Education
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What are the Different Types of Employee Training Programs?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

Different types of employee training programs can be offered by a number of businesses, often based on the needs of that company and the resources available to it. Many companies, for example, require training programs for all newly hired employees in subjects such as sexual harassment and safe work practices. There are also developmental training programs available in many companies that are intended to help employees in management positions to better perform their job duties. Some training programs may also be offered through seminars or programs outside of a company, such as continuing or ongoing educational programs.

These programs are courses or seminars offered to employees of a company to help them perform their jobs better or understand certain aspects of the company more effectively. Many are required of newly hired employees before they can begin work. Programs in sexual harassment and work safety, for example, may be required by a company to ensure accordance with federal or local laws for businesses or to help avoid lawsuits against the company due to accidents or harassment in the workplace. Safety training programs are especially important for employees of a company that may handle hazardous chemicals or that involve dangerous situations in the workplace.

Most companies require all new employees to go through a training program.
Most companies require all new employees to go through a training program.

There are also employee training programs that may be offered to those who have been promoted within the company. They are often intended for employees who are taking on new or expanded responsibilities. An employee who is promoted to manager, for example, will often attend training to teach him or her various managerial techniques, expand his or her understanding of company practices, and promote the goals and message of the company. Similar programs may be attended by executives within a company, often to promote more effective management and encourage leadership skills and values within the company.

Training may be offered to those who are promoted to positions of increased responsibility.
Training may be offered to those who are promoted to positions of increased responsibility.

Some employee training programs might not be offered by a company itself but are organized by an outside company. In some cases, employees may need or want to attend seminars and workshops to build up their skills or knowledge. This can take the form of continuing or ongoing education for individuals in certain fields, such as medicine and education, or courses in leadership training or interpersonal communication. While a particular business may not require such training for employees, it may reimburse them or pay to send them to such programs.

Discussion Comments

SkyWhisperer

@Mammmood - Any employee training program will only be as good as its materials. I think many companies don’t have good programs because they lack good material, plain and simple.

Maybe they don’t have time to create quality materials and they can’t afford to hire an outside firm conduct training. Fortunately, we live in the information age and there alternatives, like employee training videos.

We used them at one place where I worked and they were great; they were independently produced and dealt with things like diversity in the workplace, harassment, conflict management and so forth.

They were simple DVDs that we were asked to watch and they came with study guides. I think they offer an easy, cost effective way for companies to implement employee training programs without being too inconvenienced.

Mammmood

@Charred - I had to attend a modest training plan for a company I worked for, along with about twenty other new hires.

I say it was modest because it was mainly to acquaint us with the employee handbook, tell us who to go to in human resources if we had a question, and of course warn us against the dangers of sexual harassment.

I really didn’t hear anything that I hadn’t heard before but I do agree that all companies need to have at least some basic orientation.

I later worked at a small business which didn’t have any program of the sort, and I think we suffered for it. There was a lot of misunderstanding about company policies and procedures, forcing employees to get that information second hand, which wasn’t always so reliable.

Charred

Employee training development can be most helpful if it focuses more on personal development skills in my opinion. For example, I once worked for a Fortune 500 company that had all their new hires go through a time management course.

We were all given day planners and taught how best to prioritize our time, decide what’s important and get the most done in the least amount of time. They taught us this stuff to make us better employees, but do you know what? I became a better person overall.

I kept that day planner and started organizing my personal life too. I became more focused, more productive, and most of all learned how to set and attain manageable goals for my life.

It’s nice when you can take away things that will stay with you long after you’re done working for a company.

icecream17

@Suntan12 - Computer based training is helpful, but for some jobs workshops and training sessions outside the company work better. I have a friend who is a teacher and she tells me that she often goes to teaching workshops and training sessions in order to be a better teacher.

Sometimes the topics involve classroom management and identifying children with learning disabilities as well as those with gifted potential. She says that she always comes back to her job with a lot of more enthusiasm because she says that in a lot of these workshops that the school sponsors are really motivating.

In settings like these teachers are able to ask questions regarding the difficulties that they have had on the job and other teachers learn from this discussion.

suntan12

I think that employee training software has come a long way. I remember years ago people in a company would have to travel to the headquarters of a company to get training, now a lot of the training in computer based. At the company where my husband works, they use computer based training to train entry level employees on the job.

The great thing about this new employee training program is that the information is self contained and the company saves money in training costs because the CD’s can be used over and over and there is no need to have a trainer when the CD gives explicit instructions and even scores exams at the end of every module.

I think the only downside of conducting new employee training in this fashion is that if an employee has questions on the material presented they may have difficulty getting the answers in a timely fashion because most managers are not familiar with the software.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Most companies require all new employees to go through a training program.
      By: chagin
      Most companies require all new employees to go through a training program.
    • Training may be offered to those who are promoted to positions of increased responsibility.
      By: micro10x
      Training may be offered to those who are promoted to positions of increased responsibility.
    • Training programs may help employees learn new industry techniques.
      By: Syda Productions
      Training programs may help employees learn new industry techniques.
    • Thorough employee training is crucial in the restaurant industry.
      By: Scott Griessel
      Thorough employee training is crucial in the restaurant industry.
    • Individuals who have been promoted within a company may undergo specialized training.
      By: Monkey Business
      Individuals who have been promoted within a company may undergo specialized training.
    • Programs in harassment may be required by a company to help avoid lawsuits.
      By: WavebreakMediaMicro
      Programs in harassment may be required by a company to help avoid lawsuits.