For training and development to be truly effective, they must be designed with the
employee in mind
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, companies should look into personalized alternatives
where training is tailored to each employee’s personal needs and goals within the company.
Personalized training opens up opportunities for employees to learn the things they need to
at their level, through a format that is most beneficial to them. Allowing them to absorb and
retain information better. While the idea of implementing a personalized training plan can be
daunting, it becomes far more accessible when there is desire to foster a culture that promotes
learning at every level within the company. It is also important to remember that some of the
most impactful learning opportunities can happen outside of formally constructed programs
and through daily workplace interactions between peers, managers and employees, and
interdepartmental communication.
Below are five steps to improve training and development in the workplace.
Learn more about your employees by communicating with them
In order to provide them with learning opportunities that are most relevant to their needs,
managers must first understand the needs and goals of their employees. Asking questions in a
relaxed setting is a great way to this as it lets employees express their opinions and
communicate openly.
This can be done through informal one-on-one meetings with each team member. Use this
time as an opportunity to check in on their progress, the projects they are working on, the
challenges they may be facing, what they like and dislike about their roles, and what are the
skills they’re interested in developing.
Some employees may be hesitant to speak freely at first, so we suggest starting the
conversation with a series of non-work-related questions to get the conversation going and
encourage them to open up.
Here are some of the questions you can ask:
How are things with you outside of work?
What did you get up to this weekend?
What do you enjoy doing during your time off?
What are some of your personal goals?
During this exchange, remember to also share some information about yourself to level the
playing field and give your employees a chance to see you beyond your role as their manager
and build a connection.
You can slowly segue into asking them more about their roles within the company, their
responsibilities and the areas they’d like to grow in.
Questions like the ones below can help you better understand their levels of engagement
as well as career aspirations.
What is something you feel you accomplished recently?
What motivates you to come in to work each day?
What do you like most about your job?
What are some of the challenges you are facing?
What are the resources you need to succeed in your role?
Do you feel like you’re advancing and learning new things in your current role?
Are there any projects, roles, or responsibilities in the company that interest you?
Are there any new things you’re interested in working on that you haven’t had a chance
to explore?
Out of the skills you already possess, what are the ones you’d like to develop?
Are there any new skills you’re interested in cultivating?
Is there anything you’d like to talk about with me that I haven’t addressed yet?
During these sessions, listen attentively and aim to understand and reflect on what your
employees saying rather than waiting for your chance you speak.
Asking questions such as the ones above can not only help you take actionable measures to
give your employees the tools they need to succeed in their roles, it can also help them feel
more engaged and establish deeper connections within your team and the organisation.
Use on-the-job training to help your employees develop the skills they are interested in
According to Margaret Rogers, VP of Pariveda Solutions, classroom-style training builds a
solid foundation but can quickly lose its effectiveness if it is not applied regularly.
Instead, she recommends that managers create “learning moments” out of daily workplace
responsibilities and encounters. Says Rogers, “these moments can be significant or small, but
engaging employees in this way is key to helping them step outside their comfort zones,
practice, and build confidence.” For example, imagine that you have an employee who is great
at research and data analysis but struggles with nerves when presenting their findings in front
of large groups and key stakeholders. This can be used to create a “learning moment”.
You could take the time to revise and go over their slides with them or create mock
presentation sessions for them to work on their delivery. This not only allows them to practice
and improve their confidence in a safe environment but the next time they have to present to a
bigger group, they will be more prepared and at ease.
On-the-job learning experiences such as these allow employees to discover and utilise the
tools they need to grow in their jobs on their own terms while having access to guidance from
more experienced colleagues. For managers, it allows them to implement customised training
for their employees and effectively address areas of concern instead of taking a general
approach that may not be relevant to all team members.
Improve employee learning objectives with Bloom's Taxonomy
Originally developed in 1956, Bloom's Taxonomy is a learning model developed by Benjamin
Bloom and a group of collaborators used to categorise educational goals. Today, while it is still
widely used in the education field, it has also become an indispensable tool in e-learning and
workplace training.
