Employee training is the process of making employees aware of the different functions and responsibilities that they have in a company. Employee training can be formal or informal and can take several forms, such as a workshop, a mentoring system or even a crash course. In order to provide effective training, a business should make use of various tools and implement them in the right combination. Training tools include videos, conferences, seminars, guides and manuals, and question and answer sessions. External help such as professional trainers can also help in employee training.
Lessons learned from IBM’s Your Learning
IBM has always placed a high priority on human resources development, investing $1 billion to train employees during the mid-90s. During the late 90s, however, the company went through a cost-cutting initiative. In 1999, the company decided to implement e-Learning for employee training, initially for newly hired managers. The program’s success is an example of the power of e-learning to improve employee performance.
While e-learning is a powerful tool for employee development, it is important to note that it can only supplement other learning methods. IBM is an early adopter of e-learning and has created unique eLearning solutions for its own employees and customers. This book provides a clear overview of the company’s eLearning strategy. For example, the book’s chapter on IBM’s corporate e-learning solutions describes the lessons learned from the company’s use of e-learning.
Tools available to create employee training
You can create employee training videos by using various tools. Using a free open-source audio editing software called Audacity, you can record screencasts and webcam videos. You can also upload the videos to YouTube and Vimeo. Most training programs require text documents, and Microsoft Office can help you create these documents easily. The suite includes Word, Powerpoint, and Excel online, along with many other ancillary apps.
Other employee training tools include gamification and learning hubs. Learning hubs put the learner at the center of the learning experience and integrate with social, gamification, and collaboration features. They can be used to create custom courses, manage qualifications, and even send employees reminders. These tools are fairly new to the employee training market, but several startups are making some noise. Pathgather is one of these pioneering LXPs, which integrates social learning features into enterprise training.
Ways to measure effectiveness
To measure the effectiveness of employee training programs, managers should observe employees’ performance during their workday. In addition to measuring learning outcomes and skills retention, managers can also track changes in sales or other metrics. Depending on the industry and task performed by employees, training programs may focus on specific compliance requirements or specific goals. Regardless of the goal, managers should be able to see an increase in productivity after the program. In this article, we’ll discuss some ways to measure the effectiveness of employee training.
Before developing your training program, identify your KPIs. Identify which metrics are most important to your company and which are the easiest to measure. Once you’ve determined which metrics to measure, make sure to schedule data collection activities throughout the entire training process. If possible, incorporate them into the training timeline and design phase to make the process more efficient and effective. If possible, use the evaluation results to inform the next training program.
Costs
Whether the training is delivered on-site or via external resources, costs of employee training vary considerably by industry. An average cost for a company of 100 to 999 employees is $1096 per year. For the same number of employees, the average annual training time is 46 hours. Training can be expensive, so the right balance should be struck between ROI and value of the training. Companies can also reduce costs by tapping into free or low-cost learning resources, or use their internal knowledge and expertise to develop tailored training for each job.
When assessing the costs of employee training, it’s important to consider the type of training that your employees need. There are many types of training, from onboarding to cross-training internal teams. While some costs are obvious, others are hidden and come up at inopportune times. Listed below are some of the most common types of training and the associated costs. The costs of employee training depend on the size and type of your company, but they will be worth it in the long run.