4 Reasons Your Employee Training Program Needs a Revamp

You want your employees to be the best workers they can be. One way to ensure you get what you want is to offer an employee training program. Training teaches employees new skills, provides knowledge for their roles, and offers refreshers of company information. They may focus on topics such as safety rules, quality assurance, or onboarding. 

Whether you choose online, in-person, or on-the-job training, it’s worth having a system in place. You should train everyone—management, new hires, and current employees. When done well, these training programs can improve performance, productivity, and morale.

However, if you don’t keep up with your development offerings, you’re liable to be wasting time and money. Read on to uncover reasons why your employee training program may need to be updated. 

1. It’s Static and Stale

How long ago did you create your training program? Two years ago? Five years ago? Longer? Technology changes so fast that you really should reevaluate your training program annually. Update it using modern tools, like learning management systems, video platforms, and work instruction software. 

Current technology allows you to create learning programs that are interactive and easy to use. For instance, LMS software allows you to order the lessons, set difficulty levels, and use automation. Video training is often inexpensive, and you can access metrics through your hosting provider to track and measure the effectiveness of the video. Work instruction software can also allow you to create 3D models that can be viewed 360 degrees in all directions. This function is ideal for training engineers, architects, and manufacturers. 

If your employee training program is a PDF or a static website, it’s definitely time to make a change. Using the latest technology will ensure that your program is effective and trackable. Plus, employees will be more engaged and more likely to complete the training successfully.

2. There Have Been Changes in the Organization

If there have been changes in your organization since you created your employee training strategy, then you should update it. If you’re part of a startup that’s growing, convert your strategy to a large-scale training program for maximum benefits. You may find that you can’t onboard employees properly if you are under rapid organic growth. They may end up feeling overworked and overwhelmed by the inability to properly train. Burnout is likely. Adapt your training program to meet the needs of this rapid growth, perhaps utilizing on-the-job training.

If your organization has experienced a merger or acquisition, you will also experience a sudden growth that requires training changes. Take into account different learning content and technology that meet the needs of the organization as a whole. You’re basically dealing with two unique cultures. Therefore, you’ll need to adjust the training program to meld the two together to meet the expectations of the new brand.

Budget cuts are another cause for training changes. If the HR department is downsized, you may have to evaluate your training methods. Did you have instructor-led classes, but now lack the personnel to manage them? Can you still afford the training software under the new budget constraints? Instead, you may need to use an off-the-shelf training program to handle standards within the organization. 

3. Employees Are Making the Same Mistakes

If your employees are making the same mistakes over and over again, you may need to revamp your training program. It’s okay if one or two workers make similar mistakes. However, when you find that the same problem keeps cropping up, there’s a training issue somewhere.

For example, if your training materials haven’t been updated to reflect a new software version, employees might continue using outdated shortcuts or procedures that no longer apply, leading to consistent errors in data entry or reporting. Regardless of how careful you are when creating your training strategy, errors will occur, but by updating your training, you can prevent them.

As your employees use the training system, you’ll start to uncover common mistakes or omissions. Encourage your staff to inform you of any errors they find by asking for feedback directly following the training session. As you discover mistakes, make immediate corrections to the training program to prevent other employees from learning false information. Also, be sure to inform individuals who’ve already taken the training of the errors. This will allow them to adjust their work process to account for the mistakes. 

4. Safety Standards Have Been Updated

Safety and compliance standards change regularly, and it’s up to you to make sure your workforce is informed of these changes. When new practices and policies are rolled out, you’ll need to revamp your employee training program to comply. It’s ideal to update your educational materials and programs immediately to prevent safety errors and possible fines. 

As your organization grows, you’ll need to keep an eye on your safety and compliance training. Many companies use simple tracking and reporting methods, such as a spreadsheet. However, as you increase in size, you’ll find that this option is time-consuming and difficult to uncover trends. Training managers become buried under paperwork. 

Your company should invest in modern technology for a training platform that takes the burden off training managers. A LMS platform can track and record workers’ progress and provide training scores. It will offer live stats on completion rates and alert you of areas that require attention. Updated safety training programs will allow you to monitor compliance and note gaps in learning before they become a problem.

Enhance Your Employee Training Efforts

Staying ahead means investing in your most valuable asset—your employees. An effective training program is not just a tool for compliance or onboarding. It is a strategic asset that drives innovation, fosters engagement, and propels your organization forward. By updating your training strategies, you ensure that your workforce remains aligned with the latest industry standards and company objectives.