Within the realm of employee development, Bloom's Taxonomy is valuable as it allows
trainers and mentors to identify the stages employees must go through to learn new things.
Making it easier for course developers to design more effective training programs.
The most efficient way to apply Bloom's Taxonomy in a workplace with various departments
and unique learning requirements would be to:
Identify four employee skill levels
Define the objectives based on employee skill levels and knowledge gaps
During this process, the best method for content delivery will be unearthed.
Match learning experiences to your employees’ needs
One of the most common mistakes companies make in their training programs is assuming
that all their employees have the same learning needs. However, there are many variables that
shape their preferences and reception to training. These might include level of experience,
length of tenure, work ethic, and career motivations.
Managers also need to remember that the workforce now comprises of five generations -
all of which have different values, goals and learning styles. Companies should ensure that
these differences are recognised at every stage of the learning process. It’s also important to
consider the role of technology and the level of expertise your employees have when
interacting with it. For example, your Gen Z and Millennial team members might have no
trouble navigating a sophisticated e-learning platform whereas, your older employees may
need a little bit more guidance.
This is why Annice Joseph, Senior HR Director of the Global Diversity & Inclusion Office
at SAP believes that an agile approach to training is key to unlocking successful learning.
In conversation with HRtechnologist.com, she says:
In addition to learning being a continuous process, it is also important to be agile when
accommodating all learning styles. To be successful, organisations need to create environments
where people can un-learn, learn and re-learn. SAP takes into careful consideration all
generations represented in its workforce and caters to their unique needs. For example, SAP’s
newest employees receive a self-driven, interactive onboarding app (very different than a
traditional classroom learning setting). In some cases, SAP offers a combination of e-learning
and face-to-face instruction to ensure onboarding is respectful and inclusive of all generations.
Provide regular and constructive feedback
Clear and constructive feedback is essential during employee training and development. All
managers should have a strategy to ensure that feedback is communicated effectively.
During this time, be constructive with your criticism. Aim to provide suggestions and
solutions instead of simply highlighting areas of weakness. Wherever it’s applicable,
incorporate data and concrete numbers into your feedback strategy. This helps employees to
accurately measure their performance, highlight specific strengths, and identify areas that need
improvement.
While providing one-to-one feedback as a superior is a tried-and-true method, many
organisations have begun to explore more comprehensive approaches. This often involves
collecting feedback from a mixed panel of colleagues and managers to deliver more well-
rounded feedback.
For example, the 360-degree feedback model is a method that gathers feedback from a
subject’s managers, peers, subordinates and customers. A self-assessment by the subject
completes this process.
Primarily used as a development tool, the 360-feedback model is used to provide
information about a subject’s work competencies, behavior and working relationships. Its
strengths lie in its ability to provide more thorough feedback due to the wide variety of sources
used, its reduced likelihood for discrimination and bias, as well as its ability to unearth
procedural issues that can impede employee development.
The goal at this stage should be to provide your team with the ability to reflect on their
actions and encourage individual employee growth. Be patient and take the time to address
both their successes and shortcomings without judgment.
You can also ensure that your employees put their newly learned skills by working with
them to devise an action plan to track their performance and chart their growth at a pace that
is comfortable for them.
Evaluate your capacity
Employee training and development can be a complex and time-consuming project,
especially in large teams. Be careful to approach it in gradual steps to avoid overload on
yourself as well as your employees.
Before the implementation, think about your capacity to provide the training programs.
How involved do you want to be and how much support are you able to give based on your
own set of responsibilities? Do you want to handle training internally and have it distributed
amongst senior leaders and management, or would you rather outsource your training
programs?
Setting realistic expectations for yourself is just as important to the success of your training
program so make sure to evaluate your capacity for delivery before coming to a decision.
Using a prioritization framework like the Eisenhower Matrix below can be effective in
helping you distinguish and prioritise your tasks according to importance and urgency.
The same way employee growth comes with time and continuous learning, the
implementation process must also be refined over time for it to truly shine. For leaders who
take the time to develop their training and development as well as create a culture of learning
and open communication, not only will they see their employees evolve, they will also find
greater success in engaging and retaining their them.
