20 Best Employee Training Methods in 2024: A Complete Guide 

The business environment has never been more competitive. The budgets are getting tighter, and layoffs are more frequent. Add the surge of AI to the mix, and you will have a perfect storm. In this competitive environment, employee retention has become a top priority for many companies. According to a LinkedIn study, 90% of organizations have employee retention as one of their leading concerns. 

So, what can be done to make employees happy and retain them? The answer is career development through different employee training methods. Investing in their growth is a surefire way of retaining them and making them even more productive. How can you train your employees to be at their best? That's what this guide will answer.

Importance of Employee Training Methods 

Gone are the days when salary was the main focus of employees. Now, career growth is their top priority. An IBM report shows that employees who receive proper training are 42% more likely to stay in their jobs than those who do not. 

Even top performers will leave their jobs for better opportunities. So, how can you reduce employee turnover? It starts with personalized and effective employee training metods. For instance, when employees feel their training is tailored to their needs and career goals, they're inclined to continue at the same workplace. 

Best Practices to Choose the Right Training Method

Staff training can be challenging, especially when you are confused about which employee training methods to choose. Well, there are some best practices that help you choose employee training methods that are fit for your workplace. 

1. Identify the Training Needs 

You can never go wrong with training needs assessment, as it saves money, time, and resources. Identifying where your workforce is lacking allows you to understand the requirements and preferences of individual staff members. Here are some common reasons why the need for employee training methods arises: 

• Employees lacking the required skills 
• Insufficient knowledge 
• A mismatch between employees' current competencies and job requirements 

Training new employees is essential for keeping them motivated and your company ahead of the competition. But there are some challenges. Not all companies and businesses out there can help their workforce with compelling and awe-inspiring training courses. In fact, the majority of employees find the training sessions provided by employers boring.

So, the best way to deal with it is to leverage the AI and choose platforms like Coursebox AI, which offers advanced course creation with engaging and compelling features. Using these advanced features, you can create courses in minutes according to your company and employees' needs.

2. Consider Learning Styles

You should also consider your workforce's learning styles for maximum impact. For instance, some workers prefer to work in group settings, while others prefer working independently. Therefore, it's essential to take a personalized approach and create training styles that suit their needs. 

3. Create a Training Budget 

Training budgets have been fluctuating over the years. 

Creating a training budget requires careful consideration of various factors, such as instructor fees and instruction methods. Although employee training spending in the United States fluctuates on average, it stays above $1200. 

In 2023, training spending varied by company size. Let's have a look at it: 

• Small companies spent about $1420 per learner - a significant increase from previous years. 
• Midsize companies spent $751 per learner. 
• Large companies spent $481 per learner, less than half of their 2022 expenditure. 

These fluctuations highlight the need for a well-planned budget that ensures effective training techniques without overspending. 

20 Best Employee Training Methods in 2024 

We've listed 20 best employee training techniques that teach you how to train staff: 

1. Microlearning 

Microlearning involves breaking down information into small, manageable pieces for easier absorption. This method is critical to retaining knowledge because it encourages regular learning. It adapts to new technologies like Web 2.0. So, you learn with tools like blog posts and wiki pages that present content in short formats. 

Benefits

• Improves knowledge retention 
• Provides personalized learning experience 
• Keeps you focused on a particular goal 

Limitations

• Short learning duration is not suitable for complex skills. 
• Continuous consumption of information makes it challenging to fit training into your busy schedule. 
• Less dedication due to brief sessions 

2. Simulation 

Various employee training methods are popular, with simulation on top. 

In 2023, simulations were the top training methodology for employee engagement in the United States. An animated model allows you to gain knowledge and build skills before working on a real-life project. Trainees can repeatedly practice to correct errors and refine their skills, which is particularly beneficial in multiple sectors, such as healthcare. 

