Boost Employee Engagement Through In-house Training
In order to maintain your company's superiority in the marketplace, you need to effectively promote human resource development through in-house training. Some managers and human resource managers may be thinking, "I want to gather information on how to conduct in-house training," or "I want to know how to conduct training so that the content will take root among the participants.
In this article, we will explain the purpose and types of in-house training. We will also introduce specific procedures and tips, so if you are looking for information on in-house training, please continue reading to the end of this article.
What is the purpose of conducting in-house training?
The ultimate goal of providing in-house training to employees is to improve the company's bottom line by increasing sales, expanding services, and so on. Necessary elements to achieve this include improving employee skills and cohesiveness.
In order to promote internal training more effectively, it is important to clarify the purpose of the training. Below is a description of the typical objectives of conducting in-house training.
Improvement of employee skills
One of the objectives of in-house training is to improve the skills of employees. Improving the skills of each employee leads to higher productivity for the company as a whole. The higher the quality of employees and the more highly skilled they are in their respective departments, the more profitable the company will be in the future.
In-house training can develop diverse skills such as presentation skills, logical thinking skills, and management skills. In addition, we can also provide support for the acquisition of difficult qualifications that can be applied to individual jobs.
When considering how to implement in-house training, if it is difficult to handle in-house for reasons such as "the volume of information to be conveyed" or "the content is specialized," one option is to request outside instructors.
Improvement of company cohesion
The implementation of in-house training can also be expected to improve the cohesiveness of the entire company. By instilling the company's direction, management philosophy, and corporate philosophy, employees will understand management's thinking and create a climate in which they can work toward the same goals.
Once the necessity of each and every task that employees were obligated to perform becomes clear, it will be an opportunity to encourage employees to take independent action to achieve higher results. When communicating management and corporate philosophies, it is even more effective to explain why the philosophy was established and the benefits and significance of adhering to the philosophy.
To gain the company's trust
Another purpose of in-house training is to enhance the company's credibility. As a member of society, it is a matter of course that one should be familiar with general common sense and business manners. If you do not have the common sense and manners, your business partners may wonder if it is safe to do business with this company, which may lead to poor performance by the company. If you do not have good common sense and manners, your business partners may wonder if it is safe to do business with your company, which may lead to poor business performance of your company.
In order to gain trust externally, employees should be provided with opportunities to learn about general common sense and business manners. In particular, efforts to provide education for new employees are very important. Make sure that basic knowledge is conveyed to them before they enter into specific business activities.
Avoiding Management Risks
In-house training can also help avoid some management risks. While there are a variety of management risks, in-house training is particularly effective as a way to avoid human risks.
Take the opportunity to teach employees what they should not do as a member of the company, such as information leakage and various types of harassment. It is effective to show actual cases of information leakage and harassment, and what kind of risks can be incurred. By giving employees a more concrete image of the possible dangers, it will raise each employee's awareness of risk management.
Back to Table of Contents
Major Types of In-House Training
Since there are multiple means of internal training, it is important to select the most appropriate method based on the level and target audience of the participants. Whether you want participants to acquire practical content for their work or to gain knowledge of business etiquette, there are a wide range of objectives.
In order to provide effective training, it is important to have a thorough knowledge of training methods. Below we describe three in-house training methods, including on-the-job training and group training.
OJT" learning through practice
OJT (On the Job Training) is an in-house training method for new employees and those with no experience in the industry, in which they gain experience by actually engaging in practical work under a supervisor or senior staff member. Starting with simple tasks, the employee is gradually taught more complex and time-consuming tasks, thereby promoting growth.
OJT is an education method used by many companies and is a method that is expected to make employees immediately effective, but the speed of growth may vary depending on the department to which they are assigned and the person in charge of education.
However, the speed of growth may vary depending on the department and the trainer assigned to the employee.
Group training" is an effective way to acquire manners and skills.
Group training is an effective way to learn manners and skills, as employees gather in a conference room to receive training all at once. Because employees receive training at the same time in a single venue, they are more likely to be influenced by the atmosphere of their surroundings and become more motivated. In companies with multiple locations, employees assigned to other locations may also interact with each other. On the other hand, the time and cost involved are disadvantages.
Group training can be further divided into two types: in-house training and external training. In-house training is conducted by executives and supervisors. In-house training is effective in communicating corporate and management philosophies, as it is directly conducted by a person from within the company. The use of in-house facilities eliminates the need for travel and the cost of hiring outside instructors, but there are also disadvantages, such as the tendency for training to become entrenched in the company's internal philosophy.
External training is a method of training by requesting outside instructors. It is particularly effective for improving business manners, acquiring qualifications, and enhancing skills. Since the training is conducted by inviting outside instructors, new opinions and ideas that are not bound by the existing corporate culture can be incorporated.
Self-study," in which materials are distributed for educational purposes
Self-study, in which reference books and other materials are given to employees to encourage their own study, is another useful educational method. The content can range from acquiring qualifications and skills to understanding management philosophy. The person in charge of training must select, prepare, and distribute the materials, so be sure to have them well prepared in advance.
Since self-study is a learning process that depends on the motivation of each individual, the fact that the level of understanding may vary is a disadvantage.
