Five ways to improve training and development in the workplace

How to improve training and development in an organisation

Training and development are vital for workplace success. They boost skills, job satisfaction, and company growth. Yet many businesses struggle to do this well.

With the rise of technology and a new generation of employees seeking meaningful work and growth, companies must rethink their approach to employee satisfaction and talent acquisition. Workers with technical skills and problem-solving abilities are in high demand, but employers struggle to retain them.

The GETI report highlights that robust training and development are key to long-term employee retention and meeting the evolving demands of candidates across industries.

Design employee training programs with your team in mind

Talk to your team to identify and bridge skill gaps. Compare these to your team's current skills and match learning to each person's role. This allows employees to learn at their own pace and in formats that suit them, improving information retention.

Implementing personalised training becomes easier when a company culture of continuous learning is fostered.

Moreover, some of the best learning happens outside formal training programs through everyday interactions between peers, managers, and departments.

What are the four types of employee training?

By investing in structured training programs, companies empower their workforce and drive long-term success. Together, these approaches create a well-rounded employee development strategy that aligns individual potential with business goals.

Onboarding/orientation training

Onboarding is the first step in helping new employees acclimate to the company. It involves familiarising them with rules, roles, and operations through various activities and learning sessions.

This helps new hires understand the culture, values, and expectations, allowing them to settle in quickly and boosting their confidence and engagement for a successful start.

Technical training

Also known as job training, this focuses on job-specific skills, software, or technical knowledge that employees need to perform their tasks effectively. It also focuses on building confidence in managing tasks effectively.

Concentrating on the specific skills needed can enhance productivity, reduce errors, and significantly contribute to the company's success.

Refresher training

This reinforces and updates employees' current skills and knowledge, ensuring they stay current with industry standards, company procedures, and safety protocols.

Promotional/ leadership training

This is designed to prepare employees for leadership roles. It focuses on building essential competencies like strategic thinking, team motivation, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

Leadership training may include mentoring, online courses, workshops, simulations, and role-playing exercises, equipping participants to handle challenges, inspire their teams, and make informed decisions. 

The ADDIE model: A structured approach to training and development

The ADDIE framework can help you approach your employee training programs in a well-organised fashion. Each phase provides a foundation for designing personalised, impactful programs:

• Analysis: Assess and understand employees' needs, skills gaps, and learning objectives.
• Design: Develop a training blueprint with learning outcomes, content, and delivery methods.
• Development: Create the program materials, training content, and resources needed to meet training objectives.
• Implementation: Roll out the training, adjusting for different learning styles and employee needs.
• Evaluation: Measure the program’s success and gather feedback to refine future training.

Five strategies to improve training and development 

Below are five practical steps to enhance your approach.

Learn more about your employees by communicating with them

First,aim to understand employees' needs and goals to offer relevant learning opportunities.

Casual conversations allow employees to express their opinions; informal one-on-one meetings are ideal for discussing progress, challenges, and desired hard and soft skills development.

Begin with non-work questions to make employees comfortable.

During this exchange, share some information about yourself to give your employees a chance to see you beyond your role as their manager and build a connection.

You can slowly ask them more about their roles within the company, their responsibilities and their career aspirations.

Asking such questions enables you to provide employees with the tools they need to succeed, fostering employee engagement and deeper connections within the team and organisation.

Use on-the-job training to help your employees develop the skills they’re interested in

Margaret Rogers, VP at Pariveda Solutions, notes that classroom-style training provides a foundation but may become ineffective without regular application. She suggests creating "learning moments" from daily tasks. She says:

These moments can be significant or small, but engaging employees in this way is key to helping them step outside their comfort zones, practice, and build confidence.

If an employee excels at research but struggles with presentations, managers can create a "learning moment" by reviewing slides together or conducting mock presentations, boosting confidence and preparation.

On-the-job learning allows employees to develop skills at their own pace, with guidance from experienced colleagues. It allows managers to tailor training materials to specific concerns instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Improve employee learning objectives with Bloom's Taxonomy

Originally developed in 1956, Bloom's Taxonomy is a learning model that categorises educational goals. Today, it has become an indispensable tool in online learning and workplace training.

It is valuable in employee development as it helps to identify the stages employees must go through to learn new things. Making it easier to design more effective training programs.

Figure 1: Bloom's Taxonomy

Match learning experiences to employees’ needs

Experience, tenure, work ethic, and career motivations shape how employees engage with training.

Managers should also account for today's multigenerational workforce, each with different values, goals, and learning styles. Recognising these differences at every stage of the learning process is essential.

