Staff development training tips: How to develop staff in the workplace

Keeping up with the latest approach to employee training is no small task. The eLearning space is ever-evolving, especially in the past few years, as there’s been an increase in remote work. Staff development training is more critical than ever, with The Great Resignation becoming The Great Reshuffle. It’s time for organizations to double down on employee training as a retention strategy, making internal professional development readily available.

If you want to learn how to develop staff in the workplace, you need an internal professional development program. Implementing an employee development program is vital to your company’s success for several reasons, including:

• Increasing employee retention
• Boosting employee morale and engagement
• Attracting top-tier talent
• Creating a culture of learning

According to a 2019 LinkedIn study, 94% of employees said they’d stay with their current employer if the company invested in their development. By offering your employees upskilling and workplace development programs, continuing education opportunities, or tuition assistance, you’re communicating that you’re willing to invest in their future.

Today’s post highlights the benefits of staff development training and shares some tips to help you implement your new training program with ease.

Benefits of staff development training

Did you know that up to 77% of the reasons employees leave a company can be prevented with proper human resource training and development? According to the 2019 Work Institute Retention Report, career development, or the lack thereof, is the number one reason employees leave their current company. (And it has been for nine years in a row!)

When planning learning and growth paths for employees, you’ll want to implement an employee development model that accommodates in-house and remote workers. Now that hybrid and flexible work are the new normal, showing that you know how to support all employees will set you apart as a great employer!

Staff development training benefits everyone, including your company, by:

• Increasing employee retention
• Boosting loyalty
• Supporting customer and employee satisfaction
• Improving overall performance
• Developing a culture of learning and mentorship that employees (and potential employees) want

Those benefits are just the tip of the iceberg. HR needs to develop customizable training strategies that include open feedback, coaching, and collaborative learning. And don't forget to include HR training and development for your managers and leaders.

Tips for better workplace development programs

One of the biggest hurdles for employers is dealing with short attention spans.

According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, the average human attention span was 12 seconds in 2000. By 2015, that number dropped to 8.25 seconds—shorter than a goldfish’s attention span. These statistics don’t bode well for your company training.

For a successful employee development model, you’ll want to follow the latest approach to employee training while creating your company’s internal professional development programs. Here are four relevant training and development tips to keep in mind.

1. Create bite-sized learning modules

The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve predicts memory retention is at 100% at the time of learning. However, retention drops to 40% within the first few days and continues to decline over time. Microlearning provides content in bite-sized formats such as videos, audio, and slides. The microlearning style allows learners to retain more information, increasing the success of their personal growth.

2. Prioritize upskilling

Upskilling, or Skill Agility, is a way of training employees for necessary skills they may not possess or need more development. People want to stay current so that they can do their jobs with confidence. Upskilling is a way to expand their professional skills portfolio and remain competitive as the industry and marketplace change.

Here’s a sample of some of the skills you can help your employees develop:

Soft skills

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability

Technical skills

• Analytical and quantitative skills
• Digital skills
• Job-specific skills

3. Use real-time coaching and employee feedback

Coaching in the workplace means having someone experienced in your company mentor or coach another employee on specific tasks and responsibilities. Coaching creates a relationship that allows employees to ask questions and learn more inclusively and comfortably. Some benefits of coaching include:

• Providing regular feedback and opportunities to improve year-round
• Empowering employees to make their own decisions
• Encouraging self-development goals
• Keeping employees engaged with tailored training and learning

Coaching can be implemented in-person and virtually, thus enhancing success for hybrid teams.

4. Make learning accessible

Using a learning management system (LMS) gives employees the freedom to learn at their own pace on various devices. Giving employees the autonomy to take their professional development into their own hands encourages learners to perform tasks and assessments without compromising their other work responsibilities. It can also increase motivation and confidence, as they know they can learn in a way that feels natural to them.

Use Unboxed for your staff development training needs

Wondering how to develop staff in the workplace? We have the answers.

At Unboxed Training & Technology, we’re always up-to-date on the latest approach to employee training. With the help of modern technology, we help propel your company forward through custom and turn-key training content for employees. So, whether you’re looking for a power skills, sales, onboarding, or customer service training program, we’ve got a solution.

Learn how to develop staff in the workplace with our modern, flexible LMS by requesting a demo of Spoke.