To find the right training resources and formats, employers must sort through many options. Among the choices, some of which can be combined, should you:
- Choose synchronous or asynchronous learning?
- Bring in outside experts or use internal resources (including peer-led training and/or mentoring)?
- Offer online webinars, in-person workshops or one-on-one coaching?
- Provide self-paced training so that employees may learn at their own speed?
- Use videos, webcasts, podcasts, online courses or books?
- Deliver simulations or role-plays that put learners in real-world scenarios?
- Convert traditional PDF, Word and PowerPoint files into e-learning courses?
You also want to consider what will fit within your budget and how to track employees' progress and completion. But in the end, you will want to choose the content, delivery and evaluation systems that ensure employee access to the right training at the right time, in the right format.
Where to start
You can find training resources through associations, online training courses and apps, as well as industry publications such as Training, Training Industry or Learning Solutions. Other resources include conferences, blogs and forums. Online training resources include The Rapid E-Learning Blog from Articulate, The Beginner's Guide to Creating an Online Training Program and the Beyond L&D podcast/video series from Northpass, Training Live+Online from Training magazine, Udemy for Business and LinkedIn Learning.
Start by assessing your needs and objectives. Conduct an inventory of existing resources to assess the quality of current materials and identify training gaps. Then determine whether you can update the existing content, format or language to match your immediate needs.
Understanding your current objective is tied to understanding gaps in your employees' knowledge, skills or behavior. If current materials cannot be adapted, consider which, among the options and delivery modes listed above, would be most relevant, accessible and flexible. Which would best meet your employees' learning styles and preferences? Which would integrate best with your existing systems and platforms?
Be sure to read reviews from other users. As you home in on a choice, you should ask whether the option supports your company's culture and values. Another good determination is whether you can add your own examples, exercises or feedback to target the learning to your needs.
Plan to evaluate the training. Did the resources meet your expectations? Did they provide a positive and engaging learning experience? Collect feedback from your employees and trainers to identify strengths and weaknesses of the resources. What new or emerging resources may offer better solutions or opportunities in the future?
Finally, decide how you will measure the training's impact. Did it improve performance, skills or behavior? Results might be measured by surveys, interviews, observations and/or performance reviews. Did the training lead to a rise in revenue, a decrease in costs and/or improvements in employee productivity? No training will provide everything, so knowing the goal of the training is critical to measuring its value.
Going forward
Because no single training will answer every need, it is essential to have a plan for future trainings. These should be coordinated in a logical and coherent way to facilitate learning and retention. Create a training plan or curriculum that outlines the sequence, duration, frequency and location of training sessions as well as the roles and responsibilities of the trainers, learners and managers. Frequently, employers forget that both trainings and plans should be stored in a training repository by category or sequence so they are easy to find.
As you continue to review, revise and add training content, delivery methods and evaluation tools, you should follow up with employees to reinforce and sustain learning outcomes. You should also monitor emerging trends and best practices in your industry. It is possible that new needs or trainings may emerge, despite your best-laid plans.