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Which Training Method is Right for Your Employees?

Training is critical in employee onboarding and retention. New employees are generally excited to learn all there is to know about the company and their role in it. Existing staff members need training to stay up to date and develop new skills. In either of these situations, the training method is as important as the material being taught. When you’re considering which training methods to use with your employees, keep in mind that there are a number of learning styles, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, and that whatever training methods you choose, each style should be represented so all employees can benefit.

We’re Echo360, and we have developed our EchoPoll learning engagement platform to be compatible with just about any training method you may choose for your employees. Continue reading to learn which methods work best in which situations and how EchoPoll can enhance each training method.

6 Popular Training Methods

  1. On-the-job training
    On-the-job, or hands-on, training gets straight to the practical skills. It’s often used in conjunction with machinery or other process-type tasks and often includes a new employee shadowing a more experienced employee. With EchoPoll, you can create learning modules that trainees can complete before and after spending a day immersed in hands-on activities. This allows them to be aware of any safety measures ahead of time, preview what they will be doing, and review what they have done for the day. This aids in retention of what they have learned on the job.
  2. Coaching/mentoring
    This method can appear similar to on-the-job training if used in that way, but it can also be a relationship built between an experienced professional and one or more new employees that goes further than just how to perform certain tasks. EchoPoll has features like whiteboarding and group chats that can facilitate a mentoring relationship, whether it’s a 1-on-1 relationship or one mentor with a handful of mentees.
  3. Instructor-led training
    Classroom training with a lecturing instructor teaching a group of employees is the traditional way training has happened, both in professional and educational environments. Employees can benefit from the interaction this method allows and from the questions that other employees think of that they may not have thought of. Adding EchoPoll facilitates a hybrid learning environment that can make instructor-led training even more effective. By providing the bulk of the information live in the classroom and then allowing students to review information online as needed and take self-paced assessments, trainees experience the best of both in-person and online training.
  4. Role Playing
    This method is especially helpful for teaching employees soft skills like teamwork, communication, time management, and conflict resolution. If you have a large workforce, it may be helpful to use EchoPoll to present scenarios digitally through presentations and have trainees use the discussion boards to talk about what was good or bad in certain interactions played out by instructor or employee “players” acting out the scenarios.
  5. Films and videos
    EchoPoll was made to use multimedia presentations, and can use various film and video formats such as animation, live action, direct-to-camera, and screen recordings. In addition, content creators can make the presentations interactive by including embedded quiz questions or polls to make sure the trainees are following along, staying engaged, and comprehending the concepts and information being presented.
  6. Case studies
    When the goal is to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in your employees, case studies can do the job. In an online classroom through EchoPoll, trainees can be presented with a scenario and analyze the situation, through chat features or discussion boards, and come up with ideal solutions.

 

No matter which specific method works best for what your company is trying to achieve, technology like EchoPoll’s learning management platform can enhance the learning experience for your employees. We’re confident that our platform can improve your training methods. We invite you to learn more about how EchoPoll and our e³ philosophy can enhance your employee training program today.