Training Programs

By Entrepreneur Staff

Pencil

Training Programs Definition:

Programs designed for training employees in specific skills

Employee training is a necessity. You need to get new hires up to speed as quickly as possible so they can become productive members of your team. And you want to update the skills of existing employees so they'll be ready for you to implement new technology, develop new processes and acquire new markets.

You may be able to do much of the training yourself--at a significant cost in time, of course. Your more experienced employees are also good sources of training, either on the job or in more formal, off-site sessions held in lunchrooms or classrooms. You can save time--but not money--if you hire third-party trainers to conduct classroom sessions. Inexpensive, easily repeated training can be found in video-based courses, computer-assisted instruction, and Web-based training.

Whatever training mode you go with, here are keys to developing a good training strategy:

  • Start by asking yourself what you want your people to learn. Be as specific as possible. ("I want my evening shift workers to be able to use Microsoft Excel to update the day's sales figures.")

  • Assess your employees' current skill levels. Evaluate the gap between where you want to be and where you are.

  • Select one of the training modes described above, based on your time and financial budget. Do not forget to budget for downtime and lost production while class is in session.

  • Decide who knows the topic best. It may be you, your veteran employees or a third-party trainer.

  • Design a training program. It should call for imparting information to trainees, giving them time to absorb and try out their lessons, providing expert feedback, and giving them a chance to be creative.

Don't forget to make the training enjoyable--even fun. And if you get stuck on what to do about any of these training issues, ask the trainees. Your employees may know more than you give them credit for.

More from Employee Management

Flexible Work Arrangements

Arrangements that allow employees to have a more variable schedule as opposed to complying with the standard 8-hour workday

See full definition

Goal Setting

Establishing short- or long-term objectives, usually incorporating deadlines and quantifiable measures

See full definition

Employee Handbook

A document that includes information that employees may need to refer to frequently in order to meet the terms and conditions of their employment

See full definition

Employment Contract

An agreement entered into between an employer and an employee at the time the employee is hired that outlines the exact nature of their business relationship, specifically what compensation the employee will receive in exchange for specific work performed

See full definition

Latest Articles

Side Hustle

This 20-Year-Old Student Started a Side Hustle With $400 — and It Earned $150,000 Over the Summer

Jacob Shaidle launched his barbecue cleaning business Shaidle Cleaning in 2021 when he was just 15.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg Is Now the World's Second Richest Person, Behind Elon Musk

Meta's CEO jumped ahead of Jeff Bezos in Bloomberg's rankings this week.

Science & Technology

5 Key Strategies for a Seamless Cloud Migration

Use these strategies to ensure your migration to Amazon Web Services is as seamless as possible.