4 Tactics You Can Use To Make Training Stick

Companies are hungry for growth and many have turned to employee development and training to increase their share of the pie. Numerous organizations have started full-day isolated training events, but do these events really work? Will employees remember what they learned at training events months, weeks or even days after the event?

To answer, consider the following questions: what letter in the alphabet comes after B? What’s 8×5? While it’s been years since we were taught the alphabet and multiplication, we can still answer these questions because we learned them through practice and repetition. Learning and training in the workplace should be no different.

A recent Forbes article hit the nail on the head with the statement, “there is no learning “event”; learning is an extended process”. It’s clear that employees need to apply and repeat to retain learning, so how can you make sure that training is being applied? Here’s a look at four tactics to make training stick.

1. Communicate the value and make an action plan

   Employees must be willing to apply the new skills they learned in training. Try explaining how the skills will benefit both themselves and the company. Once an employee is onboard, you can develop an action plan for putting the new skills to use. Be sure to outline expectations and assign tasks that require employees to apply what they have learned.

2. Provide encouragement and support

   It’s important that you support your employees’ learning. When you encourage your employees to apply their training, you are conveying that improvement is important. Employees may find using a new skill intimidating, but you can give them an extra boost of confidence by encouraging them.

3. Provide feedback and track progress

   Feedback is vital in training stickiness. It ensures training stays on the mind and that employees make an effort to apply their new skills. 360-degree feedback is great because it makes training and learning a part of the culture. Multi-source feedback not only makes each employee accountable for applying new skills, but it also encourages employees to support one another.

4. Exercise continuous learning

   Skills are like building blocks; when you learn one skill, you are able to develop other skills. For example, once you know the alphabet, you can learn to read and spell. If you provide continuous learning or training that builds on the skills employees have learned before, you can ensure that employees are applying their training and developing themselves.

It’s obvious that learning should not end after a training event. Companies must use tactics to ensure that their employees are practicing and repeating what they have learned. These are some effective tactics to make training stick. What techniques do you use? Let us know.