Training that is relevant, easy to understand and available 24/7 is important to employees, according to a study of 1,089 full-time and part-time U.S. workers. However, organizations struggle with providing the kind of formal training that their employees want and need in order to be more effective in their jobs, said Carol Leaman, president and CEO of Axonify Inc. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, in Canada, the company specializes in providing employee-learning platforms. Show "Far too few organizations offer training programs that are actually designed to help employees build knowledge and translate that knowledge to performance," she said in a news release. "It's time for companies to wake up and adopt modern, intuitive and engaging training methodologies that meet the needs of today's workforce." Among the findings from online interviews
conducted in September for Axonify:
Learning management systems (LMSs) were revolutionary when they were introduced nearly two decades ago, Leaman told SHRM Online, because they were a way to efficiently provide information to widely dispersed employees. But the systems haven't kept up with the expectations of today's workforce. "Employees are looking for information specific to them," and they expect employers to give them the training and information they need to be top employees, she explained. "They don't want to waste their time" sitting in a classroom with others whose knowledge levels and needs are different from their own. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Developing Employees] They also want information that is engaging. Gamification is one approach, Leaman acknowledged, but it's more important that the learning approach mimics how employees use technology in their private lives. For example, some people find online card games fun and relaxing even though the games are fast-paced. That kind of approach "can be really effective [in driving] voluntary engagement" to learning, she said. Additionally, a LMS has no way to track and measure what people know or don't know or to tie that measurement to a business outcome in a way that is appealing and engaging to employees, Leaman said. Decide on Business Objectives Millennials understand the need for continuous skills development to remain employable. A recent ManpowerGroup survey of 19,000 employed Millennials across 25 countries found that 93 percent of them want lifelong learning opportunities and are willing to spend their own time and money to get them. Additionally, 4 out of 5 said that the opportunity to learn new skills is a top factor when considering a new job, according to the report, Millennials Careers: 2020 Vision, that was based on findings from the September survey. They see their success as depending more on having the right skills than the right connections. "[Millennials] know they need to upskill regularly to stay employable over longer working lives," noted Mara Swan, executive vice president of global strategy and talent and global brand lead for Right Management, in the report. "Investing in training and creating ways to learn on the job and move around the organization is a sure way to make companies more attractive places to work." Leaman advised HR professionals looking for effective employee training to step back and reflect on the business outcomes they want to achieve. She suggested they ask themselves what the strategic imperatives are for the corporate mission over the next one to five years and what employees need to know in order to achieve those outcomes. "Really focus the content and training around that," she said. The "nice to know" skills can follow later. "What [organizations] tend to do is try to firehose everything at once" during training. "Do your research and incorporate game science, gamification, microlearning. You can create an experience that employees seek voluntarily," she said. "Start small and you can evolve [training] from there. Strip out the stuff that doesn't matter and focus on the things that do matter." Was this article useful? SHRM offers thousands of tools, templates and other exclusive member benefits, including compliance updates, sample policies, HR expert advice, education discounts, a growing online member community and much more. Join/Renew Now and let SHRM help you work smarter. How does training and development improve company culture?Overall training helps with improving your employees' self-development, helps with staff retention and sets the tone of your employee expectations. That's because training allows you to bring out the best version of your employees and get more from your team.
How does culture influence training and development?Simply put, because culture helps define how we are taught, how we learn, what we expect and how we communicate. It influences all the behaviours and internal processes one experiences in any training environment.
Which training improves employees understanding of corporate culture?Mentoring facilitates learning and communication between all levels. Based on research, besides teaching the operations of company, the most important role of training would be to teach the goals of the company. These goals will help employees understand the culture of the organization.
Why is company culture training important?It helps employees understand how they can create success. A learning culture supports market adaptation, innovation, and boosts employee engagement. You must identify the cultural traits of your company and connect it to the vision, mission, and values. Your training programs must reflect your brand and values.
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