The vast majority of businesses across numerous industries encounter various occasions when they need to learn or adapt to make it through. In other words, we all have to learn new things and adjust if we want to succeed and master the new work environment.
When it’s time to adapt and learn, the whole office must go through a training regime. These training programs are essential because they help employees broaden their skill sets and make them more valuable to the organization.
Take a look at five types of employee training and why they are essential.
What is workplace training exactly?
A workplace training program is comprised of processes that aim at developing a team’s knowledge, skills, and efficiency. The training is directly related to the skills the employees may have but they need to be improved. Or maybe they have no skills in that area at all.
That is where training programs enter the stage.
It is common that new employees take part in orientation programs just to get the hang of the work environment and company culture. More experienced employees, on the other hand, usually take up new duties and participate in other kinds of training programs.
Technical skills training
In most scenarios nowadays, employees have to go through technical skills training. This will depend on their job type, but most jobs require technical skills to some extent.
This kind of training is designed to teach new employees (or the current ones) the technological side of the job.
For instance:
- In a retail environment, technical training includes teaching a person how to use the computer system to ring up customers.
- Sales agents have to learn how to use the customer relationship management system to find new prospects.
- In a consulting company, technical training can be used to teach the consultant how to use the system to input the number of hours that should be charged to a client.
There are some simpler examples too, such as when a restaurant waiter should be trained on how to use the system to process orders.
However, most modern companies have training programs for employees that teach them how to use Microsoft Office.
One popular program nowadays is the business Excel training program. While there are a lot of tools that can help a company improve its processes and efficiency, knowing how to use Excel and its advanced features can really make a huge difference.
That’s why many businesses have Excel training programs. Knowing how to use this software solution and take the most advantage of it is becoming more and more valuable in the world of business.
Quality training
If you have any experience with production-focused businesses, you most likely know that quality training is important. This type of training is designed to familiarize employees with the means of preventing, detecting, and eliminating non-quality products.
This training is usually common for organizations that have large production lines and manufacture a good number of products regularly.
Many industries nowadays are becoming a bit saturated and the only way to stand out from the rest is to provide better quality. However, that can’t happen if employees don’t recognize products that are not of sufficient quality.
It is also worth noting that there are organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that measure quality based on a number of factors.
ISO provides the stamp of quality approval for businesses producing tangible products and it has developed quality standards for almost all fields, not only considering product quality but also certifying companies in environmental management quality.
Thanks to globalization, these quality standards have become more important than ever for business development. And that is why many companies place special emphasis on quality training programs.
Orientation program
Almost every business has an orientation program which can either be formal or informal, depending on the company and its size.
An orientation program is a one-time process for new recruits, and it is usually conducted during the first week on the job. Human resources agents are the ones that execute the program which seeks to educate new employees on a wide array of topics.
These include leadership teams, corporate policies, administrative processes, such as computer logins and email setups, new-hire paperwork, benefit plans, corporate culture, company mission, vision, and values and organizational structure.
Onboarding
The orientation program is a big thing in the corporate world, but it is only a piece of one larger process that is called onboarding.
Onboarding refers to a set of department-related training sessions that take place over an extended period of time. Usually today, HR departments use employee onboarding software that automates the whole process.
The onboarding process is specifically designed to quickly enable employees to perform their roles properly and up to the grade. The process starts as soon as the contract is signed, and it continues until the employee can work independently. HR agents prepare the program with the focus placed on achieving various business goals.
The following areas are covered through onboarding:
- Access to information and skills
- An employee’s needs
- Technical aspects of the job
- Employee engagement
- Work performance improvements
- Business goals
Soft skills development
All employers want their team members to behave professionally and work well as part of a team. And in this case, soft skills are there to make that happen.
Soft skills refer to personality traits that enable individuals to communicate and work cooperatively with co-workers and customers. These skills are useful for both new and old employees, and they have a vital role in building a respectful, collaborative, and efficient culture within a company.
Some more notable areas covered in soft skills training programs include presentation, leadership, time management, conflict resolution, work ethics, communication, problem-solving and teamwork.
Final words
Regardless of what type of workplace training you choose, it is vital to see employee training as a chance for growth and improvement.
Keep in mind that all improvements your business can enjoy as a result of training programs directly impact the bottom line. The reason for this is simple. The training is designed for employees, and they are the driving force behind your organization.
Before you select your next program, make sure that your employees are informed and want to learn and improve. Seeking improvements is what will keep your business competitive and successful.
