Read any job description at random these days and you’re likely to see the character trait “proactive” listed under qualifications. It’s a great skill to recruit, there’s no arguing that but an unfortunate trend has arisen right alongside: the lack of properly training employees during the onboarding process and beyond.
It appears many employees are hiring qualified talent and then expecting them to “learn on the job” while meeting company goals and productivity expectations seamlessly. But it doesn’t work that way, at least not the great majority of the time, so this week we’re making the case for thoroughly training your employees, otherwise known as setting them up for success.
A training program that works
Simply put, a training program should be carefully constructed and executed to give employees the skills they need to meet company goals. Here’s how:
- Develop training, outsource if needed. Before you recruit for a position, you should have a clear conception of the duties the position will perform. Once established, identify any special skills needed and prepare training for them. This is in addition to the regular onboarding tasks you should have in place.
- Train managers (or yourself) to train. Effective training is a skill on its’ own. You’ll want to take care in ensuring that those giving the training not only have the knowledge to do so but the finesse as well. It takes people skills to set up and maintain company culture, and that includes all employee training.
- Schedule training, and stick to it. Make sure to prioritize all meetings from the onset of a new hire and get it done. Too often trainings get rescheduled and then lost in the flurry of tasks floating around, but they should remain a high priority.
- Focus on company culture alongside skills. Trainings are yet another opportunity to establish company culture for new hires and the onboarding process begs to be a supportive tool in introducing a brand’s philosophy. Will the job require a lot of collaboration between employees? Make sure to emphasize your expectations and give examples of successfully completed projects.
- Use a variety of training resources! There are many different ways to train, even virtually. Involving more faces and different methods will keep your training program from going stale.
- Ask for feedback and regularly check in. The best way to determine the success of any training program is via the feedback from employees. They should feel competent in both their tasks and their ability to be productive. If they’re struggling with either of these, it’s time to review your training program.
The benefits of good training
So many! The most consequential being talent retention, high productivity levels, and a company with a clear mission and goals. Sound good? Of course it does! In order to keep your training program fresh, make sure to keep up with current trends of the skills needed to stay competitive in your industry and make staff training a priority in the company culture!
Need help developing a training program or onboarding process? Eos HR can help! We’re a team of HR professionals helping small businesses implement smart solutions to ensure the success of new employees. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more!
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