If you’re hiring for the holidays, because your business is growing, or to replace departing employees, you know that hiring is just the first step. After you’ve found great additions to your team, you have to figure out what information you need to communicate to them to successfully integrate them into your company and community. Then, once you’ve established WHAT you need to teach your new hires, you must figure out HOW to teach them.
Everyone learns differently. Some people are best reached by visual methods, some respond best to oral presentations, and some must learn in a “hands-on” method. Some learn better in groups, and some are more suited to one-on-one training. Many traditional training programs are one size fits all efforts involving large groups of employees trapped in rooms for hours watching safety and welcome videos. Unsurprisingly, many of these employees report that training felt like a waste of time rather than a valuable introduction to their new company. Having a training program that incorporates multiple learning styles and interaction methods can help you effectively communicate with and properly train all your new employees.
5 Creative Approaches for More Effective Training
1. Use technology.
Setting up online modules for viewing required safety or intro videos can be efficient and effective. These presentations can be structured to require periodic interaction, accompany review questions, or include other interactive content if desired. Allowing your new hires to complete these modules at their own pace can help alleviate boredom, foster autonomy, and engage employees in what can otherwise be hours of boredom and wasted on-site time. (Note: if your employees are hourly, you must ensure they are compensated for all required training time, regardless of where and when it is performed.)
2. Change the pace.
Incorporating both group training and one-on-one time can help reach all types of learners. Also, try to ensure that at least some of the training includes the new employees performing their job duties while being supervised and advised by the training employees.
3. Staff appropriately.
The best employee(s) for the job itself may not be the best employee(s) to train new hires for the position. Plus, training may not be an efficient use of their time. Effective trainers are able to communicate the necessary information and concepts of the company and position, while being patient, personable, and organized. Also, ensure that your trainers understand all relevant laws and regulations related to the position and onboarding process. Having a consistent staff of employees who are skilled and capable at training can ensure that new hires are brought up to speed efficiently and thoroughly each and every time.
4. Allow enough time.
Many companies put off hiring until it’s absolutely necessary, creating an unnecessarily urgent situation for new hire training. New hires feel rushed, training may fall on the wrong employees or be scheduled haphazardly, and the company may incur additional costs and fees to rush additional considerations like licenses and permits through.
5. Delegate.
Third-party vendors can manage everything from recruitment through hiring through training, or can help you create workflows and modules to streamline the process for you to self-manage. Especially if you haven’t allowed enough time for training, outsourcing part or all of the training process may make good sense. It is important to strike the right balance between using 3rd party and internal resources for training. It is important that the employee’s sense of engagement with the company is taken into account and using too many 3rd party resources may delay the employee’s assimilation into the corporate culture.
Making the effort to set up a great training program can pay dividends in the long run, saving time and resources for all future hires. Workflows can help streamline the training process and efficiently guide new hires through the entire process, from application onward.
StarGarden can help you build the workflow solutions you need to streamline your employee training and onboarding system. Download our complimentary eBook for more tips on effectively training new hires by clicking the link below, and contact us today if you’d like more information on how cloud-based payroll and hcm systems with customizable workflows can help your business thrive!
