For Subscribers

You Know the Drill ...or do you? The latest training tools might surprise you.

By Mark Henricks

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A couple of weeks before starting work, each of Hugh Braithwaite's new hires receives an iPod loaded with greetings from some of the other 14 employees of Braithwaite Communications.

The unexpected gift energizes people new to the $3 million Philadelphia marketing communications firm. "They come in the door with much higher morale and positive energy," says Braithwaite, 46.

Podcasts, blogs, wikis and even video games can create, organize and disseminate internal training, says Anders Gronstedt, a training consultant in Broomfield, Colorado. The emerging channels address shortfalls of conventional training techniques and are more portable, flexible and fun than memos and lectures. Blogs, for instance, can be set up behind a company's firewall to encourage internal dialogues with employees. "A lot of companies are finding that tremendously valuable," Gronstedt says. Podcasts can deliver training during downtime. Video game-like simulations let workers experience customer interactions much more cheaply than on-the-job training. And wikis help companies create and organize knowledge about best practices. Gronstedt says smart cell phones are the next training frontier, as companies try putting databases for field personnel on BlackBerrys and similar devices.

The new tools do carry risks. For instance, iPods aren't secure. "We suggest you don't develop podcasts around proprietary information," Gronstedt warns. But costs are modest, even when companies hand out free players. For Braithwaite, giving out iPods with prerecorded orientations looks like an investment with long-term paybacks: "With the ones we've done, nobody's erased them."

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Here's What Companies and Services Are Open and Closed on Juneteenth 2025

Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday in the U.S. in 2021.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

How to Make Smarter Decisions Under Pressure, From an ER Doctor Who's Done It for 20 Years

We asked an emergency physician who studies decision-making under pressure about leadership. His insights reveal why the best leaders think like scientists of themselves.

Business News

The U.S. Added Over 1,000 New Millionaires a Day in 2024. Here's How That Compares to the Rest of the World.

UBS revealed its latest report on global wealth on Wednesday, which looks back on wealth trends.

Leadership

This Founder Noticed a Stark Change at a Local Pride Parade — and Says It Creates a 'Real Opportunity' for Small Businesses

Tanner Graham, co-founder and CEO of General Idea, reveals how business leaders can step up this month and beyond.

Thought Leaders

I Spent 20 Years Watching Brands Rise or Fade—This Is What Separates Them

Many entrepreneurs turn to PR only when they want immediate results, but strategic visibility is a long game.