How much information do employees retain from training?

Good employee training is a key ingredient to forming a staff who knows how to work together, as well as work efficiently. There is some debate on what types of training are most effective, and how to administer training in a way that will allow for employees to retain the information long enough to put it into practice at their jobs. With some careful planning, training can be administered in a way that will allow employees to maximize the amount of information they retain, which will make for easier implementation.

Timing Is Everything

All too often, employers make the mistake of training their employees on new software or new equipment far in advance of when it will actually be implemented in the workplace. This is detrimental to both their employees, as well as to the business itself. Training should be scheduled to take place as close to the time it will be used as possible in order ensure the employees remember as much as they can in order to make the time spent in training worthwhile.

Relate The Training To Employees Jobs

Employees will fare much better with the training they get if it is presented in a way that relates to their jobs. Employers should use concrete examples to communicate how and when software will be used and by whom. Giving employees an idea of how the new process will be implemented from start to finish will help them understand where they fit in with the training in their new roles.

Practice

It is a proven fact that, during training, employees who only watch the information given will not retain as much as those who are given an opportunity to do hands-on learning of the information. Whenever possible, employers should supply computers when introducing new software so that employees can practice. In addition, role-playing can be a fun way to get employees to learn new techniques and retain new skills. It also adds a little laughter to otherwise hum-drum training times.

Online Review

One way to maximize the information that is retained during training is to create a website where employees can frequently return to get answers to frequently asked questions or access even more opportunities to practice what they have learned during the training. Giving employees an opportunity to review helps to keep the information fresh in their mind and gives them what they need to seek out answers to their questions immediately, without having to wait for management to get back to them. This is especially helpful if a company has to hold the training a few months or so before the new changes are to take affect.

Successful companies regularly train their employees. Whenever a company is beginning a new protocol, using a new computer program or new equipment, they should should do as much as possible to be proactive in ensuring their employees retain as much of the information given out at the training as possible. Employers who take these steps to increase retention will find their employees not only work smarter, but also work harder.