Employee Training and Development

While many organizations make use of employee training and development programs, not all programs are created equally. The amount of learning that takes place can vary significantly based on the design of the program and the skill level of its facilitators. Proper planning and education methodology is necessary to ensure training efforts are effective and that employees absorb and retain the information that’s being shared.

According to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, training and development manager jobs are expected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030—faster than the average for all occupations. Due to this increasing demand and the fundamental need for employee training in most professional environments, expanding your knowledge of training and development methods could be of significant value in your current or next role; it’s a category of knowledge that can be helpful for employees at any level of seniority. Whether your training goal is to boost employee participation, produce more effective employee development materials or create new and engaging group project exercises, our courses will help you succeed in the workplace.

View All Employee Training and Development Training Courses

Employee training and development can include any activities that assist employees in either acquiring new skills, or improving existing skills. While “employee training” and “employee development” are often used together as a singular term, they actually represent two different but complementary processes.

• Employee Development refers to the high-level plan that an organization puts in place to help employees progress and improve over the course of their careers.
• Employee Training refers to a program that has been created to improve the efficiency and success of a specific job.

With these definitions in mind, employee training can be thought of as a core component of employee development.

Becoming a good trainer can itself take training—the better equipped a trainer is, the more cumulative impact they can have on the employees they are training, and thus the overall success of their organization. Because no two businesses, training programs or employees are exactly alike, acquiring a diverse set of training tools and methodologies will help you engage with the broadest possible audience and achieve the best possible results.

Depending on the specific industry and business, employee training courses can cover a wide range of different topics. Similarly, training may take place at any level of seniority within an organization—all the way from entry level to leadership. Common training categories include:

Job orientation
The purpose of job orientation training is to help new employees feel comfortable and well calibrated in their role right from day one. When conducted properly, job orientation training allows employees to more quickly become productive and confident members of their workplace. Job orientation training activities may include a tour of the workplace, a meet and greet with colleagues, and a presentation that highlights the organization’s rules and policies.

Safety training
Safety training in the workplace is vital to ensuring all employees feel comfortable during their day-to-day activities and are well prepared in the event of an unforeseen issue. Safety training may include accident prevention education, safety compliance requirements, emergency response procedures and an overview of known workplace hazards.

Leadership training
Leadership training allows current and future leaders to hone and further develop the skills necessary to effectively lead a project or team. Leadership training events can include segments that cover how to be a clear and persuasive speaker, how to empower and bring out the best in your employees, and how to inspire unity and collaboration within your team.

Soft skills training
“Soft” skills can be differentiated from what are thought of as “hard” skills, such as those with a technical component. Common soft skills include creativity, communication, influence, and emotional intelligence. Soft skills training may include going through role playing exercises and scenarios that require that these soft attributes are put to use, as well as group projects.

To advance your employee training and development abilities, it’s important that you cultivate certain fundamental skills. These include:

Communication: Being a good teacher requires that you’re able to clearly deliver your message, and if necessary, modify that message for different learning styles.

Empathy: Understanding the specific issues your trainees face on a daily basis and developing a connection with them will help you to better serve their needs.

Strategic Mindset: By setting specific goals and objectives for your training and then mapping out a process for reaching them, you will be able to clearly define what success looks like for both you and program participants.

Adaptability: Employee training and development is an evolving field—by staying nimble and receptive to change, you will help to ensure your continued employability and maximize the effectiveness of your methods.

Improve your communication skills. AMA’s Training and Presentation Skills course will help you leverage the ADDIE Model to create more engaging, learner-focused training sessions.