Employee development activities help employees to enhance their skills and upgrade their existing knowledge for them to contribute more effectively towards the success of an organization.
Training and employee development activities make individuals reliable resources for the organization and motivate them to deliver their level best. Regular training prepares employees for unpredictable changes in the system or unforeseen adverse situations.
1. eLearning
In the post-pandemic environment where employees are remote and unable to attend in-person training sessions, eLearning (or online training development) has emerged as one of the most popular ways for employee training. Using their learning requirements and styles, employees can take classes online while relaxing in their own homes.
Pros
- To keep participants interested and enhance knowledge retention, online courses incorporate gamification, interactive games, quizzes, activities, and activities.
- It allows workers the flexibility to learn while on the road using a smartphone.
- Some elements of e-learning can be automated, reducing administrative costs and the need for the teacher to be actively involved in the training throughout.
- E-learning can be scaled.
- Since there is no need for a physical classroom with eLearning, costs are minimized.
- Employees may manage their tasks with ease when
- Employees who take online courses at their convenient times can effortlessly balance work and learning.
- Learning and development teams (L&D) can assess the effectiveness of various training programs by using data from learning management systems (LMS) to efficiently determine the return on training expenditure.
Cons
- Designing and updating training materials takes a lot of time.
- Due to the lack of direct engagement with teachers, employees may feel alone.
- need consistent high-speed internet access.
- Employees can easily become sidetracked by other apps or websites because they are using a screen.
- There is no practical experience to hone abilities.
2. Workplace training
Through learning while doing their jobs, employees with on-the-job training can actively participate. Using in-app and on-screen walkthroughs and guides to help users navigate through various features and tasks within an application is one of the most efficient ways to train new software applications or business processes. On-the-job training’s ultimate purpose is to hasten user acceptance of new tools or recently introduced features.
Pros
- Since it is simpler for employees to learn while working on a project themselves, on-the-job training produces greater results.
- Employer-provided training reduces the need for expensive off-site training programs.
- Employees acquire new skills without having their everyday schedules or productivity interrupted.
- Allows workers to concentrate on the skills that are most pertinent to their jobs, which facilitates tailored training.
Cons
- Employees who prefer face-to-face supervision or engagement may be less productive.
3. Teacher-Led Instruction
One of the oldest and most widely used methods of employee training is instructor-led training, which simulates actual classroom settings with an instructor on hand to guide the training session. Typically, a lecture-style presentation with supplementary visual elements is used for this.
Pros
- Social isolation is avoided through direct connection with trainers and other staff members.
- During the course, questions are raised and addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
- An efficient approach for difficult subjects that require individualized guidance.
Cons
- Students are unable to go at their own pace.
- It is not cost-effective due to rented spaces, travel, and catering expenses.
- Employees could find it tedious and rapidly lose interest.
- Little information to determine ROI.
- Not appropriate for distant employees.
4. Playing a role
This method involves the learner and the instructor playing out hypothetical workplace events. As it gives them practice dealing with challenging situations with consumers, this technique works best for staff members whose jobs include direct client or customer connection (ie. think call center training.)
Pros
- Employee engagement is increased through roleplaying relevant scenarios.
- Encourages students to use their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities immediately.
- Prepares workers for challenging job situations.
- Enhances staff’s ability to communicate with customers.
Cons
- Increases time demands, which reduces staff productivity.
- Not necessary for uncomplicated, simple themes.
- Employees could find it tedious and rapidly lose interest.
- Little information to determine ROI.
- Not appropriate for distant employees.
5. Training
An experienced professional, such as a mentor, supervisor, or veteran employee, coaches or mentors an employee on particular job duties as part of the coaching approach. The coaching approach can be used electronically or in person, making it perfect for both onsite and remote workforces.
Pros
- Establishes a connection between workers that endures when training is over.
- Enables workers to ask questions during instructor-led training that they might not feel comfortable asking in a classroom.
- Employees pick up skills by observing their mentors in action.
Cons
- Requires the mentor/supervisor to devote a lot of time to it.
- A key element in determining whether a training session is successful is the relationship between the mentor and the student.
- Limited data to demonstrate the operation of social learning and determine ROI.
6. Practice with Simulation
Employees can practice tasks that closely resemble the actual work associated with their particular job description through simulation training, which sets up several scenarios. For those in high-risk or high-stakes professions like pilots or surgeons, simulation training may be a requirement. The state or federal government frequently mandates simulation training, sometimes known as compliance training development.
Pros
- Develops abilities like critical thinking and problem-solving under duress.
