Training team members is one of the most valuable but arguably most often overlooked initiatives for businesses. Even though training is what connects new team members’ enthusiasm with their ability to perform their job well, training programs are often outdated and undervalued. Great training content – and lots of it – can keep them engaged and feeling confident about their role as they get going.
Here are a few quick tips from my team at Modern Training that you can use when writing new content for your training programs.
Keep Lessons Simple
Most roles require a mix of company knowledge, interpersonal skills, and job specific processes. Learning all of them at once can be a daunting, forgettable task. Instead of handing team members a giant binder – or a giant eLearning course - that forces them to learn everything as once, break learning into smaller pieces.
If a learning path contains about 60 minutes of information, consider breaking it into several 10-15 minute segments that focus on specific skills. Better yet, try creating some 1-3 minute pieces of content that focus on the most important skills. Save some of the less impactful information for ongoing training so you can build more repetition with critical skills. This approach helps learners prioritize and practice the skills they need the most.
Engage Learners More Frequently
Force learners to interact with the content that you’re teaching. It’s easy for them to mindlessly flip through a document or advance through a PowerPoint. Throughout the training, sprinkle in knowledge checks or interactive components to keep learners engaged. Providing team members with opportunities to practice what they’ve learned along the way rather than taking a big test at the end makes training a more enjoyable experience.
Provide a Clear Path for Success
Great content needs a roadmap. Knowing where you’re going makes a goal seem more attainable. That’s why trailheads in the mountains always have a map posted, so you know how far away the destination is and what obstacles you’ll face along the way. Showing learners a clear path sets expectations and defines what success looks like. If the only thing learners know about completing a training path is “you’ll get there eventually,” chances are they’ll be less motivated and less confident.
Keep Learning Going
Once onboarding is complete, the training process shouldn’t be. An ongoing training program provides team members with opportunities to practice the fundamentals, cross-train for other positions, or actively work toward bigger roles. Take some of your existing content and deliver it overtime in the form of games, quizzes, and reviews. It’s a great way to deliver more content and engage teams without using a lot of resources to create “new”content.
Learn more about how Opus is partnering with Modern Training.
