5 Common Employee Training Mistakes Seen by L&D Professionals
Written by: Jessica Monahan, Senior Learning and Development Consultant
Table of Contents
The Importance of Employee L&D
In a post-pandemic world, Learning and Development has become more important than ever. Data released by Forbes shows that companies have spent billions of dollars on learning and training, yet still struggle to apply the knowledge after the fact and keep learners engaged (Scalerandi, 2021). Learning and Development professionals observe several common mistakes both in and out of the classroom. So how can L&D professionals change “course?” Address these common mistakes to make a greater impact and keep employees engaged during training.
Below are the top five common mistakes observed by Learning and Development professionals and how to avoid them.
Lack of engagement
Disengaging training is a recipe for boredom. Sitting in a classroom where the content is dry, the PowerPoint is read verbatim, and the instructor has no enthusiasm will all lead to disconnection. By offering and facilitating conversation, making training relevant, and personalizing the instruction, students are more likely to pay attention and keep focus. Other ways to make subject matter engaging include creating visually appealing content and incentivizing training. Incentivizing training could include anything from financial rewards to offering coffee and donuts.
Bad timing
“The earlier the better” doesn’t always apply to training. Training is best when it comes as close to the implementation of the tool/product/function as possible. Training months or weeks before implementation results in learners forgetting information or skills. The best practice is to perform training as close to a launch date as possible. Additional recommendations include working with a client to find an optimal training time. Another thing to consider is training session length. Typically training sessions should be no longer than 3 hours and last no more than a 3-day period for any one given topic. Instructors should avoid training on weekends or after work hours.
Information overload
Too much information can make a learner lose focus. Try to keep the content relevant and to the point. Statistics show when learners are given an overload of information, their brains effectively shut down. This can be seen as “zoning out” when learners stop paying attention to what is being presented (Patel, 2018). Other tips are to stick to the training that’s relevant and not drift to a different topic. By sticking to the topic at hand, cognitive overload is kept at bay.
Distractions
It can be hard in the age of technology to fully eliminate distractions at home and in the classroom during training. One way to reduce distractions includes providing designated breaks for learners to use cell phones and check emails. Another way to reduce distractions is by mitigating classroom disruptions. Learning & Development professionals often manage several personalities at once. By building a rapport with students and tackling classroom disturbances, productivity can be managed. Instructors can be better prepared to reduce disruptive behavior by being mindful of it.
No follow up post-training
After one day, learners forget 70% of what was taught in training (Kohn, 2014). It’s always best practice to offer follow-up assistance post-training in the form of office hours or refreshers, depending on the business needs. In doing so, learners know they have post-go-live support and will be able to have a forum for questions and answers. Surveying learners to gain their feedback is also useful in improving your training programs for future sessions.
Learning is vital to both companies’ and workers’ development. By avoiding these five common mistakes, L&D professionals can ensure they’re meeting important standards and providing the best training opportunities for their clients.
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References:
Kohn, A. (2014, March 13). Brain science: The forgetting curve–the dirty secret of corporate training. Learning Solutions Magazine. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/1379/brain-science-the-forgetting-curvethe-dirty-secret-of-corporate-training
Patel, D. (2022, September 14). How to learn fast: 10 ways to boost math and language skills. Entrepreneur. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/10-proven-ways-to-learn-faster/323450
Scalerandi, D. (2022, August 24). Council post: Learning as a business strategy. Forbes. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/08/23/learning-as-a-business-strategy/?sh=2561eeb420ae