Some key points include: [1] New hire training should include an overview of job expectations, skills needed, and how the position fits into the organizational structure. [2] Continuing education is also important to keep all staff members up to date on policies, procedures and technology. [3] On-the-job training allows new associates to see different job facets firsthand and develop relationships with existing staff. [3] Continuing education can be formal or informal and should enhance both technical skills and personal development.

1. Employee Training- Use Training and Development to Motivate Staff
Building Your Employee Training and Development Program
From Jeffrey Bodimer
http://humanresources.about.com/od/coachingmentorin1/a/trainmotivation_2.htm
Essential Components of Employee Training Programs
A complete employee training program includes a formal new hire training program with an
overview of the job expectations and performance skills needed to perform the job functions.
A new hire training program provides a fundamental understanding of the position and how
the position fits within the organizational structure.
The more background knowledge the new associate has about how one workgroup
interrelates with ancillary departments, the more the new associate will understand his or her
impact on the organization.
Another aspect of a comprehensive employee training program is continuing education. The
most effective employee training programs make continuing education an ongoing
responsibility of one person in the department. This is an important function that will keep all
staff members current about policies, procedures and the technology used in the department.
New Hire Training
A solid new hire training program begins with the creation of an employee training manual,
in either notebook format or online. This manual acts as a building block of practical and
technical skills needed to prepare the new individual for his or her position.
In order for the department to understand current policies and procedures, a manager must
ensure the department manuals or online employee training are kept current. This includes
any system enhancements and / or change in policy or procedure. In addition, keep the user in
mind when designing training manuals or online training; keep the employee training
material interesting for the learner. Use language that is not "corporate" and include images
and multi-media.
Much of this employee training and reference material belongs online these days in a
company Intranet. But, if your organization is not ready to embrace the online world, keep
the manuals up-to-date and interesting. When possible, in computer training, incorporate
visual images of the computer screen (multi-media screen capture) to illustrate functions,
examples, and how tos.
On the Job Training
Another form of new hire training includes having the new associate train directly next to an
existing associate. Some call this On the Job Training (OJT) or side-by-side training. This

2. type of employee training allows the new associate to see first hand the different facets of the
position.
Also, OJT allows the new hire the opportunity to develop a working relationship with an
existing associate. This type of employee training reinforces concepts learned in the initial
training and should be used to reinforce and apply those same learned concepts.
Here are additional resources about new employee training and orientation.
Employee Onboarding: One Chance for a Positive New Employee Experience.
Tips for a Better New Employee Orientation.
Employee Orientation: Keeping New Employees on Board.
Orientation Vs. Integration.
Continuing Education in Employee Training
A continuing education program for a department is just as important as the new hire training.
When training a new associate, I have found that they will only retain approximately 40
percent of the information learned in the initial training session. Therefore, a continuous
effort must be placed on reminding the staff about various procedures and concepts. This
continuing education can be formal or informal. (The author’s preference is always with a
more informal approach.)
The formal, or traditional approach, to employee training often includes a member of
management sending a memo to each associate. The informal, and often more appealing
approach to a visual learner, is to send a one-page information sheet to staff. This information
sheet, called a training alert, should be informative and presented in a non-threatening
manner. Therefore, if the policy or procedure changes, the informal approach would better
prepare the department to receive this presentation.
Prior to putting together a continuing education employee training program, the management
team must decide upon their desired outcome. One question that is important to answer is,
"Do you want the program to enhance the skills of the associate or do you want to help the
associate with personal development?"
While there is some commonality between these answers, the main difference is the
opportunity for the management team to mold future management team members. If the
desired outcome is simply to enhance skills, with no personal development, the department
will have a staff that simply knows how to do their job a little better. While that is a positive
outcome, you want your company to think "outside the box," and design a program that
allows, and even encourages, critical thinking and problem solving.
Therefore, when designing a continuing education program, the desired outcome should be a
blending of both technical and personal enhancement. This type of training program will
allow the staff the opportunity to develop solid management skills, coupled with a better
understanding of their position and function, and how that fits into the relationship of the
organization.

