March 30, 2023
Do you want to ensure that your employees not only learn but having fun while doing it? Engaging training sessions can increase learning and retention, and ensure application on the job that improves performance.
Here a few tips:
1. Allocate enough time for planning
You have a busy schedule and probably lots of hats to wear, so now adding training on top of all that can be challenging. Take the time to prepare for your training delivery or identify the best person on your team who could host a training session.
2. Start strong
When you start with the training program, keep it interesting right from the beginning. Capture their attention and answer the question “What’s in it for me?” If employees get the good vibes early on in the training, they are more likely to be attentive throughout the entire training session. Talk to them, ask questions, keep it light with a touch of humour. When the learning process is enjoyable, engagement becomes easy.
3. Encourage conversations
Do not be too quick to cut off discussions or conversations in class. You certainly do not want to allow people to babble on and on for too long, but conversations encourage learning from each other and gets your employees engaged in the session.
4. Ask questions
By asking questions to the training participants, you can get them directly involved. Not only does this help them stay on-task, rather than lose their concentration, but it makes the subject matter more memorable following the session.
5. Choose a variety of delivery formats
Consider how you can bring your training content to your learners. Think about different ways like videos, discussion groups, case studies. Include quizzes throughout your training to reinforce learning and make it fun.
6. Use Real Life Examples
Learners are most engaged by content they feel is relevant to them. Real life examples benefit them by creating engagement, improved retention and putting the skills they are learning into practice. Real life examples also correlate with improved retention as learners can retain information when they can relate to an experience.
7. Be approachable
Unless there is a mandate to be formal, you should make your training light and informal. Avoid going overboard but remember that it is easier to bond with someone and to feel engaged in an activity if the instructor is approachable and relatable.
8. Remove tech barriers
Find a training platform that offers a simple and enjoyable training experience. If people are frustrated about their log in details or the general usability of the platform, their learning will be impaired. Contact the go2HR training team for support on hosting your training courses online and ease the administrative burden.
9. Incorporate Role-play
Introduce some role-play games during your training session. Create situations where the learner has to make a critical decision. This will keep everyone engaged and totally immersed in the learning process. You can make it a group activity or an individual one. An interactive session demands employees’ attention and increases their level of engagement. For new employees, it gives a glimpse of the real-world scenario, of how the actual job is going to be.
10. Transition of learning into the workplace
You should invite your employees to practice what they have learned and to think about real situations at your workplace where they can apply their knowledge.
go2HR is BC’s tourism & hospitality, human resources and health & safety association driving strong workforces and safe workplaces that deliver world class tourism and hospitality experiences in BC. Follow us on LinkedIn or reach out to our team.
