
The concept of training your staff is as old as the industrial revolution, perhaps even older. A trained employee can increase the company's output and efficiency. That’s why many companies, large and small, are hiring instructional design firms to help them develop training courses. Instructional design refers to developing lesson plans that will help the student learn the lessons as efficiently as possible. The design is based on learning and instructional theories. A company may use physical classrooms or e-learning systems for the purpose depending on various factors like company goals, employees’ needs, etc. Following are some tips you should follow to develop an employee training course with the help of instructional design:
Set Training Budget
Many companies consider employee training optional because it requires time and money. You need to realize that it’s an investment rather than an expense. While it may cost a bit upfront, your human resources will grow and will see improvement in your company’s efficiency in the long run. The budget you set aside will also impact the resources you can use for the task.
Consult An Instructional Design Company
Instructional design consulting firms specialize in developing employee training courses for different industries for different purposes. They understand how adults learn and can develop courses accordingly thus taking the load off you to an extent. These companies specialize in innovative learning techniques like e-learning, mobile learning, etc. You should hire a company that specializes in your industry for better compatibility.
Identify Training Goals
You need to know why you are developing the lesson plan before you start drafting it. Think about what you want your employees to learn from the lessons. It could be real-life skills, job skills, behavior, etc. Set realistic goals keeping in mind that your staff will be earning while learning. Try to keep the goals relevant to your staff’s job profile. Discuss these goals with your staff and talk about how the lessons will benefit them. These goals will define the type of content and lessons you will use.
Focus On Employees’ Needs
Focus on your staff’s needs when you develop the course. Every person has a different way of learning depending on their job profile, age group and demographics. E.g. Millennials prefer short lessons relevant to their job profile with rewards using innovative methods like mobile learning. This method may also be more suitable for salespersons with barely enough time to read a manual guide. You can consult an instructional design company to identify the best methods to train your workforce.
Divide The Training Course
Regardless of the technique you choose, it’s important to divide the lesson plan into small and comprehensible modules. This allows your employees to absorb the lessons easily and retain them. They can make time for the lessons during their schedule more easily. But don’t make them so small that there are way too many lessons for your staff to learn. Use an excel sheet to divide the lessons based on the goals you have set.
Add Feedback And Assessment Systems
You need to be sure that the investment you made is working. The best way to know if a student has understood the lesson is to test them. Develop a test based on your lesson objectives. Don’t leave any objective. Display the test results to them personally so that they can assess themselves. You can also set a feedback system so that your employees can tell you what they like or dislike about the lessons and if there’s something you should change. This maintains a two-way interaction between you and them. You should update your lesson plan based on these assessments.
These are some ways you can develop a fruitful employee training lesson plan with the help of an instructional design company. Keep in mind that employee training is not a one-time investment. You need to update your course based on changes to your industrial norms.