Employee training is very important for employees because it helps to keep up with the latest technologies and trends. It helps your employees upskill themselves and perform better. It allows them to serve their job with greater competency and confidence.
However, employee training in small-scale industries is very rare due to less employee size, costs involved and lack of resources, etc. Many startups have the notion that employee training is a waste of time and too expensive.
While it’s true that Employee training can be expensive, it can be done with proper planning. It can also offer great benefits which far outweigh the costs involved. So, if you too are a startup owner and plan to start training your employees, here are few powerful tips for you:
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#1) Be specific:
Before designing your employee training program, understand what skills employees are lacking and how you can fill the gaps with your training. Your training program should address specific employee learning needs to produce great ROI. The course should train them to perform better in their current and future projects. Since the training budget is low for startups, focus on skills that are extremely required.
#2) Conduct online training:
It is hard for startups to allocate physical space for employee training, so consider online training to cut down the expenses. Provide recorded video classes and materials so that employees can access the content whenever they want. With online training, you can frequently change and reassess the content.
It is also easy to manage your content with tools like LMS(learning management system). For example, Trainual is an LMS company that helps you deliver better training and has features like attendance tracking, gamification (engages students by applying game principles like points, progression, and competition), and mobile learning support (which helps to access the content anytime and anywhere), and much more.
#3) Use current employees as trainers:
It is hard for startups to invest lots of money in industry experts and professionals for employee training. Thus, you should try to find a subject matter expert within the organization who has good experience and relevant knowledge in the subject that your employees want to learn. It will not only reduce the cost of training but also improve the leadership and presentation skills of the employees delivering the training.
This can also help sharpen the management and presentation skills of the employee who is delivering the training. Employees also feel valued when they are given additional responsibilities like training the younger generation and guiding them. Plus, Learners, too, engage better when some senior manager from within the company teaches them.
4)Set “SMART” goals:
Set training goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound(SMART). When designing and creating a training program, ensure you have all the objectives clear. If the training program does not have a purpose and specific goal, then it is likely to not give any meaningful results.
#5) Track the progress:
Ensure the content and materials are giving you the results. Conduct tests to know if everyone is on the same page. If the test scores are low, consider changing the content or training method. Initially experiment with different training methods and content to know which gives you the best results and stick to that.
#6) Customized programs:
Usually, startups are filled with young employees who are in the initial phases of their careers. So the organizations should consider the choices and learning methods of young professionals before designing and scheduling the training programs. For instance, young people prefer self-learning, flexible timings, and crisp content, etc. Thus, you should aim to design a training program that caters to the learning needs and preferences of most of your employees.
Conclusion:
Designing a training program can be a daunting task. But, if you follow the tips mentioned above, we are sure that you will easily sail through, consider all the parameters before designing a program. Just Ensure it is cost-effective and serves the needs of your trainees
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