What Makes Employees Remember Your Training Sessions?
Within only an hour of a typical training session, most people have already forgotten 50% of what they just learned. And in case you wonder what’s the point of training if everyone’s going to forget it all, know that the key is to create training sessions that have a long-lasting impact. Training isn’t just about completing a mandatory checklist provided by HR. It’s about giving employees the tools to do their jobs better, faster, and smarter. For your staffers, effective training means they have the opportunity to thrive in their careers. And for organizations, it means more productivity and an exceptional workforce.
Before we dive into the secrets that will make your training sessions stay with your employees for a long time, let’s see how people like to learn. First, keep in mind that adults learn quite differently. They’ve got jobs, personal lives, and hobbies, so they usually don’t even bother paying attention to uninteresting courses that waste their time. Adults learn best when they know the material is relevant to their jobs and everyday lives. If you can connect your training content to real-life tasks or problems they face, you’ve earned their attention. They also want to have full control of their learning. So, give them opportunities for active participation. With all these in mind, let’s discover 7 tips that will increase knowledge retention and make your training sessions unforgettable.
7 Secrets To Design Training Sessions With A Lasting Impact
1. Know Your Audience
Different groups have different needs and expectations. Are your trainees experienced pros and have a long career on their backs? Or are they newcomers who still need to find their way around everything? Tailoring your content to your employees’ level of experience is key. You also need to know what sparks their interest. Do they prefer video over text or discussions over presentations? Lastly, don’t forget about their goals. Some people train to climb up the corporate ladder, while others want to learn about the new trends in their field. As we discussed above, it’s all about relevance, so ensure training aligns perfectly with their needs and preferences.
2. Use Storytelling
Storytelling should be a vital part of every training session, as it’s guaranteed to capture the audience’s attention. Why? Because humans are drawn to it from ancient times. Stories are relatable, memorable, and much more interesting than plain textbooks and dull presentations. To start, you need to use a story that resonates with real life. For example, if you’re teaching them about conflict resolution, create a relatable main character and have them experience a hypothetical scenario through the character’s POV. This way, they’ll get hands-on experience with the training material. Don’t forget to add emotion and captivating language to the story, too.
3. Add Multimedia
Multimedia content like videos, infographics, audio, pictures, and even memes surely is more engaging than giving your employees a textbook to memorize. To be more precise, videos are engaging because they tell a story and make the content relatable, even if it’s just a short clip. Now, infographics are perfect for breaking down complex topics. And don’t sleep on memes. They add an element of humor and make your sessions relatable and memorable. However, you need to ensure they’re appropriately used.
4. Keep It Short
No one wants to sit through a lengthy training session, and if they do, they’ll probably forget half of the things they learned soon. After all, attention spans are shrinking. So, you want to avoid overloading your employees with information and adopt different approaches like microlearning. Short lessons are easier to digest, and they save everyone’s time. Lessons lasting up to ten minutes are quick to make and deliver, and they fit perfectly into the busiest of schedules. Whether your employees have five minutes left in their break or take a long commute, they can train on the go.
5. Active Learning
Active learning can turn even the most complex and seemingly boring topics into a fun learning experience. The idea is to get your employees involved and encourage them to perform certain actions. For instance, case studies. Instead of just presenting your trainees with a problem, allow them to actively solve it. This includes brainstorming, experimenting, collaborating with peers, and ultimately finding a solution. Not only does this make the learning process compelling, but it also helps them witness the real-life application of what they learn.
6. Include Gamification
Playing while learning? Your employees will love it. This is made possible by adding gamification elements to your courses. The sense of competition and reward is appealing, so why not leverage it? Whether it’s a simple quiz or an in-lesson challenge, like who will complete it first, your employees will enjoy the possibility of proving they’re good among their peers. Add leaderboards, badges, and rewards, too, to boost the process a bit. When your trainees complete a challenge or earn an achievement, such as ten consecutive completed lessons, they’ll feel motivated to try more and be confident that the training process is actually effective.
7. Provide Follow-Up Materials
It’s normal for people to forget what they’ve just learned, even if they enjoyed it. To battle this, you can deliver follow-up materials to make lessons stick even more. But don’t just hand your employees a printed sheet covering the lessons’ basics or a presentation. Opt for a digital guide, an infographic, or a short video and make sure everything is visually appealing so they don’t disregard it. You can also send them a follow-up email every time they complete a lesson. Include links, a summary of the session, and maybe even some bonus content to keep them engaged.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve got these tips for creating memorable training sessions, it’s time to put them into action. To make everything more meaningful, though, consult with your employees first. Research their training needs, find out their likes and dislikes, and gather feedback on what went wrong with previous training programs. Remember that the effect training has on your company shouldn’t be overlooked, so, to ensure success, consider freshening up your approach to training sessions.