New employees need training to feel comfortable entering their new workplace culture, and they should be able to start their jobs on the right foot. A company should take the necessary steps to ensure they train their new employees effectively. Here are a few considerations within this process.
Set Up New Employees for Success
Before training begins, the company should provide a comprehensive employee handbook that outlines information for their first day and a list of resources for any questions they might have. Also, the manual should include the policies, procedures, leadership hierarchy, and rules that guide procedures and operations.
Set Clear Training Objectives
Training objectives identify what new employees should know or be able to do to perform their jobs well. It’s essential to write training objectives that include a verb describing the required level of skill, such as “remember,” “perform,” or “apply.” A training objective also consists of an observable outcome, such as performing the steps to a task.
Accommodate Various Learning Styles
Training content and delivery should accommodate different learning styles. Visual learners need to see how to do something before they can perform it. Auditory learners learn best by hearing instructions, sounds, or descriptions. Kinesthetic learners thrive best when they can practice the action they’re trying to master.
Use Diverse Delivery Formats
It’s best to develop training for delivery across a variety of modes, such as classroom, self-paced web learning, or reading. For example, first-day orientation might be best in person, while trainees can go online to get an introduction to company-wide policies.
Consider the Content
Using the training objectives as an outline, the trainer can build the content. The trainer should ask for feedback from experienced employees on the content’s quality and inclusion of supplemental components, such as discussion questions, activities, and presentation slides.
Evaluate the Training
A training evaluation should assess trainees’ reactions, how they improved their job-related knowledge, and the extent to which they can perform the skills they learned. Trainers can collect evaluations through anonymous surveys, informal quizzes, or direct observations of behaviors.
The success of new employees depends a great deal on the training they receive. Successful training pays significant dividends to the company in terms of productivity, heightened morale, and increased engagement.