Author: creativ technologies

01 Dec 2023
What can HR training do for a company?

What are the benefits of HR training?

HR training is important to ensure that the company is functioning smoothly. 

HR selects which people will be a part of the organization. If the HR training has not been done, they might hire employees with the wrong skills. The employees should also be able to mingle with the team, a crucial skill every HR needs to see. The employees must be cooperative and have the proper knowledge of the domain for which they are hired so that they can help other employees.

Moreover, HR can play a crucial role in fighting for employee rights. The employees complain to HR about the grievances they have with the managers. These are the benefits of HR training: 

  • Better team dynamics: 

Apart from that, every company has maintained a pool of training resources. HR should ensure that every employee has the right to use these resources. A human resource professional can only see proper team dynamics in the company. If there is partial treatment of some employees, they can resign. Hence, it’s better that HR checks if no employee is treated unfairly in the company. If some employees are treated poorly, they won’t cooperate. 

Employees must feel valued in a company. When there is team dynamics in the company, it can function in a seamless manner. For example, if an employee calls in sick, then other employees are ready to take on his job because they are ready to support him. When employees are a part of good team dynamics, they are more productive in their own jobs. It’s the HR’s job to set the communication rules for the other employees. 

  • HR prevents bullying:

HR has to ensure that the company environment does not get affected. The employees must have a right to complain about certain unpleasant incidents like bullying. The HR must also record how the team meetings happen in the company.

They should see when a certain worker has talked rudely to others in the company. It’s only possible when they check the footage of the meetings or the meetings are hosted over a video conferencing platform. 

  • Goal attainment by employees:

When the HR training creates a proper environment in the company, the employees work with more zest in the company. They are also satisfied with their jobs, and they have the enthusiasm to provide the best to the company. When employees are so motivated, it helps a company attain their goals. Only through HR training, the companies can ensure that the employees don’t feel like changing their jobs. 

  • Low turnover: 

HR training ensures that the turnover rates of employees are low in the company. The employee attrition rate is quite low. There is better performance management in a company when HR training is done. Performance management becomes an easier job for the HR when they are trained. When employees know how performance is measured, they work at their optimum levels.

  • Help in performance management:

Performance management happens when the managers fix the goals of employees and make sure that they are attained on time. It has four processes: planning, monitoring, reviewing and rating.

HR can also help the managers in this job because they can detect the performance of an employee. There can be checking of data to check whether it’s consistent with the performance goals set for the employees. When an employee’s data is checked, it becomes clear to the company how an employee is performing.

Performance management can’t be done without the help of HR employees. When the HR creates this process, managers can have complete confidence in them. The HR training can help such employees handle this process more successfully. HR helps provide appraisal to employees based on their performance. When the employees know what sort of performance is expected of them, they will be retained easily in the company.

When employees are encouraged to do their work properly because the manager sits with them to frame their goals, they feel pleased with their work. They are more engaged in the company. The employees get a better understanding of why they are promoted or not because the performance is explained to them. 

HR training can also help them aid managers in providing constructive feedback to employees. HR can help managers provide feedback to employees so that their progress is continuous.

23 Nov 2023
software training

What are the best ways to design software training?

The eLearning has made its mark in the world today. However, knowledge retention should be the main aim of eLearning because if that does not happen, there is no use. Why does knowledge retention not happen in eLearning?

What is wrong software training?

Miller has specified how much knowledge can be there in a person’s brain at a single time. But not all those seven things created in the mind are equally remembered. Some things are remembered more easily.

For that, the eLearning content creation companies must use videos and infographics. Such companies mustn’t use text to explain every matter but rely on interactive material to better retain certain things.

The most typical example of wrong learning is trying to teach software to your employees. The workers can’t mug up all the steps of how to carry out a certain process in software.

However, companies have to understand that although software is an integral part of every company process, the employees can’t be expected to learn every step. It’s not only impossible, but it also has no major effects on the company when the employees can Google software steps and carry on with daily tasks.

In fact, the employees should be taught soft skills that are more important. For example, employees who are in sales should be taught how to canvass the customers to buy more products or related products.

Effects of wrong software training:

When a company has not properly imparted software training, it can lead to many negative effects. There won’t be an expected ROI and all the software costs would be wasted. It’s because the employees don’t understand the software and can’t use it fully.

How to properly teach the software?

The company must know the software flows for all the employees. This helps them understand which users will use which features of the software. It’s better to design the training accordingly for such users.