Benefits

• Reduces development cost 
• Allows you to learn from mistakes 
• Higher retention rates 
• Provides a safe practice setting 

Limitations

• Unable to replicate the complexity found in real-life settings 
• Cost-intensive 

3. Video Training 

Videos were the most common learning method among 45.4 percent of males and females in 2023. Compelling training videos incorporate animations and storytelling that keep employees engaged. Moreover, they allow your staff to go at their own pace and replay the content whenever they want to relearn it. 

In fact, large, midsize, and small companies frequently utilize employee training videos to help them succeed in their careers. The percentage of how many companies incorporate video into training sessions is listed below.

‍Benefits

• Improves engagement, which positively enhances content retention 
• Better accessibility allows one to consume content anytime 
• Provides flexibility and customization 

Limitations

• Device-dependent and always requires a stable internet connection 
• Expensive and time-consuming 

4. Job Rotation 

Job rotation involves temporarily moving employees between jobs, departments, or tasks. This training process familiarizes employees with various positions within the organization. Some key characteristics are the elimination of boredom, reduced turnover, and enhanced productivity. 

Benefits

• High employee engagement 
• Develops skills by exposing learners to different roles 
• Provides better employee experience 
• Eliminates boredom 

Limitations

• Involvement in a new learning curve makes it time-consuming 
• Doesn't let you develop deep expertise 
• Not suitable for all industries

5. Gamification 

Gamification enables you to incorporate game elements into non-game settings. It is one of the employee training methods designed for purposes beyond entertainment. Serious games enhance your cognitive, emotional, and social engagement. Gamification leads to better outcomes than traditional methods such as PowerPoint. 

Benefits

• Improves collaboration by encouraging teamwork 
• Enhances engagement and creates a friendly competition 

Limitations

• Mismatch with learning goals

6. Coaching 

Coaching is when a manager provides employees with one-on-one or group training to develop a particular skill. This is the standard corporate training because employees feel heard and understood without judgment. Around 80% of coached individuals reported increased self-confidence. 

Benefits

• Enhances performance, which contributes to skill development 
• Improves employee engagement by fostering a supportive environment 
• Increases productivity through targeted feedback 
• Allows to achieve goals 

Limitations

• Expensive in the case of one-on-one coaching 
• Lack of customization in group coaching 

7. Social Learning 

Social learning incorporates team collaboration, where different ideas and experiences are combined. It aligns with modern workforce requirements. That makes it suitable for young employees who are prone to consuming bite-sized information on their phones and have limited attention spans. 

Benefits

• Provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate 
• Instills positive behavior among employees 
• Improves retention 
• Saves cost because you leverage existing resources 

Limitations

• Too much reliance on others with no self-contribution 
• Fear of judgment causes stress 

8. Cross Training

Cross-training involves teaching employees additional tasks across various departments. This prevents boredom from repetitive tasks and prepares employees for difficult situations. It is an ideal training technique for employees who have frequent customer interactions. 

Benefits

• Promotes collaboration across teams
• Boosts productivity by enabling employees to fill various roles
• Provides workforce stability, reducing reliance on specialized skill sets
• Cost-effective as it minimizes the need for external hires 

Limitations

• Learning new skills may cause stress 

9. Role Playing 

With role-playing training, employees can see things from different perspectives. This method is common in communication training. Engaging in real-life scenarios teaches your staff skills like negotiation, teamwork, and persuasion. Role-playing allows you to identify problems before they arise.

Benefits

• Better communication and constant productive feedback 
• Improves creativity as it enables you to think outside the box 
• Builds confidence since you're handling diverse situations 

Limitations

• Not all employees possess the required skills 

10. Case Studies 

Case studies allow employers to present descriptive situations to employees in various forms. This method focuses on the outcome and problem-solving process equally. You can use the following forms of case studies to train your employees: 

• The video-based case study illustrates all the components in a video form through storytelling. 
• An Internet-based case study is about gathering information from provided URLs. 
• The role-playing case study allows you to immerse yourself in different perspectives. 

