves the use of virtual classrooms, live streaming, on-demand videos, webinars, etc.
Personalized learning
Every employee has strengths, weaknesses, and different learning styles. Artificial intelligence and data analytics offer insights into employee learning patterns and progress. This allows you to customize their learning paths based on their particular needs.
HR managers and L&D leaders can create onboarding programs that are personalized to new employees by using criteria such as their job roles or skill levels. They can target specific skills gaps in current employees and address them.
Micro-learning
You need to make sure that employees have access to the right information at the right moment. Using micro-learning modules containing bite-sized content allows employees to quickly ingest information and apply it in the moment. Mobile apps give employees the opportunity to access micro-learning even when on the go.
Collaborative learning
A collaborative culture is beneficial for employee training and development. In the online world, social learning platforms, discussion groups, and virtual communities substitute for physical interactions. They enable employees to make connections and share information and experiences. Video messaging is another way for employees to interact and share information.
Gamification
Gamification introduces competition and rewards into training. By earning points, badges, or leveling up, employees stay motivated to complete training.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
VR and AR create immersive training experiences. Simulations of real-world scenarios provide a risk-free environment in which to learn. This is particularly valuable in sectors such as healthcare, customer service, and manufacturing.
How to choose the right training method for your employees
To choose the right training method for your employees you need to consider various factors, such as the needs of your employees, the nature of the job, and your resources.
- Assess employee needs: Performance evaluations, surveys, and interviews can help you to assess employee needs. They will have diverse learning preferences and you will need to offer a mix of methods such as workshops, simulations, etc. to cater to them. On Cincopa’s video hosting platform, you can use a mix of media such as images, podcasts, and videos to appeal to different learning styles.
- Evaluate your available resources: You need to consider your budget, time, the technology you already have, and what you may need to invest in. A high-tech solution like VR requires considerable investment. A micro-learning option is more cost-effective.
- Consider the nature of the job: The training method must be appropriate for the particular job. Technical jobs can benefit from simulations. Role-playing activities can help build communication skills for certain jobs like customer service.
- Measure accessibility and flexibility: A training method must be accessible to all employees no matter what work model you use. Busy employees must be able to access training on demand. The flexibility of being able to learn from anywhere at their own pace can improve employee engagement and completion rates.
Combining methods for a blended learning approach
Both traditional training and e-learning have pros and cons. Blended learning uses traditional training and e-learning to bridge the gaps in both learning methods and experience the benefits of both.
Traditional learning methods can offer the kind of human interaction that may be lacking in e-learning. Having a mentor to receive advice from can help significantly when putting theoretical knowledge into practice. Organizations may want to offer e-learning but give employees opportunities to have a mentor too.
The fact that e-learning is self-paced isn’t suited to all individuals. Employees may procrastinate when having to learn from online modules and respond better to in-person training.
Many employees prefer being able to learn at their own pace, at any time, and from any location. The Cincopa platform facilitates video-based training and allows employees to easily access video on demand. It supports various training methods, not just video-on-demand. Live streaming and holding webinars can offer employees more opportunities to interact. Visit the home page and have a look at its products and solutions to see how it can help you to manage and deliver interactive and engaging training content.
Conclusion
Employee training must be effective and ongoing for your organization to thrive in the modern marketplace. Choosing the right training method is integral to effective training. You may find that some traditional training methods still work for you depending on your industry and type of business. If you have mostly remote employees, you need to explore the best e-learning training methods. In many cases, a mix of training methods often works best. Cincopa can help you create, manage, and distribute diverse learning content to facilitate a variety of training methods. Start a free trial