Technology is another key factor. While Gen Z and Millennial employees may easily navigate advanced e-learning platforms, older team members might need more guidance. Tailoring training to accommodate these variations ensures everyone benefits.

This is why Annice Joseph, Senior HR Director of the Global Diversity & Inclusion Office at SAP believes that an agile approach to training is key to unlocking successful career development programs.

In conversation with HRtechnologist.com, she says:

In addition to learning being a continuous process, it is also important to be agile when accommodating all learning styles.

To be successful, organisations need to create environments where people can un-learn, learn and re-learn. SAP takes into careful consideration all generations represented in its workforce and caters to their unique needs.

For example, SAP’s newest employees receive a self-driven, interactive onboarding app (very different than a traditional classroom learning setting). In some cases, SAP offers a combination of e-learning and face-to-face instruction to ensure onboarding is respectful and inclusive of all generations.

Provide regular and constructive feedback

Clear and constructive feedback is crucial for effective employee training and development. Managers should have a strategy to ensure feedback is communicated effectively, focusing on solutions rather than just pointing out weaknesses.

Incorporating data and concrete numbers helps employees accurately measure employee performance, identify strengths, and improve areas of weakness.

Provide comprehensive feedback with the 360 Feedback Model

This model collects feedback from managers, peers, subordinates, and customers, giving a comprehensive view of an employee's skills and behavior. It serves professional development by providing detailed feedback, minimising bias, and revealing obstacles to growth.

Figure 1: The 360 Feedback Model

At this stage, the training goal should be to enable your team to reflect on their performance and encourage individual growth. Be patient and take the time to address both their successes and shortcomings without judgment.

Evaluate your capacity for employee training and development programs

Improving employee training sessions can be complex and time-consuming, especially in large teams.  Approach it gradually to avoid overloading yourself and your employees.

Before implementation, consider your capacity to provide the training programs. Ask yourself:

• How involved do you want to be, and how much support can you give based on your own set of responsibilities?
• Do you want to handle training internally and distribute it amongst senior leaders and management?
• Would you rather outsource to training and development specialists?

Prioritise tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix

Setting realistic expectations is just as important to your success. A prioritisation framework like the Eisenhower Matrix can help distinguish tasks according to importance and urgency.

Figure 2: The Eisenhower Matrix

Leaders who take the time to develop their employee development plan and create a culture of learning and open communication will see their employees evolve and find greater success in engaging and retaining them.

Frequently asked questions

Training and development programs require careful planning and execution. These common questions address key aspects of creating effective workplace learning initiatives.

What are the fundamental components of an impactful employee training program?

• Impactful training programs need clear goals, engaging content, and skilled trainers. They should focus on practical skills employees can apply to their jobs. Hands-on practice and real-world examples make learning stick.
• Interactive elements like group discussions help keep staff engaged. Follow-up activities reinforce new knowledge after formal training ends.

How can I gather and implement employee feedback to enhance a training course?

Surveys and feedback forms collect input from participants. Ask specific questions about content, course delivery, and relevance. Use feedback for targeted improvements, updating materials and methods as needed.

Regular manager check-ins can show how effectively staff apply new skills.

How can I customise training sessions to align with individual learning styles?

Offer a mix of learning formats:

• Visual aids for visual learners
• Discussions for auditory learners
• Hands-on exercises for kinesthetic learners

Allow staff to choose how they complete specific tasks. Some may prefer reading, while others learn better through videos. Provide options for self-paced learning alongside group sessions, and permit mobile learning for remote employees.

Can you identify key principles that underpin an effective strategy for workforce development?

• Align training processes with business goals and individual career paths. This ensures relevance and motivation.
• Make learning continuous, not just one-off events. Encourage a culture of ongoing skill development.
• Offer a blend of formal training and informal learning opportunities. Mentoring and job rotations complement classroom sessions.
• Measure results and tie them to business outcomes. This shows the value of training investments.

What steps should be taken to continually assess and improve training effectiveness?

• Before training begins, set clear metrics for success. These might include improved performance, fewer errors, or higher customer satisfaction.
• Conduct pre-and post-training assessments to measure skill gains. Follow up weeks or months later to check retention.
• Use data analytics to spot trends and areas for improvement. This could reveal which topics need more focus or which delivery methods work best.
• Regularly review and update training content to keep it current and relevant.

How can I future-proof my training and development programs?

• Stay informed about industry trends and emerging technologies. Update training content to reflect these changes.
• Teach adaptability and problem-solving skills. These help staff navigate future challenges.
• Foster a growth mindset among employees. Encourage them to embrace new learning opportunities.
• Build flexibility into training programs. This allows for quick updates as needed.
• Partner with educational institutions or industry experts to bring in fresh perspectives.

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