Halloween Can Be Spooky, but What’s Really Scary Is Bad Training

With Halloween just around the corner, most of us are thinking about ghost, ghouls and things that go bump in the night. It’s fun to settle down for a scary movie marathon because we know there’s no real chance of Dracula swooping in to say, “I vant to suck your blooooood!”

However, Halloween isn’t the only thing L&D professionals are thinking about at the end of the year, and unfortunately the pitfalls you can encounter with training are far more real than an ultra-pale guy in a cloak. That’s exactly what can make creating your corporate training program such a complex process. But just because the difficulties in building great corporate training are more real than the creatures in a zombie movie doesn’t mean you have to be afraid of making your annual plan.

A Sound Foundation

As long as strong instructional design is kept at the foundation of your training efforts, you will avoid those spooky training problems lurking in the dark like death-by-PowerPoint, no follow-up tools or lack of focus. Making sure you have a purpose and goals to guide your strategy means you will engage learners, get better results and make better use of your resources – all of which ensure a more complete plan to drive your next year.

The Impact of Corporate Training Programs

This focus on design means you get the most out of your training. Great corporate training programs can impact companies not only in the specific behaviors you want to change, but can also have more subtle effects. Some of the broader positive effects of training include:

1. Increased employee motivation
2. Lower turnover
3. Better risk management
4. Reduced employee costs
5. Improved customer interactions
6. Easier recruiting
7. Improved corporate reputation
8. More productivity

Investing in People

Companies with strong employee training programs ultimately have a competitive edge. Not only are employees better equipped to do their jobs, but companies see returns in productivity that translate to a positive impact on the bottom line. The U.S. Department of Labor found that ongoing training raises productivity by 16 percent. Training is also a valuable retention tool, particularly when considering the high cost of replacing and training new employees.

So with all the benefits great training can bring, it’s worth the effort to stay focused when building your corporate training plan. Staying on plan is no trick, and it’s a real treat when everything comes together.