By Mitch Rice

Organizations must invest in employees’ continued professional development to stay competitive. Employees that are up-to-date with the latest market trends tend to stay more confident and productive. When their organization takes care of their career paths, they remain loyal and continue to work hard. 

Organizations are investing profusely in technologically advanced learning management systems, which include employee on boarding software platforms, mobile applications, and cloud-based automation tools.

Some of the most effective corporate training methods include the following:

e-Learning

Online training or e-learning is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the post covid era, to impart the necessary skills to employees that work from remote locations. Online training is imparted via the organization’s learning management systems and comprises visually attractive, interactive course materials. e-Learning allows employees to access training materials at their leisure, allowing them the flexibility to move toward their professional goals.   

On-the-Job Learning

On-job or hands-on training enables employees to learn as they perform their job functions. The employees can focus on skills and products relevant to their current project. It also includes training the employees on operating a new product or service using walkthroughs or live demonstrations. While such training can help the employee perform their current task efficiently, it must be in addition to the other learning methods to enable them to rise within the organization.

Classroom Training

Classroom training is one of the most traditional corporate training methods. It comprises an instructor and a group of learners in a learning environment at a pre-decided time and place. It can take place in physical space or across geographies. 

Simulation 

One of the current training methods, simulation training, lays out real-time scenarios in a virtual and safe environment to enable the employees to experience actual challenges and test the implications of the proposed solutions. It allows the employees to learn from their errors and increase engagement and participation. They can practice tasks to polish their skills and identify ideal solutions to their challenges.  

Apprenticeship

Organizations develop apprenticeship programs to hire professionals who may or may not have the necessary skills to accomplish tasks. It involves taking freshers or trainees on board and pairing them with experienced professionals for a certain period before they are entrusted with independent jobs or tasks. 

Coaching

The organizations may also facilitate the hiring of external coaches. Coaching is similar to apprenticeship in the sense that an employee assists a senior colleague and learns to perform tasks under their supervision. In such a scenario, employees regularly interact with the coach to discuss goals and action plans to grow professionally. 

Video-Based Training

Video-based training is beneficial when the same course materials need to reach many employees working at multiple locations. It ensures all employees access consistent information in an easy-to-understand format. It is also available for the employees to watch as many times as they need, thereby increasing information retention. It is cost-efficient. However, it poses the risk of reducing employee interest owing to the lack of personal touch to the training experience.    

Collaboration

In collaborative learning, employees exchange their knowledge and expertise among teams and sectors. It creates a positive atmosphere where employees capitalize on each other’s strengths and capabilities. This method of training reduces time and cost investments. It also promotes better retention of new information since it is an interactive form of learning involving numerous discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and 100% participation. 

Case Studies

Lastly, the method of training using case studies means that the employees analyze a real or a fictional situation that may or may not have similar complexities as their current engagement and use it as a reference to propose solutions. It enhances employees’ creative skills but may be time-consuming when they have to analyze information related to highly complicated situations. 

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.