10 Unique Methods to Improve Employee Training in Software Companies and Beyond

Personalizing Mentor-Led Training

I love our training process. We have mandatory trainings for the whole team, but everything beyond that is personalized. Each member of our team has a mentor. The mentor seeks growth areas and recommends training options, usually in the form of an online course.

The finance team approves the budget, and the manager is in charge of ensuring the outcome. It’s been a great system that allows people to grow in very specialized ways.

Fostering Innovation Challenges

We organize “innovation challenges” that encourage employees to propose and implement improvements in our processes and software. This practice can be replicated in sectors aiming to foster innovation and continuous improvement.

Virtual Reality Training Simulations

We use “virtual reality simulations” for training. Employees can practice tasks in a virtual environment before applying them in real-world scenarios. This approach can be replicated in other sectors to enhance hands-on training.

Hands-On In-Person Training Support

One of the most unique methods I’ve seen used to greatly improve employee training in a software company was to ensure that all employees get hands-on, in-person help from fellow employees or managers.

In this new world of remote and hybrid work environments, training manuals, decks, and videos are mostly virtual, and managers expect all employees to learn from these virtual trainings. While there are many examples of virtual trainings having specific and clear instructions and teachings, it will always be way more beneficial to have a person by your side to answer any questions or concerns you have while learning new material.

This can be especially helpful during tough sections of the training if the topic, especially new software, is more complex. Having a manager or fellow employee help you throughout software training can be easily replicated in other sectors, as you can just assign an employee or manager of that sector to help the employee, no matter what topic or software is being implemented.

Problem-Based Learning Autonomy

In my experience, one unique method to improve employee training in a software company is to get the employees involved in their own learning.

The best way to do this is by using a problem-based approach.

I always found that when I was able to choose my own problems and work on them at my own pace, I learned better. When you’re given a set of problems that have already been solved and told to “find the solution,” you’re not always sure how much time it’s worth spending on each problem, or if you’re on the right track—which leads to frustration and confusion.

When you’re allowed instead to choose your own problems and tackle them at your own pace, it makes you feel like you’re in control of your education. You can set up some guidelines for yourself (for example, no more than three hours per night), and then start working through them without worrying about how much time it takes or whether you’ll be able to complete all of them before the deadline arrives!

Reverse Mentoring for Tech Trends

We implement a “reverse mentoring” program, where younger employees mentor senior staff on emerging technology trends. This method can be applied across sectors to bridge generational gaps and keep organizations updated on the latest advancements.

Engaging Audio-Based Training

Audio-based training is an excellent way to deliver training materials. It gives employees the flexibility to listen at their convenience: during their commute, at the gym, or on a walk. There is a wealth of research showing that we hold listeners’ attention far, far longer with audio media than with text or video.

Some training content is inherently visual and won’t adapt well to an audio-only experience, but for the right topics, connecting with employees through their ears is a powerful, effective, and cost-efficient way to get the information into those brains. Investing in quality is crucial—working with a professional sound company to add music, sound design, and an overall sound that will be pleasing to your listeners can keep them engaged.

Providing Effective On-the-Job Training

Employees who receive on-the-job training can actively participate in the work process by learning while doing it. Using in-app and on-screen walkthroughs and guides to help users navigate various application features and tasks is one of the most effective ways to train employees on a new software application or process.

The ultimate goal of on-the-job training is accelerated user adoption of recently released features or new tools. Because it is simpler for employees to learn while working on a project, on-the-job training produces better results. The cost of expensive off-site training programs is reduced when employees receive training on the job.

Workers acquire new skills without interfering with their regular work days or output. It permits workers to concentrate on the competencies most pertinent to their position, facilitating individualized training.

Efficient Training the Trainer Method

One of the most effective ways to improve employee training in a software company is to use a “train the trainer” approach. This involves identifying a few key employees who have a deep understanding of the company’s software and who are also skilled trainers.

These employees can then be trained to become expert trainers who can help train other employees. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the company to train a large number of employees quickly and efficiently. By having a small number of expert trainers who can then train other employees, the company can save time and resources that would have been spent on traditional training methods.

This approach can be easily replicated in other sectors. Perhaps the most difficult thing about this approach is identifying which employees are good at teaching because sometimes they don’t even know they have this skill.

Screen-Sharing Video Training

Offering a bank of screen-share videos for training can be extremely beneficial to employees. Rather than spending significant time writing out SOPs, allow those training to follow along. Seeing and hearing content, with the ability to pause, rewind, and rewatch, is powerful.