  • Remove their fears

So, how can companies make software training easier for employees? First of all, the trainees must be encouraged to participate in training. Their fears regarding the new software must be eradicated. Those kinds of people in the company are not at all happy with change. They are just complacent with the current situation. They hate to ask questions when they have doubts about learning software. So, it’s better that such resistant people are asked questions about their fear of change and then pacified to adopt the new software.

  • Training should be role based

Since explaining each and every software feature to the user is cumbersome and results in cognitive overload, it’s better to refrain from it. Instead, only those features that are complicated in nature and can’t be figured out on their own should be explained to the user. The user might find these features tough to use and commit errors, leading to wrong operations.

Also, some roles require the user to only know certain features that are a part of their daily work and hence should be focused on. Extra features a certain employee will never use should not be focused.

  • Explain the software through articles:

Also, software features can be discussed in articles or documentation for those users who like to go into depth. Such articles save those users who are not interested in knowing in depth about all the features.

  • Use screencasts instead of videos:

The best way for software training is to use images instead of videos.

Videos are tough to edit when there is a change in the software processes. But images are not so hard to edit. You have to screen capture a certain image that has changed. When the user wants to revise his knowledge of the software, he finds it easy to come back to a certain set of images rather than rewinding and watching the video.

These are some steps for screencast videos;

  • Include a table of contents: Firstly, there should be a table of contents so that the users know which page to check for which information.
  • Use less text: The text on the screenshot should be less than the length, as much as equal to 10 words or fewer. A box should be used to highlight the correct portion of the screenshot. 
  • Include all screenshots: Don’t skip any screenshots because the users might get confused.

The eLearning vendors have to work hard to get the process right. They must ensure that in software training, the process is indicated in the software itself so that users can check it carefully. They can be given screenshots of the software processes in the help row itself.

14 Nov 2023
sales training

Why is gamification important in sales training? 

The retail industry has been the major force in the economy for a long time now. There are however many challenges in sales. Therefore, companies must make sure that the end customers are able to buy their products. No business can survive without e-commerce now because customers don’t have time to travel and visit the stores. 

Coming up of online shopping:

The change in sales training Is also needed because of the advent of online shopping. Customers now no longer throng the stores, but instead visit the websites. Therefore, retailers also need to see that their products are sold online efficiently, timely delivery, etc. eLearning is the best way to teach employees about how to sell products successfully online.

With gamification included in sales training, it’s easier to complete it.

Hence this way companies have lower dropout rates for their sales training courses. 

Why is sales training needed?

  • More technology savvy customer:

Technology has changed everything for customers who are more equipped with information than ever before. Therefore, companies need to pay attention to salespeople, who must have an LMS for accessible knowledge. Every day, a common person consumes a lot of information regarding products due to the internet.

Hence the salesperson can’t afford to stay behind and hence become the master of all the knowledge about the product. These days, nobody buys a product before getting all the information and reviews about it and the salesperson can no longer lie about the quality. 

  • Standardized training:

The sales training must not be delayed. It must be given to everyone who joins the team. Here elearning in the form of sales training is of major use because it helps train a single person and not waste the time of all other members. And the best part is that the training is standardized. With sales training, members can be guided for all the information required.

  • Fulfillment of targets:

Sales people become more confident in people who make purchasing decisions and are able to fulfill their targets. Talking to such leads is tough because they don’t have all the information about the product. But with proper training, sales people don’t fumble while talking to such customers.

For example, with B2B sales training, a seller becomes confident enough to talk to the CEO of the company. The salespeople also develop the patience to listen to the woes of the lead and then resolve them. 

How gamification helps:

  • Need for practical experience:

The sales team must have practical experience in selling products. This can only help them in dealing with real customers. The customers can be unpredictable and no amount of theoretical knowledge can prepare sales person for that. Therefore, there should be animated videos for sales training. The sales team must be trained on how to answer the questions that the buyers might ask. Hence, they should be given clickable choices, so that they click on one choice and understand the situation.

The sales team must also be trained for situations when the customers compare their products to those of competitors. When gamification is included in sales training, it boosts the morale of the employees. It’s because they are encouraged to get their names on the leaderboards. Apart from them, the games ensure that employees have more retention power. 

They can easily handle perplexed customers on a call because they have done the same during a simulation in sales training. They don’t forget any feature and apart from that if a seller has a wrong habit, he refrains from following it during the real call. It is because, during the simulation, he is also taught how to talk to the customer like addressing the customers.

If he makes any mistake, he is given fewer points in the game which makes him remember this forever. Hence the sales rep is quite confident and there is no hanging up on calls either to get some information or forgetting to ask whether any more services are required. They also remember to guide someone to fix any error in the product and every other procedure like filing a technical complaint. 

