Training your employees isn’t enough if the training modules are easily understood or don’t reach the employees with the message to be learned. Here are five ways to improve your employee training modules to ensure you achieve the results you’re hoping for.
1. Define jargon. While a company employee will pick up the meaning of a lot of words just by being on the job awhile, it’s best to assume that he or she is unfamiliar with any company or industry-specific jargon you might use. Defining unfamiliar terms, acronyms and phrases that may mean two different things depending on who you’re talking to, is the best way to ensure your employee training carries the most impact and leaves no employee wondering what was meant.
2. Remember that adults learn differently. Adults have a harder time concentrating due to a higher stress level so creating interesting training modules that offer them valid information they need and can use in their jobs is the first step in helping them learn. In addition, keep in mind that adults will remember more of what they experience so offer interaction whenever possible instead of long pages of plain text reading.
3. Use a variety of methods. This tip goes hand-in-hand with number two, but advocates the use of several features for your training module. These can include audio, video, question and answer, review, humor and more. The more variety you can offer, the better your adult students will enjoy the modules and the more real learning will take place.
4. Never talk down to your employees. While they may not understand everything you do about the company, their job, or even the industry, your employees still deserve your respect. As such, be sure that your employee training modules use language that voices your respect and doesn’t treat your employees as if they’re unintelligent or less important than others.
5. Offer additional learning opportunities for those who want more. Most of your employees want to do a good job. And given the opportunity, many of them will take elective training that can help them do their job better. Offer additional modules for added credit or just for the benefit of learning to those employees who want it. This is seen as a positive employee perk by many, so make the most of it with those employees who are interested.
Creating effective employee training modules needn’t be hard. It just takes some thought and planning in the production process. Following these simple tips can help you create more effective modules, which in turn, will help your employees learn more and do a better job. That’s a winning situation all around.