How to make training part of your corporate strategy

When it comes to your corporate strategy, training is a key element, though it is often overlooked. Training has the potential to upskill employees at every level, better equipping them to perform and excel in their roles. It can improve productivity throughout your organisation, and can hugely benefit employee retention as staff feel invested in and valued.

By recognising the importance of training, you have made the first step to integrating it into your corporate strategy. Here we take a look at different types of training and how they can be beneficial, as well as actionable ways to make training a priority.

Which type of training is right for me?

When considering courses, look for those that are widely recognised, with good reviews, a good reputation and if possible, are accredited. This means it has been approved by a professional organisation in the relevant industry.

How you train your teams will then depend upon a range of factors, such as how many people require the training, budget, time and course length, and even the accessibility of training. Here are some of the most common types of training:

Online or e-learning

Online courses can range from webinars to e-learning. There are many reasons why online learning has become a favourite option in recent years:

1. Let’s you train ‘from the comfort of your home’ or just about anywhere
2. Can be done any time
3. Often let you save your progress to pick back up on at a later date
4. Ensures every employee gets the same training

However, it is worth noting that some online courses need to be completed within a set time-frame, so it is worth devising a training schedule to keep on track

Classroom

Classroom training is a more traditional method of learning, but one which works. Here’s why:

1. Allows the trainee to become qualified faster
2. Interaction with the instructor allows the course to be personalised
3. Courses are run at venues all over the country
4. Regular dates allow you to fit training into your schedule

What’s more, the face-to-face, personable nature of classroom learning is believed to improve knowledge retention.

Virtual

Thanks to the power of technology, you can now partake in virtual instructor-led training (VILT). Virtual training will generally involve online chat or webcam participation. It offers:

1. Interaction with the instructor and often other participants
2. A personalised and collaborative experience
3. Can be done from anywhere
4. A faster way to become qualified

Much like classroom learning, VILT will have set course dates/times for you to choose from, though you won’t have to travel a mile.

Full-venue events

Full-venue events will either be in the form of a trainer coming to your workplace to teach, or your entire team attending a venue for the training. The benefits of this approach are:

1. Other companies will not be part of the session, allowing training to be personal to you
2. Ideal way to train large teams
3. Can be used as an away-day for team bonding and learning
4. All employees receive the same training

Full-venue events are particularly beneficial for company-wide training, bringing multiple offices or departments of your company together.

Blended or hybrid learning

A hybrid of classroom and online learning, blended training generally entails e-learning along with workshops. It is the best of both worlds in that it:

1. Offers course personalisation
2. Is convenient and accessible
3. Allows for interactive learning
4. Suits any employee’s preferred learning style

At ILX our blended learning courses comprise of access to online resources, a training expert throughout the course, and include a two or three day workshop.

Prioritising training is future-proofing

No matter how you choose to implement training, know that upskilling your workforce will improve outcomes, allow for innovation, and future-proof your company.

Making training a priority as part of your corporate strategy is paramount for continual improvement and gaining a competitive edge. Aligning training with your company goals is the recipe for success.

Browse our range of courses to find the ideal training for your teams, or get in touch and we will be happy to guide you.