What Is Employee Training?

Employee training is the process of providing employees with the skills and knowledge they need to perform their role effectively. Here’s why it matters.

Written by Andy Santos
Published on Jan. 19, 2023
Employee training image of a woman standing in front of a group of people speaking and gesturing
Image: Shutterstock / Built In
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When a team member undergoes employee training, we provide learning resources specific to the responsibilities or tasks on which we are training them. Depending on the training goal, these sessions may include both informational lectures as well as hands-on learning exercises.

 

Why Is Employee Training Important?

Employee training is important to the success of employees and the company. Through the training process, employees become familiarized with the processes and tasks necessary for their roles. In turn, the company benefits from a productive and knowledgeable workforce. Companies who invest in employee training reap various benefits both for both the company and the employees. 

What Are the Benefits of Employee Training?

  • Performance enablement
  • Employee engagement
  • Career development
  • Compliance and workplace safety
  • Increased management capacity
  • Improved work quality 

More From Built In’s Tech DictionaryWhat Are Compensation and Benefits?

 

Employee Training Examples

  • Live training sessions: group sessions or one-on-one coaching employees do in-person
  • On-demand training: courses and webinars employees can do on their own time
  • Knowledge management platforms: software like Confluence or Notion that allows employees to access important company workflows and training as-needed
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Types of Employee Training

When training employees, it’s important to consider different learning styles and the accessibility of relevant training resources for employees. Below are employee training tools that companies use to train employees.

 

Live Training Sessions

Companies can conduct live training through group sessions or one-on-one coaching depending on the needs of the organization and the complexity of an employee’s role or training needs. Live training sessions are valuable because they allow employees to interact with the trainer and ask questions related to the training materials. A dedicated training specialist, a consultant or an employee who is a subject matter expert will typically lead live training sessions. 

 

On-Demand Training

With more companies implementing flexible ways to provide training resources for their employees, on-demand platforms have become a staple of employee training. On-demand training platforms such as Built In’s Learning Lab allow companies to upload and assign training videos and exercises to employees. The advantage of using these platforms is you can set a deadline for employees to complete their training on their own time. This means employees can complete their training at a time that works best for them as long as it meets the training’s completion deadline. 

 

Knowledge Management Platforms

Knowledge management platforms like Confluence and Notion provide a way for companies to create an internal knowledge base where employees can access relevant information easily. These knowledge management platforms are a good place to store training resources, including how-to documents and step-by-step videos. The advantage of using a knowledge management platform is it provides employees access to a knowledge base that they can easily search in order to find information quickly.

How to Make an Employee Training Plan. | Video: Trainual

 

Benefits of Quality Employee Training

Performance Enablement

Well-trained employees can perform their duties efficiently and effectively. With the improved skills and knowledge gained from relevant training sessions, employees can increase productivity and job performance.  

 

Employee Engagement

Providing training to employees shows that a company is willing to invest in their people. Demonstrating this type of investment in employee success keeps employees feeling engaged and supported in their work. 

 

Career Development

Gaining skills and knowledge to perform a new task or responsibility enables employees to grow in their career. As employees take on more responsibilities, they gain new experience that qualifies them for a future promotion or career transition. 

 

Compliance and Workplace Safety

Some employee training programs are designed specifically for compliance purposes. Examples of these compliant training sessions include anti-harassment and cybersecurity training. These types of training are important in promoting individual employee accountability as it relates to workplace policies because they familiarize employees with relevant laws, policies and safety protocols. 

 

Increased Management Capacity

Effective employee training may decrease the need for employee supervision because it can help employees feel more confident in their line of work. With less supervision required, managers can spend more time in other areas like innovation and process improvement. 

 

Improved Work Quality

Training employees on processes and procedures enables more consistent production and improved work quality. Appropriate training ensures that employees are aware of expectations as they relate to their workflow, work quality and the objectives they need to achieve. 

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