The training process is an activity that is performed to equip employees with the skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to perform their job. This process is particularly important for incoming employees because it teaches them the company’s values, mission and goals, as well as how to be successful in their new roles. But how do you know what methods are best and which ones to avoid? We’ve compiled a list of the dos and don'ts of the training process to help guide you when creating your new employee training process.
What is the difference between onboarding and training?
Before we begin, let’s review the differences between onboarding and training for new employees.
Onboarding involves integrating new employees into the company culture and providing them with the resources they need to succeed.
Training involves introducing new employees to the tasks and goals that are related to their position.
The Dos and Don’ts
Do determine training procedures before you begin.
You first need to determine what you want your new employees to know and how you plan to train them. A great way to enhance your training process is to ask your current employees for feedback. These individuals can give you a unique perspective on their training experience and provide suggestions for improvement.
Do check in with new employees regularly.
Check in with new employees several times a week during their first few weeks. This allows you to see their progress and provide support for them if needed. Be sure to schedule a specific time for check-ins to allow both you and the employee to plan and prepare.
Do set achievable goals for new employees.
By setting clear and realistic goals for your new employees, you can give them a guide and direction for their first few weeks. Consider each employee’s unique skills and experiences and use these to create short-term goals that they can accomplish during their initial weeks.
Do implement team building activities.
A great way to help new employees feel welcomed into the company is to host team-building activities. This can be a great way for new and older employees to get to know each other. Want some great team building activity ideas? Read our previous blog post where we review 6 team building activities that you can organize during a meeting, during the workday or outside of the office.
Don’t give new employees an information overload.
It’s important not to overwhelm your new employees. Remember that they have a lot of new information coming their way during the first few weeks of training. Try to slow down the learning process and break down training sessions into more manageable chunks. Create a training schedule that spreads out training tasks to help ease new employees into their roles.
Don’t forget to acknowledge new employees’ accomplishments.
It can be easy to get lost in the training process and forget to acknowledge how well new employees are adapting. Adjusting to a new company can be hard and it is important that you celebrate new employees’ successes. By taking the time to recognize their achievements, you can encourage new employees to strive for continued success. This can also allow new employees to feel valued and appreciated by the company.
Don’t have one-way conversations
Ensure that throughout the training process you are giving new employees the chance to ask questions and provide feedback. Find a balance between training and listening - don’t be afraid to take a step back and listen to feedback. This will overall help with engagement and allow new employees to feel involved in the training process.
Don’t only prioritize new employees
Be mindful that the training process will take time away from the current members of your team. Try to give your current employees equal amounts of attention during this time. For example, if a current employee needs you to review one of their projects so that they can move forward with it, take time to step away from training.
Put simply, the right training program should work to both inspire and educate your employees to succeed in their new role. You want to make sure that your training process is fine-tuned and perfected to best support your team. This process requires many aspects including some legal, and it may be hard to keep track of all that needs to be considered when creating your new employee training. Luckily, there are many professionals in employee relations that would love to assist you and your team. Here at STEPS, we specialize in small business support services and can work with you to set up a training process that fosters your team’s success. To more about our services visit our home page or reach out to us on our contact page.
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