A Guide to Workplace Training

What is Workplace Training?

Workplace training refers to any activity that aims to equip workers with new knowledge and upskill their existing abilities in order to improve competency. It can be conducted in a classroom setting and involve on-hand activities, and the like.

Why is Workplace Training Important?

Regular training and upskilling are two of the most effective ways to continuously improve oneself as well as a business. For employees, by continuously improving oneself in the workplace, they can address weak points in their workflows, which can improve and increase employee satisfaction and productivity. In turn, this can reduce employee turnover rate and improve employee engagement.  

Additionally, in industries that deal with multiple risks and hazards regularly, proper training specifically for them is necessary. Well-trained employees are less likely to make costly errors or encounter accidents, thereby safeguarding themselves, their organizations, and those around them. 

Employers, managers, and business owners also benefit from conducting workplace training sessions. Through regular trainings, it can be easier to spot points for improvement, either in employee performance or company policies, and make the necessary changes. Workplace training sessions also helps with saving costs, as upskilling existing employees and investing in their personal development has been proven to be cheaper in the long run. 

Most Common Uses

Workplace training can be conducted for many different reasons. Some of the most common uses for trainings in the workplace include the following:

• Equipment and tool safety

• Diversity and inclusivity

• Harassment and violence

• Company practices and policies

Types of Workplace Training Sessions

Workplace training sessions can be done in many ways, with each one catering to different needs and situations. Here are the most common ways and types of workplace training is conducted:

Orientations

This kind of workplace training is often done when introducing something to an employee, a group of employees, or the organization as a whole. Oftentimes, this is associated with onboarding new hires, informing employees of new products and updates, and reinforcing new policies. 

Leadership Development Training

Workplace training for leadership roles is an essential part of upskilling employees who have the capability to lead and take charge. Regular training is needed for leadership development as it helps set foundations for managing responsibilities, communication skills, and project management abilities. Leadership development trainings can also better calibrate leadership direction toward business goals.

Quality Assurance and Management Training

For all employees, regardless of rank and position, quality assurance and management are important, hence the need for workplace training regarding them. Workplace training for quality assurance and management include reviewing standards, product testing, and the like.  

Safety Training

One of the most important forms of workplace training is for workplace safety. Workplace safety training is done regularly for all employees and covers emergency procedures, safe working practices, safety standards to comply with, and more. 

Team Training

In some cases, a whole team in an organization can undertake training sessions specific to their needs. This type of workplace training includes simulation trainings, product development and training, sales training, and other tasks or procedures relevant to the team. 

Compliance Training

Similar to quality assurance and management training, compliance training is a type of  workplace training that aims to ensure that all standards and regulations to be followed are met. This can be done to ensure safety rules are followed, as well as new company policies, local government regulations, and international labor codes. 

Individual Training 

Individuals should also have workplace training sessions on their own in conjunction with their team trainings. This can include training for ergonomics, general workplace safety, diversity, anti-bias, stress management, and technical skills.

Methods of Training

Workplace training can be conducted in different ways. The most common method of training is by having it done in-person with every employee present, either in the workplace or in a different setting. This makes it easier to collaborate and ask questions if needed. However, this can be difficult for everyone to attend, as each employee may have different schedules.

On the other hand, online training is the opposite, allowing employees to undertake their workplace training sessions anytime and anywhere. For some, however, this may not be as effective as having training done offline or in-person, as there would be a lack of direct communication. 

This is where the hybrid training method comes into play. Hybrid workplace training caters to all kinds of employees, giving them the flexibility to learn and upskill at their own pace, all while still having the benefits of learning in-person, such as better communication channels. Hybrid training can be done in the following ways:

• Using online materials during in-person training sessions

• Encouraging employees to learn on their own with online resources while having in-person sessions scheduled

• Providing online resources as supplementary materials for further studying after an in-person session

For these reasons, hybrid training sessions have become the preferred method of training for many. Additionally, using both online and offline training sessions and materials also offer the following benefits:

• More cost-effective

• More inclusive for all employees

• Better communication