Employee training methods are media through which an organization’s human resource management (HRM) improves every aspect of its operations and workforce.
For employees to perform at their best, they must receive training that helps them understand their roles and how to work effectively. Additionally, employees will remain motivated when they have the right training that makes them work effectively.
In this article, we’ll consider 11 different employee training methods in HRM that you can explore. We’ll also examine the definition of an employee training method, its importance, and the pros and cons of each method.
What are Employee Training Methods?
Employee training methods are routine training systems that HR use to improve the way employees carry out their duties. This is done to achieve maximum efficiency from the workers.
In addition, employee training methods are set up to allow HR to use the best-fit method within their organization to ensure that their goals are achieved.
In one outstanding statement made by Zig Ziglar, an American author and motivational speaker, he said,
The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is to not train them and keep them.”
Here, Zig Ziglar emphasized the importance of training employees, irrespective of the methods by which they receive the training. Hence, proper training for employees can guarantee peak performance in their roles and in their organizations.
Importance of Choosing an Employee Training Method
Choosing the right employee training method is as important as the goal any organization hopes to achieve through their employees. In training, employees have learning styles, preferences, and types of work that best help them improve.
Their style could be visual, auditory, or through learning from taking action. Here, we’ve identified the top 3 importance for choose a training method:
1. Maximizing Learning Effectiveness
The primary goal of employee training is to improve job performance and enhance productivity. Hence, choosing the right training method ensures that employees learn effectively and maximizes their chances of achieving the desired learning outcomes.
2. Saving Time and Resources
Different training methods have different costs regarding time, effort, and resources. By choosing the most appropriate training method, HR can save these valuable resources, which can be invested in other business areas.
3. Meeting Employee Learning Preferences
Employees have different learning preferences, and choosing a training method that aligns with these preferences can increase engagement and motivation.
In addition, HR can identify employees’ learning preferences by asking them or running them through a survey. This can lead to better retention of the training material and better application of the skills learned on the job.
Read also: Operational excellence: Proven principles and actionable methods
Components of Employee Training Methods
HRM is responsible for choosing training methods to improve employees’ performance. The particular training method used is based on three components. These include:
1. The Purpose of the Training
The training method to be used must align with the training program’s objectives and should be able to answer the “why” and “what” of the program.
Some of the objectives of employee training programs include managerial training, soft skill training, quality training, and team training. Hence, the HR manager can effectively align the training methods with its objectives by paying attention to the program’s purpose.
2. The Intended Employee Audience
When HR sets up a training program, they must factor in the demographic of employees, the nature and level of their jobs, and their availability for the training.
These information guide the HR on what type and method of training that would be most effective to the employees.
3. Constraints
One component that informs the specific employee training method is the probable constraints that could hamper the training.
Constraints, such as budget, time, and other resources, may be needed to prepare for a training method. Hence, HR managers can identify these constraints and ensure that systems are developed that effectively optimize them for maximum results.
Top11 Employee Training Methods To Explore
In employee training methods, there are two basic categories from which all other methods stem. They are on-the-job training methods and off-the-job training methods.
Category 1: On-the-Job Training
This refers to the different methods of training through which employees gain experience on the job. In this type, employees get involved in real-life experiences that teach them about the organization and its operations. The different types of on-the-job training methods include:
1. Job Rotation
In this type of on-the-job training, employees rotate their jobs, mainly from one department to another. The main aim of this rotation is for every employee to gain experience from the different departments.
Furthermore, the rotation could identify employees’ strengths and weaknesses, which would best inform the HRM where and how to place them.
2. Coaching
During the on-the-job training, employees may need some coaching from a senior employee or executive who will help them through the program.
With mentors, employees can access information that would have taken them months or years to gain through experience. Hence, coaching has been proven to affect employees’ learning process notably over time
Read also: Mentoring in Business: Why it matters and how to find one
3. Committee Assignments
This refers to when the HR manager of an organization assigns a particular project to a team of employees. Additionally, it ensures that all team members participate fully by developing ideas that help them complete the project successfully.
By consistently assigning different projects to employees, they become better at their duties, and, in turn, ensure that they achieve excellence in the organization.
4. Job Instructions
In this method, employees receive step-by-step instructions from their trainer, which helps them progress significantly during the training.
Additionally, when employees make mistakes, they can get corrections from their trainer through instructions. Hence, clear instructions will positively impact employees’ skills and knowledge.
5. Internship Training
In internship training, companies offer the trainees the theoretical and practical knowledge they need to succeed in their careers. On occasion, these companies absorb some of the trainees to provide room for further improvement.
Thus, internship training is a proven training method that HRM can utilize to bring out the best in their employees.
Category 2: Off-the-job Training
This type refers to various methods companies use to train their employees away from their field of work. In addition, on-the-job training methods have proven effective; however, they have limitations, hence the reason for combing other training methods.
The different types of off-the-job training methods include:
1. Case Study
In this type of training, companies assign real company problems to their new employees to understudy. This allows them to brainstorm possible solutions to the problem, thereby improving their critical and analytical thinking.
2. Incident Method
In this training method, trainers develop different solutions to problems in the form of incidents. The employees are then expected to make critical decisions on the best solution to the problem before them.
Moreover, using the incident method helps build the decision-making abilities of employees in real-life situations.
3. Role Play
In role play, the HRM of companies assign different organization roles to their employees and ask them to accomplish a task in those roles. This activity enhances the ability of employees to solve problems in different situations or circumstances.
4. In-basket Training
In this method, the HR manager gives employees an imaginary company with staff and tells them to draw up a work schedule.
In addition, the HR manager provides employees with the necessary information about the imagined company, such as its products and operations. This task helps employees develop situational judgments and quick decision-making skills.
5. Business Games
In business games, the HR manager divides employees into groups and gives them an imaginary company to determine its activities and functions.
In addition, they’ll determine the company’s products, how to promote them, and possible pricing. Thus, this helps employees improve their cooperative decision-making process.
6. Grid Training
Grid training is a training method that HR managers use to enhance the effectiveness of their employees and organization. It consists of organized seminars and activities that help employees enhance communication and develop teamwork spirit.
Furthermore, it is a continuous process carried out in phases that span an average of six years. These phases include planning, implementation, and evaluation, effectively addressing all training aspects.
Pros and Cons of Employee Training Methods
While several training methods have positive impact on employees; however, these methods come with disadvantages. Here are the pros and cons of both categories of employee training methods:
Pros and Cons of On-the-Job Training
Training methods in this category have similar pros and cons. Here are a few of them:
Pros:
- It is less expensive than its counterpart method.
- It offers a flexible way of training employees.
- The training can be done without additional external arrangements.
Cons:
- It is poorly structured and may lack a proper training environment.
- The employees may find learning difficult, especially when the trainers lack training skills.
- No clearly defined performance criteria.
Pros and Cons of Off-the-Job Training
Here are some of the pros and cons of off-the-job training methods:
Pros:
- The company’s normal work operations are not affected.
- Trainers are well-qualified and experienced.
- The training program has a properly drafted and well-organized scheme.
Cons:
- The training is artificial and not directly relevant to the work.
- It is cost-intensive to carry out.
- The work hours used for the training result in a loss of productivity for employees and the company.
Conclusion
The HRM is an organization responsible for choosing the most preferred training method that can improve employees’ and organizations’ performance.
With a clear understanding of the training’s purpose and objectives, HR managers can make informed choices about which method is best for their employees.
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