Pros and Cons of Popular Training and Development Methods

There are so many different training and development methods out there that finding the best one for your employees can be challenging.

Every year almost 32 hours is spent training employees according to the Association for Talent Development. Understanding where your methods are lacking can help when trying to improve employee training.

Over the years, I’ve held a few jobs here and there, and they all used different training plans for employees. Some were more effective than others, but they all had their pros and cons.

Instructional Videos

This is one of a few common training methods used in retail employee training. As a sales associate in the mall, part of my training included several company instructional videos. The onboarding training videos were of simulated selling situations, company procedures, product overview, and how to provide the best customer service.

Throughout the year we would have store meetings that would include videos on everything from new product announcements to changes in the brand to updated selling strategies and ways to improve our store’s customer service.

Pro: Videos can be useful training methods because they keep employees attention more easily than written materials on the same subject.

Con: Videos can only provide a certain level of training, employees often need additional training that is more hands-on for complete comprehension of concepts.

Informational Materials

Giving employees printed copies of policies and procedures is always a good idea because that type of information should be readily available for consulting when needed. Employee handbooks are usually used for referencing certain policies or procedures because it would be inefficient to watch a video every time you wanted quick information. Providing employees with a summary handout during training can be helpful for information retention. However, sixty-five percent of the population are visual learners and will need other training methods in addition to written materials to properly comprehend concepts.

Pro: Information is always available to review for easy reference.

Con: Printed material becomes outdated quickly and frequently needs updating.

Hands-On Experience

One way to teach someone to swim is by simply throwing them into a body of water. While this might be the best method for some individuals, others may not have a natural instinct to swim and could drown. This concept is the same for training methods. Hands-on experience is vital when training employees because in real-life, situations may occur that training couldn’t have predicted.

My first day on the job as an office assistant was spent working the front desk answering phones and answering questions. Essentially, I had been thrown in the pool without swimming lessons– but sure enough, my instincts kicked in. I had been taught the procedures and guidelines to what I would be doing, but I couldn’t really learn how to do the job until I had experienced it myself. My supervisors couldn’t have prepared me for every single unique question that people would come to me with, instead they provided me with the knowledge I needed to help find solutions to every problem. In theory, I knew what to expect from the job, but it wasn’t until I actually worked in the position that I was able to truly know the job in practice as well.

Pro: Nothing is as valuable as a real-life experience in a position. You learn what works for you as you go– every situation is different.

Con: Mistakes are common when you first begin. Employees need someone to walk them through the process and answer any questions they might have along the way. It might take longer for employees to feel confident in their training.

Putting it Together

These three training plans used together encompass all aspects of learning. It is important to equip your employees with the proper skills to succeed. Accommodating different learning styles ensures total comprehension for better performance in positions. Ving can help facilitate these training methods through its video feature. Upload or record your own video to a Ving and send to new employees during training. Your well-trained employees will thank you for making their jobs run smoothly and successfully.