According to a recent survey, many companies waste massive amounts of money on ineffective training. The major roadblocks to employee training include not conducting proper needs analysis, monotonous content and delivery, wrong training managers and classroom rentals. For a training program to be effective, it should be engaging for both fresh recruits and old employees. Trainers should know their audience and communicate with them well. Here are some ways to make training more fun and interactive.
Use Different Training Styles
Organizations cannot expect every employee to learn in the same way. While fresh recruits prefer to learn by visual aids, employees with some experience will be comfortable with the traditional classroom teaching method. Some trainees respond easily to music, reasoning challenges, or presentations. Incorporate linguistics, distribute handouts and hold short quizzes to keep the training program inclusive and interactive. You can also use props and ambient music to make it more fun.
Fun doesn’t Necessarily Mean Funny
While a little fun goes a long way in ensuring knowledge retention, it is not advisable to try to make trainees laugh. Trainers often make the mistake of confusing ‘fun’ with ‘funny’. First, it looks staged and can fall flat when it doesn’t come off. Second, it dilutes the subject being discussed and lead to participants feeling uninspired.
Involve Gamification
This is a hugely popular corporate training method these days, as it helps trainees participate fully in the session. Professional services and IT giants have taken to gamified training in a big way. The progressive rewards system and the spirit of competition implicit in gamification make training more engaging and fun. Managers can keep track of everyone’s progress and address the problems of those lagging behind.
Experiment with Room Layouts
When one thinks corporate training, they’re most likely to imagine rows of chairs and tables in a drab training hall. The general perception about it is that it is not fun or engaging enough. Cast away the worries of your trainees by asking your training room rental company for unconventional room layouts. Collaborative settings help foster an environment that encourages interaction and participation. You can also replace the monotonous row system with a fun banquet layout.
Use Illustrations and Narratives
Training that is fun is usually relatable, so use examples from real life and case studies relevant to what is being discussed. Bringing creative metaphors and parables to the training room is becoming a trend now. Compelling stories and illustrations can embed the complex of information into learners’ minds. Narratives also help to evoke the employees’ empathy for the business and its social purpose.
Provide Facilities and Conveniences
A lot depends on your choice of training room rental and the facilities the company provides. Distraction and inconvenience are major reasons why most training programs fail. It is also important to check whether the training venue has restrooms, water coolers, and even coffee dispensers within easy reach of the trainees. Also, make sure that the venue is easily reachable. Training programs should be events that employees look forward to.