Back to Table of Contents
How to proceed with in-house training
When providing in-house training, we must not just provide learning opportunities, but must proceed in a systematic manner so that concrete results can be obtained. Before selecting an implementation method, it is important to determine the purpose of the internal training and the schedule for its implementation.
The following is a step-by-step guide on how to proceed with in-house training for those who are considering the specifics of implementing in-house training.
(1) Set current issues and post-education goals
When promoting in-house training, first establish the current issues and post-education goals. By clarifying the reasons for training and the issues to be resolved, a training policy will emerge.
It is important to understand what is lacking in the participants from a comprehensive perspective, not only from the educator's point of view, but also by listening to the participants themselves and their supervisors and subordinates.
After identifying the issues, clarify what state you would like the participants to be in after the training. This will give you a concrete image of the timing and content of the education to be provided.
(2) Decide on the timing and period of implementation
After clarifying the issues and goals, decide on the timing and period of implementation. The timing will be determined by taking into account the internal preparation period, the schedule of external lecturers, and the level of proficiency of the participants.
It should be noted that depending on the content of the training, there may be cases where learning cannot be completed in a single opportunity. For example, OJT is based on the premise of mid- to long-term training. Depending on the content of the education, scheduling should be flexible.
(3) Decide how to implement in-house education.
After the schedule is set, decide on the specific method of implementing in-house training. There are various types of implementation methods, such as on-the-job training, training, and self-study. After comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each, select the most appropriate training method for the situation within the company.
Combining multiple methods is also effective, such as first learning theory through group training and then practicing through on-the-job training.
Back to Table of Contents
In-House Training is Important for Follow-Up
Due to the structure of the brain, it is difficult to retain what you have learned once you have heard a story. As pointed out in the "Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve" proposed by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, memory fades over time.
For this reason, once education has been provided, it is important to periodically check to see if the content of the education has been properly retained. The following sections describe specific follow-up methods.
Repeat the Feedback Cycle
To make your educational content stick, repeat the feedback cycle. The feedback cycle is a term that refers to the process of receiving feedback and working toward improvement.
Specifically, the process is to repeat the flow of "receive feedback on what you have learned, discover issues for yourself, think about what you need to change to solve the issues, and then actually take action on what you have thought about. By repeating the cycle over and over again, the educational content will be more reliably established.
Create an action plan sheet
Creating an action plan sheet is another effective follow-up. An action plan sheet is a sheet that describes the actions required to achieve the subject's goals and plans, and whether the goals were achieved after a certain period of time.
The advantage of this method is that employees themselves take the initiative, so the content they have learned is easily retained, and they can confirm for themselves whether or not their actions have definitely changed. On the other hand, the disadvantage is that it increases the burden on supervisors and trainers to check the content.
Questionnaires and confirmation tests are also effective
Questionnaires and confirmation tests are also effective follow-up measures, as they enable quantification of participant satisfaction and understanding. If you want to make use of participants' feedback in the future, you can conduct a questionnaire, and if you want to check the degree of knowledge retention, you can conduct a confirmation test.
Back to Table of Contents
Tips for Meaningful In-House Training
In order to provide meaningful in-house training, it is necessary not only to select appropriate methods, but also to consider the mindset of the participants. Attention to details such as raising awareness by explaining the necessity of the training and establishing a system that encourages active participation will improve the effectiveness of the training.
Below are three tips for conducting meaningful employee training.
Properly explain the need for the training to participants.
In order to provide meaningful in-house training, it is important to work on communicating the need for and importance of the training to participants in advance.
Rather than simply informing them of the outline of the training, try to motivate the participants by informing them of the reasons for the training, the benefits they will receive from the training, and how you hope they will contribute to the company after receiving the training.
When conducting training, it is important to give participants a sense of purpose for themselves. By making every learning experience personal, it will become clearer how to apply it to their daily work.
Creating an environment that encourages spontaneous participation
When implementing in-house training, be mindful of creating an environment that encourages participants to participate spontaneously. New employees, in particular, tend to be cautious about their surroundings, making it difficult for them to express their opinions or ask questions.
It is important to create an atmosphere in which everyone, including new employees, can easily participate, rather than one in which the instructor or some participants keep talking. When conducting group work or other activities, the leader or facilitator will be required to skillfully turn the place around.
Introducing an e-learning system
Introducing an e-learning system that uses smartphones and PCs is also effective for in-house training. The system is characterized by the ability to study at any time, from any location, and to look back on the content repeatedly. It is also ideal for reviewing content during breaks in the workday.
Depending on the system, tests can also be administered to check the level of understanding of the training content. Because they are effective for follow-up, we recommend incorporating them as part of training and other programs.
When introducing a system, compare and consider the services offered, and choose the content that best suits your objectives and budget.
Back to Table of Contents
e-Learning for Effective In-House Training
Many companies are concerned about how to promote internal training. It is important to create a system to provide effective in-house training to employees for the company's growth.
The introduction of e-learning is an effective way to establish knowledge and follow-up through in-house training. LearningBOX" is an e-learning system equipped with all the functions essential for in-house education. In addition to the creation of teaching materials and grade management, courses can be designed in accordance with the content of in-house education, and tests can be easily conducted to check employee proficiency levels.
We have prepared detailed information on learningBOX and how it can be used, so if you are interested in introducing e-learning or are concerned about in-house training methods, please contact us first with a free information request.
▼ We also recommend this one! Also read.
Back to Table of Contents