  • Salesperson attains perfection:

The seller is also able to handle training due to the presence of games otherwise they find it quite boring and a waste of time. When the salespeople have leaderboards available to them, they get a dopamine rush when their scores increase. They feel appreciation and hence get the zest to be a part of a role-playing session to score more points. It all depends on the sales training vendor on how he includes the games and simulations in the sales training to give a fun experience to the learners.

Perfection is only attained with continuous practice. Hence, in the same way, gamified sales training developed through AI can ensure that the salespeople become perfect at what they do. 

  • Tracking performance:

But sales training is not enough unless and until it is tracked. How much time is spent by employees in gaming, all this is important for the L&D department of the company. Hence, they must be able to track the analytics through an LMS. The biggest problem before companies is that sales people leave the course in between due to unnecessary content. The sales training must have clear goals before it is developed and then it must be tracked for its effectiveness. 

Agility is now the most important thing for companies. It’s because there is so much competition in the world now. Apart from that with the recession going on, customers have become quite choosy. Hence you can’t miss out on the limited sales opportunities that you have due to lack of agility. For example, if someone makes an online inquiry about the product, it’s your job to answer it on time. Therefore, sales training has acquired very much importance now. 

02 Nov 2023
safety training

Why is safety training important? 

Multilingual workers are present in every industry now. It’s because companies hire workers locally to save costs. The company should make efforts that employees can learn in their local language. When employees are not taught in their local language, there can be problems. The employees can easily follow safety-based instructions when they have been imparted to them in their own language. In fact, 1/4th of job-based accidents happen because employees still need to be given safety training in their local language. 

A company cannot ignore the need for translation because the safety of its employees is at stake. So, it must ensure that the training is translated properly. It can use AI-based translation tools to ensure that the employees have safety tips available in their local language. 

These workers also need to be given safety training so that they don’t become victims of accidents and cause the company losses.

There are many reasons why safety-related accidents happen, one of which is wrong lifting

  • Improper lifting: 

Sometimes, a worker cannot lift something alone and needs somebody else’s assistance. He should evaluate this situation before lifting something so that he does not hurt himself.

In fact, the right kind of lifting technique, including handling carts, should be taught to the worker during safety training.

Heavy lifting without proper support can cause muscle pulls for workers, apart from back and shoulder injuries. This leads to absence from the workplace, causing losses for the company. So, a company needs to train workers about proper lifting to avoid their absence from the workplace due to injuries. 

  • Fire breakouts:

Fire safety is also an important part of safety training. An organization can experience a fire breakout at any time, and therefore, the incident must be reported in time so that the fire can be put out. The employees must also know how to douse the fire themselves if they are unable to get out, and hence should be taught how to use the same.

Teaching employees how to douse the fire is crucial in safety training. There can be a time lapse before the fire firefighters arrive at the scene. There should also be fire alarms installed at the workplace so that everyone is alerted once a fire breaks out. Sprinkler systems can also help in extinguishing a fire. Fire drills must be conducted so that employees know how to use fire extinguishers and safely exit the building through emergency exits. 

There can be many reasons behind a fire at the workplace, like electrical issues, which include bad wiring starting a spark. Also, arson could be the reason for a fire when a frustrated employee starts a fire; hence, the entry of employees inside the company should be monitored.

When a company is using flammable materials, it needs to be careful because anyone smoking in the presence of such chemicals can cause fires. In fact, smoking should be prohibited in such areas where such chemicals are kept. All these measures should be a part of safety training in a company. 

  • Workplace violence:

Prevention of Violence is also a part of safety training. Violence in the workplace can also involve homicide and, hence, should be prevented. If an employee sees any risk factors that can lead to a major event in the future, he should report it on time. Women have been major victims of workplace violence.

There can be many reasons behind workplace violence, which include thefts which can’t be predicted. There can also be violence committed by the customer who might be angry over something.

Sometimes, workers also fight with each other due to trivial reasons. It’s the company’s responsibility to mediate between conflicting workers before it escalates into something big. 

This involves checking all the incidents of workplace violence which have happened before. Then, analyze the perpetrators of such incidents. If the company installed any systems like alarm systems after such an incident, their efficacy should be noted. If a company has not been able to prevent violent incidents even after installing such systems, better systems should be considered.

Apart from that, it has been found that employees who work till late at night are often victims of violence by outsiders. Therefore, there should be some mode of protection given to them, like cabs which deport them safely to their homes. A company can also provide such employees with licensed arms so that if someone enters the premises at night, they can protect themselves. 

