School of PE Blog

Despite the necessity of corporate training, many companies have a severe lack of adequate and effective training opportunities. According to a 2020 Training Industry Report, some of the biggest challenges when it comes to corporate training, and what holds some companies back, have been a change in technology, lack of resources, converting content, and engaging people in remote training. Training individuals is one of the best ways to ensure little to no employee turnover, as well as create a competent workforce and productive company culture. Despite this, many companies reported a decrease in budget for training opportunities within their organization, finding certain areas of training difficult to deal with. Here are eleven challenges involved in corporate training and how to tackle them.

Over time, as cultures and technologies change, many groups are faced with having to create new programs to keep their workforce up to date on the latest information. With the rise of virtual reality technology for training purposes, for instance, companies recognize the benefits of the technology itself, but lack the knowledge or resources to adapt their content to the new method. Outsourcing this task to an external group that specializes in this type of technology eliminates that barrier between older and newer training methods, leaving the company itself free to focus on other things. It also allows for opportunities for older generations or veteran workers to utilize the new training method and receive a refresher course.

The ultimate goal of training employees is to create a capable workforce from within the company itself. Over time, junior staff should be capable of taking over job responsibilities from senior staff when the time comes. This balance, however, can be difficult if communication between staff members is nonexistent. If training is conducted properly, team members should comfortably coexist in a work environment, enabling relationships to form and creating effective leaders from the junior staff. Cutting corners or not following protocols could lead to chaos within the company and, worst-case scenario, company closure.

With such a necessity for training, you'd think that finding the time for it wouldn't be on this list. But it is. In some cases, new employees are pushed immediately into the workforce, learning the practical application of tasks before learning information that would lead to them to doing a better job in the end. Upskilling, after this point, may not feel worth it if someone's workload is already high. In the end, monetary investments don't mean a thing if a time investment isn't seen as a priority. Treating training like the priority that it is helps those in charge understand where and when training should take place over other tasks lower on the list.

With the pandemic, many companies found that many employees could be as productive at home as they were in the office. This left many companies struggling to figure out a balance between in-house training and remote training. Learning to use programs like Zoom, Slack, and Notion became a necessity in keeping employees engaged, and deciding on one training method for everybody (remote and in-house) often proved to be the best choice.

Keeping trainees engaged in the content while delivering job-specific information can be a challenge in itself. From boring methods of content delivery to unclear content to content that goes around in circles without ever getting to the point, there are many reasons trainees disengage from the training process. Make sure that your training content is clear and concise. You might also want to see if your training partner offers a learning management system (LMS) that will provide a progress log and assessment quizzes to help keep team members engaged.

You can believe you've made the greatest training program possible, but you'll never know for sure unless you are able to know whether the program made any impact on the trainee. By creating goals and other markers during their practical application that gauge what they know and how well they've internalized the information itself, you'll be able to measure the success of your program and adjust for errors as you go.

One of the biggest failings of corporate training is creating a direct correlation between the training and how it translates into the trainee's day-to-day operations. The problem with this lies in the generic nature of some programs. Not every job has a one-size-fits-all solution. In fact, most of them require direct application to what their job will entail. Using scenarios within the program that are relatable and have clear outcomes creates a direct line of connection between the program and the person's job. Offering on-the-job training opportunities that relate to their job duties keep them on task.

There will come a point in every person's career where they desire more niche training opportunities. For instance, a registered nurse may want to change their career trajectory and need training in hospice care, all while balancing their work in oncology. If the desired training is not offered within the hospital, they must seek training elsewhere. Outsourcing training can be a great benefit to those within your organization, especially when you don't specialize in what employees are seeking. For instance, most companies don't train on public speaking, but the skill is highly sought after for conferences, pitches, etc. Providing this type of training outside of standard corporate training benefits the entire company as well as the trainee themselves.

Previously spoken about are two ideas where trainees need job-specific training that the company is unable to provide internally. Standardizing training material can be a difficult task and, in some scenarios, could create a group of ill-trained employees in their specific niche. However, developing a training program where employees can see the whole of the company, everybody's responsibilities, and how their specific tasks fit into the company structure can create more relationships within the space overall. This is something that can only happen if the whole company receives the same training material.

There tends to be a disconnect between those who create training opportunities, those in need of them, and those who fund them. Sometimes, the creator finds that the proposed budget is not enough to cover the cost of a proven training program. Proving what value the new training program might bring to the company is another undertaking altogether. In this situation, it's best to gather as much information as possible to show any of the current system's weak points (how the program falls short via surveys, assessments, focus groups) and identify any skill gaps that an improved training program might fill. This can be time-consuming. but may prove to be the most beneficial course of action for the company as a whole.

No matter which direction you end up going, training programs cost money. The question becomes: how do you determine your training budget? And how do you maintain that budget while offering the most positive and effective training solutions possible? To work through these issues, there are several cost-effective LMS options that can help you create the training program that best benefits your company. To find the best fit, identify your requirements, make any necessary compromises, and start building a training experience that's tailored to your needs.

There are many challenges to corporate training, from budget constraints to figuring out a one- size-fits-all solution to the company structure. There's no question that training employees leads to a better, more productive workforce. It boils down to whether you're willing to compromise to make the best training program that fits the needs of the company. Overcoming these challenges takes a little ingenuity in some cases. You may not find all challenges on this list apply to your situation or that knowing about them in advance will eliminate them entirely. However, hopefully this blog will leave you more prepared to handle challenges that do come your way.

Interested in partnering with the #1-ranked exam prep provider to offer proven corporate training opportunities to your team? Reach out to School of PE today to learn more!