Quick, what’s the first thought you have when you hear the words corporate training? Is it a positive or negative association? It’s not uncommon for that phrase to be associated with less than enjoyable work experiences. Almost every workplace has corporate training courses, but how many actually do them well?

We don’t actually have the answer to that question, but we do know change doesn’t occur in a vacuum. If you want to see change or drive new behaviors on your team, learning is the best avenue to take. What makes up a rewarding corporate training program for both employees and employers? We’re glad you asked!

The need for great corporate education

Before starting on a corporate training project, how do you know it’s the right solution? Why is now a good time to invest in corporate training courses? Here are a few reasons to consider.

1. Job engagement is an ongoing issue

Gallup announced in 2019 that employee engagement has made a recent improvement to 34% from its previous position at 33% across the U.S. workforce—but is that something really worth celebrating? It should alarm us that about two thirds of workers are not fully engaged at their jobs. One way to improve that stat is by delivering high quality corporate training courses.

Engaging training has the power to improve employee engagement with their individual jobs, and better engagement means better performance —  which translates to a positive impact on customer experience. It’s a trickle down effect. Your employees are more likely to create a better customer experience when they feel supported in their work, and learning that engages employees beyond course modules is the foundation for making them feel like their work is meaningful. It’s motivation to dust off that dated corporate training and consider if a learning refresh is for you.

2. Training is your employee’s first impression of you

The phrase, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression,” comes to mind when thinking about corporate education. For most companies, training is where employees get a first glimpse at company culture, values, and experiences they’ll have in their jobs. It’s so important to capitalize on the opportunity to share with your employees who you are and why they want to work for you.

3. Modernizing corporate training to make it more accessible

Since the 2000’s, eLearning has grown rapidly and bloomed into a bustling, successful industry that is projected to reach $325 billion in market value by 2025. With that has been a boom in the development of learning management platforms and learning experience platforms — tools that make it easy to store libraries of courses powered by modern and interactive technology like motion graphics, video learning, and even AR/VR. While getting started can be an investment, there are solutions for a variety of budgets; expanding your corporate training is more accessible than ever.

5 Ways to make engaging corporate training

1. Improve retention and results through microlearning

Instead of building out a lengthy course that you’ll need to invest money, time, and resources into, consider creating corporate training courses that use microlearning — or small, bite-sized insights based on a single learning objective. This type of learning can be great for teaching things like how to draw blood from a patient, how to use a management software to file an expense report, or how to use personal protective equipment.

Microlearning makes great corporate training because it focuses on one objective at a time, making it simple to see learner progress or even address blindspots throughout the training. It’s also training that can be accomplished on-the-go with a pdf, an online training library, or in a short face-to-face training session.

2. Build a strong understanding of “the why” into corporate training courses

One of the keys to adult learning is to always answer the question, “Why?” When learners don’t have a firm understanding of the purpose of a course or program, it’s going to be hard to get the engagement and results you’re hoping for.

Corporate training that’s built on a strong foundation of “why” stands out, because it makes its purpose and intention clear from the start. When Johnson & Johnson launched its 3D printing initiative, they knew that the “why” behind it might feel confusing to many of their employees who would be viewing their training website for the first time.

Instead of leaving room for ambiguity, we worked together with Johnson & Johnson to make a live action film to explore the potential 3D printing has to save lives. The story follows a man who, without 3D printing,  faced a terminal condition in his lungs. By the end of the video, a doctor is able to bioprint replacement lung tissue thanks to the commitment of J&J to their 3D printing lab. The emotional draw of the video helps learners using the training website why the training is essential.

3. Use modern technology to improve learning outcomes and increase interactivity

It’s past time to ditch long presentations and lengthy PowerPoints. One thing that sets great corporate training apart is use of modern, innovative technology to make learning stick. In our work with a large hotel chain, we partnered together to create training on proper social media use for employees.

Rather than building a presentation or delivering printed handouts, we created a custom mock social media feed that was designed to be responsive to how users interact with it. Several scenarios are presented to learners, prompting them to respond, and each decision reveals a different result. This structure helps show its learners how seemingly small online interactions can leave a lasting impact. Utilizing technology like this not only improves retention, but makes learning enjoyable for employees.

4. Make sure corporate training programs are practical

Adults are way less likely to learn a concept if it’s not grounded in reality. In other words, your employees need to see how the things you’re training them to do directly impact their day-to-day job role.

When we were approached by Royal Caribbean to modernize their onboarding for more than 14 roles, we knew how important it would be to make these courses not only practical, but also highly visual to best serve the wide variety of language abilities in their employee base. We created interactive experiences that closely mimicked what they would experience in a day on the ship.

One course for bartenders included a drink mixing module that showed learners how to make a drink, removed the instructions, and then asked them to use ingredients on screen to replicate the drink. After submission, they could compare their recipe with the drink instructions and learn how to improve their skills.

5. See employees as learners, not job descriptions

Your employees are so much more than their job roles, and it’s time you start treating them that way, because they will know the difference between corporate training that invests in them holistically and training that exists to check a box. What are some ways you can get to know your employees needs to understand what changes need to be made? Spend a day in their shoes. Go for a ride along. Ultimately, get to know them.

By spending time really understanding your learners, whether that’s through interviews, surveys, or company events, you are guaranteed to have an impactful foundation for corporate education.

It’s time for a corporate training refresh

Now that you’re equipped with the tips you need to improve your corporate training courses, the next step is to start the process of developing your training. Reach out to us if you need help crafting the ideal corporate training program.