A company should also take the employees into trust because they are the biggest sources of information. A company should know that workplace violence can make employees leave the company. Hence, steps should be taken in time. If someone experiencing domestic violence by a coworker complains to HR, he should not face any revenge. His information should be kept confidential by the HR. 

The company should make sure that workplace violence is punished appropriately. There should be proper punishment for the doers of such actions. If there is not, verbal violence will continue to take place because there are no repercussions. It’s important to show simulations, so employees know what to do in such situations. Workplace violence can happen due to reasons such as a depressed employee or overconsumption of alcohol at the workplace. 

Training about violence in the workplace makes employees recognize any symptoms of the perpetrator. There could be signs such as deteriorating job performance, which means depression and aggression as an end-result. 

25 Oct 2023
How should a leadership program be created?

What should a leadership development program be, internal or external?

The companies are putting in a lot of resources to develop leaders. But there is always a need to understand how to do it.

Whether to take internal help or use external resources for developing a leader?

The leadership needs to be developed for the future. The company needs to set up some objectives before it starts working on its leadership program.

What is leadership development?

The aim of this program is to increase the skills of individuals who can become leaders. It starts with recognizing their skills through various means, including the survey of peers and even tests. When such individuals have been discovered, their training consists of workshops and coaching to gain perfection in their leadership qualities. This training prepares leaders for the challenges they face during their jobs.

When the environment is so volatile today, the leaders’ job is to ensure that employees don’t get unnerved during the transition and are prepared to handle them.

The basic quality of a leader is to see that there is collaboration among employees to attain the common goals of a company. Apart from that, they should also be able to solve conflicts through their communication skills. The leaders should be able to encourage teamwork in the organization and build trust among team members.

Taking the help of a vendor:

Pros:

  • Expertise: 

The company can take help from an external vendor to contribute to the leadership development program or use internal service. It isn’t easy to develop a leadership program, given that your company’s entire future depends on it.

When a company hires a vendor for leadership development, it has advantages like benefitting from their expertise. The external team has experts who specialize in different streams and are ready to do the job. They also have worked on courses for different industries in this domain, and they can be altered to suit your needs.

  • No partiality

Externally, when a company hires a vendor for leadership development, they are not biased in favor of a particular candidate.

This works for a candidate with all the leadership qualities, but is not so popular. Sometimes, the management can’t see things objectively, but this is not the case with a leadership development vendor, who can assess every candidate for his strengths and weaknesses. It can build a leadership development program depending on how good is a potential candidate for the leadership role.

Cons:

  • More costs:

All this expertise of a vendor comes at a cost. But, the vendor might not have an understanding of the company’s branding.  The internal team is also aware of the challenges of such a program. It can be easier on costs rather than hiring an external team. However, the internal resources don’t have the caliber to evaluate the needs of such a program.

The internal team that is supposed to do the job knows who are the participants for the job and how to groom them to become future leaders. It depends on how much talent you have in the house to develop a leadership program.

  • Lack of confidentiality

There can also be confidentiality problems in a company when the external L&D team sits with a leader and takes their opinions on what should be the leadership program. An organization cannot share its leadership tactics with external vendors because they are the secrets of a business.

How to choose a leader from inside or outside?

Internal hiring:

Cons

  • Limited choice:

When a leader is selected from the inside, an organization must choose from limited resources. They might be unable to choose the best leader because there is not much choice available. There has to be proper management of the selection because if proper caution is not taken, an organization might end up choosing the wrong leader due to favoritism.

  • Negativity against leaders from outside:

Leadership development is the best answer to the problems of a company.

Organizations can also hire external leaders, but the employees might refuse to accept them. Such leaders have their own viewpoints on things because they hold experience in a competitor’s firm. But when there is reliable staff in the company who can be promoted to the role of a leader, bringing someone from the outside is not the best possible idea.

The employees might feel discriminated against or that the organization is not appreciating their talent and giving them the promotion opportunities required. When an organization hires leaders from the inside, there is a need to train them and implement a leadership development program. Although the employees don’t have leadership experience, they understand how things happen in a company, i.e., what is the culture and the norms.

But this need does not exist when the company hires someone from outside who is quite experienced for their job.

Conclusion:

An organization can also strike a balance between the internal and external leadership development programs. Such organizations can ensure that they have a basic development of leaders to ensure that they imbibe the organization’s values. Next, they should hire an external development company to ensure that the leaders are exposed to different circumstances prevailing in the industry and how to handle them through skills to attain growth.

He was a German psychologist who is known for discovering the forgetting curve. According to this curve, the biggest decline in memory happens within 20 minutes, and then 1 hour.