- In a risk-free setting, students can make judgments and explore the effects of various choices.
- Offering trainee input helps keep the students engaged and concentrated.
- Allows students to learn from their mistakes and improve their skills.
- Students become more aware of the effects of their choices and the value of minimizing errors.
Cons
- Simulator sessions can get pricey.
- Situations in real life are not always perfectly mirrored by simulation.
- Based on shifting market trends, learning simulations need to be updated and maintained frequently.
- A false sense of safety may be created by simulation training, or employees may discount simulations as a result of desensitization.
7. Team-Based Training
Employees can share their knowledge and experience while simultaneously teaching and learning from one another through the collaborative training process. By utilizing individual talents, knowledge, and ideas, this strategy improves the overall training experience for employees.
Pros
- Builds a culture of constant team collaboration that fosters a culture of shared learning.
- Group training saves time and money since it is more efficient.
- Greater learning retention is encouraged.
Cons
- All of the students fall behind because of sluggish participants.
- Getting everyone together at once in one location might be difficult.
8. Video Instruction
One of the best ways to engage employees and provide complex learning experiences at a cheaper cost than traditional training is through video training. It is simpler for employees to retain material when it is presented in an easy-to-understand format, and training videos allow for on-demand viewing at any time.
Pros
- Video production is an upfront investment in video training that can be used until your procedures become antiquated.
- Videos encourage greater team participation, which increases the likelihood that the information will be retained.
- Enables workers to learn at their own pace without impeding their ability to be productive at work.
- In comparison to simple text documents or conventional classroom seminars, videos offer superior information retention, employee engagement, and learner attention.
- Your video hosting companies give you access to various training analytics so you can monitor and gauge the success of your training.
Cons
- In-person interaction is not possible with video instruction.
- When updating videos with new information, can take some time.
9. Diverse Training
When an individual is hired to do one job function, cross-training involves teaching them the ability to execute new work tasks. This eliminates the need to outsource tasks and enables your staff to assist when needed. Employees view cross-training as advantageous for their personal development since it forces them to pick up new skills to increase their worth inside the company or change to a role that they believe is more in line with their professional goals.
Pros
- Enables staff to be ready to temporarily fill an open position in an emergency.
- Gives employees new abilities to complement their existing ones.
- Teams that actively support one another are more collaborative.
- Greater capacity to promote from within, which lowers the expense of recruiting.
Cons
- Cross-training requires devoted time, effort, and resources for larger businesses.
- The majority of workers may become seriously distracted by additional tasks.
- Employees may experience overwork.
10. Job Shadowing
By following and seeing other experts performing a variety of job functions, employees can obtain knowledge about their respective fields of work through job shadowing. Job shadowing is also used to give less experienced people the chance to work with more experienced professionals so they can learn from those who already have mastered such abilities.
Pros
- enhances departmental communication among staff members.
- encourages workers to continually develop and improve.
- enables workers to investigate their prospective career possibilities.
- It is a great opportunity for the individual being observed to share their experiences with other coworkers.
- Compared to an internship, it takes less time.
- information or knowledge obtained directly and given to the observer.
- strengthens connections between long-term employees and new hires.
Cons
- To completely learn the material at first, the observer will need to spend a lot of time working alongside their mentor.
- The observer must have some background knowledge of the field and the workplace conduct expected of it before they can begin learning about a particular profession.
- Due to the quick-paced nature of job shadowing, there could not be enough time for on-the-spot queries, which could result in the loss of some crucial answers.
11. Peer-to-Peer Education
Peer-to-peer learning comes in last on our list of staff training strategies. Peer learning is a reciprocal learning and training technique where individuals at the same skill level work together to learn. Peer-to-peer learning, expressed simply, is when one or more students instruct other students.
Employees can explore novel ideas and collaborate with others on the same project through this kind of learning. Organizations may develop stronger employees who collaborate effectively by giving their employees the chance to teach and learn from one another.
Pros
- Encourages communication, teamwork, and collaboration.
- Increases productivity and employee engagement.
- Encourages the organization’s culture of knowledge sharing.
- The peer-learning approach is reasonably priced.
Cons
- Talking about things that aren’t relevant could squander time.
- Requires effort and dedication from peers.
12. Development program for mentors
A management member and an employee are paired up as part of a mentor development program to help the employee advance in her career. As an illustration, a manager might mentor a team leader. The supervisor will have regular meetings with the team leader, work with her to set professional objectives, and establish checkpoints to ensure the achievement of those objectives. A corporation can strengthen its workforce by using a mentor program, which also improves interactions between staff and management.