In the recent years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the way organizations view training. Training departments have become learning and development departments. Training managers now are called learning and development professionals. The focus has shifted from organizations imparting knowledge and skills for employee development to enthusing employees take up self-development. Isn’t it the same thing, you may ask. However, there is a fine line between the two – the distinction between training and learning. Let’s analyze the differences in detail.

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While no two businesses are alike, they may have certain common goals. To gauge the business impact of eLearning, let’s look at a few typical business goals. So as we go through this list, you can check how many of them your stated business goals are as well.

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When you hire an employee, it is essential that you train the new employee on your Company’s policies and processes. This helps the employee know about organizational culture, values and vision. New employee training programs help employees in quickly adjusting to their new environment and delivering the goods in compliance with the organization’s policies and processes.

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I’m sitting at my desk watching the rain outside and wondering when it will stop. Maybe I need to learn how to build an ark. Seventy-five percent of Queensland has been affected by the floods so far, so it might not be a bad idea. So, being the nerd that I am, I Google “ark.” I scroll down page after page about Noah’s Ark, but I find no construction plans. Let’s try “Ark building.”

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The other day, my friend was ranting about attending a training session at her new company. She has over eight years’ experience in her field of work, but still has to attend training sessions organized by her company. Her ranting reminded me of my training sessions with the company I joined just a year or two ago. Despite finding the whole process boring, I was glad I attended the session as it helped me know more about company, people, work responsibilities and more.

Not all positions in an organization require a fresher. Some positions demand experienced new hires. Many newly hired experienced employees expect to start right away in to their new job as they feel that their experience and knowledge are more than sufficient. This is true to a certain extent, but many companies ask its new hires, fresher or experienced, to undergo induction training.

Every company has its own set of culture and standard practices that determine how each employee should go about doing their job. The entry of experienced employees into an organization requires him or her to maintain and get accustomed to its culture and decorum. Not adhering to one’s organization’s style of work can cause conflict leading to negativity, lack of motivation and enthusiasm, causing the employee’s performance to suffer. An induction training and orientation program helps new employees to be familiar with the culture and practice of the organization.

Besides the regular induction program, newly hired experienced employees need to develop a level of competency set by the new company to perform well in his or her new role. Despite having the required experience, training in developing competencies can help achieve great results.

When a new employee joins an organization, the chances of conflict arising are high. Training new hires on ways of getting along well with subordinates, colleagues and seniors will benefit them as well as the organization.

If an organization has to train its experienced employees, it is essential that they offer significant training programs. Irrelevant training sessions are a complete waste of time for the organization and the employees. Organizations should hold training programs that impart further knowledge and develop new skills on the job. Training can be off-the-job (lectures, conferences, case studies, role-play, simulations) or on-the-job (orientation, internships, coaching, instruction training).

The goals of the training program should relate to the needs of the organization. Goals should include milestones that help take an employee, fresher or experienced from his or her current position to where he or she desires to be. Allowing employees to participate in goal-setting of training programs increases their success rate and motivates employees.

The purposes of training programs are to:

• Increase productivity
• Reduce employee turnover
• Increase efficiency resulting in financial gains
• Decreased need for supervision
• Building an efficient, effective and highly motivate team to enhance the company’s position in the market
• Encourage employees to adopt and use advanced technical know-how to increase productivity.

Do share your thoughts with me on the same.