3. For example, if you discover during the assessment process that writing skills in the
department are low, you will need to enhance those skills by developing a corresponding
training session.
Blend Technical Training With Personal Development
This writing training session could include topics on the basics of writing, such as spelling,
punctuation, sentence structure and correct word use. Building on those basics, you could
give your participants an applicable topic, such as writing a letter to a customer apologizing
for a late shipment.
Provide the participants background information about the customer. Tell them the customer
has purchased from them for ten years and has always made payments promptly. Give them
ten or fifteen minutes to compose a rough draft and have them present their letter to the
group. Once someone has read a letter, ask the other participants to offer feedback for
improvements, and as the trainer, point out the positive aspects of the letter.
Another mechanism that will help with ongoing continuing education is to enable staff
members to develop an affiliation with an association or industry group. This type of
education is tangible and has been proven to have a positive track record with the local
offices and their industry trade groups. Staff members are given the opportunity to come
together periodically, and discuss the issues they are experiencing in their business.
This is a positive experience for everyone involved because the information gained in this
type of setting can prove useful to others who may have the potential to partake in a similar
situation. Also, others who have experienced a similar situation have the opportunity to talk
about their resolution(s) that worked effectively.
Effective Training Program Tips
Here are a few final thoughts on the design of the continuing education employee training
program.
According to the Wall Street Journal, most adults write at an eight-grade level. Therefore,
always follow the acronym of KISS. (Keep it simple, sweetie.)
When scheduling the training session, attempt to keep your groups diverse. This promotes
good discussion and is a live example of how concepts can relate throughout the
organization and/or workgroups.
Attempt to have a point person or a trainer in each work area. This concept serves two
purposes. If a new system or procedure will be introduced, the point person can learn the
system or procedure and train the staff. (People always learn better when they are required
to teach the concept.)
Second, it helps having a local resource within the workgroup. This allows for more
questions when the level of understanding is low. Associates will not feel threatened by
someone they sit next to every day versus a trainer from the human resources or
organizational development area.

4. The best type of employee training program for a work group is one tailored to their needs.
So, how do you know what their needs are? One way is to work with the staff members who
are responsible for the area. If it is possible, do a random sampling of the staff performance
development plans and look for consistencies in any needed areas of development.
Another approach is to conduct a training needs assessment and ask the staff members
themselves what skills they would like to develop.
No matter how you determine what types of employee training sessions are needed, it is
important to remember that when developing the course, stick to the original concept. If more
than one concept is considered during the planning process, break the concepts out into two
workshops.
Keep in mind that a productive employee training session can and should be accomplished in
less than two hours. Anything longer than two hours and you will lose your audience. Finally,
during the actual training session, attempt to have at least one or two activities to keep the
participants' minds active and to prevent sleeping or daydreaming.
Do You Really Need an Employee Training Session?
While an employee training session may be effective, it may not always be the best approach
to fulfilling training needs. If the concept you are introducing is defined as elementary or
common knowledge, create an employee training alert, instead.
An employee training alert is an excellent method to communicate about and reinforce
concepts that would be considered common knowledge or new job information. Either put
employee training alerts online, distribute via email, or, in some situations, when employees
do not have computer access, as an example, write employee training alerts in a bullet format
on paper.
Remember to add some flare and/or graphics to the piece of paper, if paper is the most
convenient method. Don't be afraid to use that flare in your color choice for the paper. I have
found in my work experience, that when staff members receive a piece of fluorescent green
paper in their mail box, they are more likely to pick it up and read it, versus the memo on
white paper that just went out from the boss.
Keeping the Learning Going
I'll provide just a few ideas on this concept and then, I’ll step down from the training
soapbox.
If the capabilities are present and the department wants to have some fun while learning,
develop a game. This game can be anything from Family Feud to Jeopardy and more. In
either format, have the staff answer questions created by the department management
relating to work situations and/or people. It is amazing what people will remember from a
fun situation versus a forced learning experience.

5. When conducting the employee training classes, attempt to keep the class informative and
light. While communicating the ideas is important, the number one goal should be to keep
the staff interested, involved, and entertained during the workshop. This will insure staff
members are paying attention and learning. (This can be difficult if you do not employ an
animated trainer, however, most individuals that are in the training field are pretty
animated.)
Introduce the concept of blended learning to the department. Allow the staff to achieve
their learning levels from different resources. While the employee training alerts and
employee training sessions are directly from management, challenge the staff to look on
the Internet and in the library for other ideas that might work in their department.
Through all of this, the new hire training and the ongoing continuing staff education, what I
would most like you to remember is that learning can and should be fun.
Your staff members are sponges wanting to absorb knowledge, however, they'll most likely
want to learn concepts when they are presented in a fresh, lively, and exciting manner.
Putting a twist to your current employee training methods can help people become and
continue to be excited about learning.