Corporate learning has now become a key function in every organization. Training programs are being used to facilitate not only organizational growth but employees’ personal growth as well. However, even the best training programs can fall prey to unexpected roadblocks. It is imperative to fix these common employee training mistakes as they can have severe implications. They can lead to demotivated employees, increased training costs, and make your training programs ineffective.
Many L&D professionals discover themselves repeating the same errors and often without even recognizing them. To train properly, you must first understand what to avoid. This list of common errors will assist you in running the most effective training programs.
Common Errors in Employee Training and How to Avoid Them
Not thinking before leaping
Analysis is always the first step in developing a successful training program. Take a moment to reflect on and assess the issue as it exists. This provides a basis upon which to develop.
Learning and Development (L&D) is always under examination, especially with respect to the return on investment. This is why it is essential to regularly monitor the effectiveness of your training program. Ensure that your efforts will pay off in the long run by thoroughly analyzing the learning needs in your organization and aligning them with your training program.
You must:
- Inform all team leaders about the current training program.
- Learn about the obstacles to successful training.
- Gather data on previous triumphs and failures.
- Ask colleagues for their help and involvement.
- Establish your objectives and goals.
- Share your results to gain support.
Undefined objectives or goals
First, goals and objectives are not the same things! Learning objectives describe what learners can perform after completing the course. These are specific elements that a learner has mastered by completing a course. Goals, on the other hand, are broad and apply to the entire organization.
If you don’t already have organizational goals and team/learner objectives in place, we highly recommend defining them. If you already have a list of goals and objectives, you must ensure they are aligned well with your training program and learners.
Forgetting the practical value of training
Educating people is not enough. For L&D programs to be successful, employees must learn to apply the skills they have acquired. Not including practical experience in courses is a huge corporate training mistake that can hinder your learner’s ability to apply the knowledge they have gained. As per research, if you don’t apply the new information you learn, you forget 75% of it in just 6 days. It is essential to conduct practical training sessions or simulations so that your learners are able to transfer the knowledge to their job roles with ease. When designing programs, L&D professionals should focus on delivering hands-on education.
Slowing down training
Employees may not have time to study outside of work hours. If you have a training program that requires them to dedicate time after work, you will see a significant decline in learner engagement and motivation. According to a 2019 LinkedIn study, 74% of employees want to learn at work in their free time. Cut your training sessions into smaller pieces to increase the effectiveness of your training, and include learning time in the schedules of your employees. It is recommended to have at least 30 minutes of work time dedicated to learning.
Doing everything yourself
You would have met with numerous team leaders and managers during the analysis step. So, here’s your chance to seek their assistance!
Request subject matter experts to offer you or your group the materials you require to generate unique content. Pull in colleagues to assist you in developing the finest programs.
Build courses frequently reusing existing materials: manuals, videos, documents, and anything else that can be incorporated into a course. Have your colleagues test the courses before they’re implemented.
You must have seen that there is oftentimes a mismatch between the type of training provided by L&D professionals and the demands of employees. According to a recent Udemy study, 52% of L&Dprofessionals believe technical skills to be the primary concern for corporate training programs. However, a LinkedIn survey says that employees would gain the most from mastering soft skills. Allow the team leads or managers to offer you insight into the learning needs of their team members and build courses in alignment with those needs.
Inadequate user experience
A great learning experience should be your primary concern. Learner engagement is dependent on a stress-free experience. The first step is to adopt an easy-to-use learning management system (LMS). Auzmor Learn is one of the best and easiest to use (as rated by G2 in 2022) in the industry. Second, keep your learners’ views in mind, as first impressions are critical. Expose them to the LMS and make it simple for them to interact with and navigate. This may be accomplished using a campaign-based strategy. Send emails with user experience screenshots, so they understand what to anticipate. Discuss the fundamentals with them, such as how to login, how to change their password, where to locate the courses they must complete, sources, and so on. This planning streamlines the learning process and simplifies your job in the long term. Auzmor Learn has a dedicated set of help articles that can be easily accessed by learners.
Failure to obtain feedback
If you do not listen to learners, you are ignoring the viewpoints of the most important people in the operation. If you fail to assess their perspectives, your analysis will be incomplete. Make a system for collecting feedback and reserve time to examine it. You can consider including surveys and ratings in your courses to make them more functional. You can also check out this blog that highlights how feedback helps your training programs and tips to collect actionable feedback.
Most importantly, examine what works and what does not – take nothing personally. When revising your courses, implement the suggested changes to the best of your abilities.
Lack of motivation
Getting your employees hooked on training is an extremely difficult task. One way to guarantee motivation is by offering courses that solve their problems. Start with courses that help them perform their job roles better and you will see a significant rise in the number of employees that look forward to learning.
It is also important to encourage your employees and celebrate their achievements. Don’t allow their collaboration and excitement to vanish into thin air. To favorably promote the training program, emphasize the benefits of active involvement.
Conclusion
Employee training is a team effort, a give-and-take involving the trainer and trainee. As a leader, you must avoid these common corporate training mistakes and be devoted to routine development activities. Auzmor Learn can help you build an effective training program that benefits both you and your employees. Our award-winning LMS offers an extensive content library, course-authoring tools, social learning features, and progress tracking mechanisms. Book a FREE demo today to know more about how we can help you!