Benefits

• Makes you more confident 
• Allows you to learn from mistakes 
• Improves decision-making skills 

Limitations

• Have a limited validity as individual interpretations vary 

11. Job Shadowing 

Job shadowing helps new employees decide if a workplace is right for them. For a few hours, daily job tasks are demonstrated so participants can observe a specific role, brief it, and gain hands-on experience. 

Benefits

• Boosts productivity as it requires you to deal with different tasks 
• Provides an opportunity to learn a new skill

Limitations

• Doesn't add any value to your resume  

12. eLearning 

The flexibility of on-demand availability and user-controlled learning speed makes eLearning a preferred training method for many. YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok are popular eLearning platforms, but YouTube takes the lead. In 2023, YouTube emerged as the leading eLearning medium for employee training. 

From school kids to business professionals, everyone can learn through e-learning. This is the reason e-learning is expected to reach 1 Trillion USD by 2032.

Benefits

• Easy scaling across various departments and geographies 
• Reduced training time and costs make you more efficient 
• Personalized learning experience provides better outcomes 

Limitations

• Social isolation keeps you from interacting with fellow learners
• Lacks quality assurance due to inadequate assessment 

13. Product Training 

Product training is popular among businesses that frequently launch new products. It involves educating employees about product features, solutions, and customer benefits. It serves as a bloodline for effective sales, support, and marketing. 

Benefits

• Provides a better understanding of features
• Improves sales as there are better chances of upselling 

Limitations

• Cost-intensive 
• Time-consuming 

14. On-the-Job-Training 

On-the-job training allows employees to gain hands-on experience in real-world environments. Although this method is cost-effective, motivation can sometimes be a challenge for employees. This is because training occurs on weekends or after regular work hours. 

Benefits

• Increases productivity through hands-on learning experience
• Enhance retention rate since you're applying learnings into real-time work scenarios
• Reduces training costs as it doesn't require a different setting 

Limitations

• Reduces productivity 
• Cost-intensive 
• Time-consuming 

15. Interactive Training 

Interactive training is where employees collaborate equally to solve a common task. It is done through icebreakers and energizers. The choice of location and setting also plays an essential role in enhancing engagement and interaction. 

Benefits

• Improves collaboration as it involves real-time engagement 
• Enhances retention rate due to active participation of staff 

Limitations

• This can lead to distractions 
• Lack of motivation 

16. Apprenticeship Training 

Apprenticeship training is very similar to internship training, though it requires a commitment of two to three years. It provides an excellent opportunity to make a living and learn valuable skills in a specific job role. 

Benefits: 

• Improves employee retention due to skill development through experts 
• Enhances productivity as you gain practical knowledge 

Limitations

• No guarantee of a permanent job
• Pay is very low  

17. Internship 

Internships allow students to engage with a particular job that aligns with their academic field. It allows them to explore potential career paths, but they are often unpaid and do not guarantee a full-time placement. 

Benefits

• Mentorship from experts 
• Adds value to your resume 

Limitations

• Unpaid positions 

18. Behaviour Modelling 

This methodology modifies behaviours in the workplace. It is the demonstration of desired behaviour through modelling and practice. The skills it targets are the following: 

• Conflict resolution 
• Technical proficiencies
• Effective interviewing 
• Improved communication 

Benefits

• Improves engagement 
• Teaches you risk management 
• Improves decision-making skills 

Limitations

• Hard to understand complex models 

19. Off-the-Job Training 

Off-the-job training occurs away from the actual workplace, making it suitable for new employees. It can be overwhelming for new hires to get trained in the actual workplace. So, the company replicates the actual workplace to create a pressure and distraction free environment. 

Benefits

• Lowers the chances of reputational losses 

Limitations

• Requires a separate setting 

20. Workshops 

Workshops are another employee training method where participants share new ideas and skills. Since the sessions are interactive, you can ask questions to expand your understanding. It is the way to go when training a new team, presenting at a conference, or sharing innovative ideas. 

Benefits

• Improves decision-making

Limitations

• Pricey and time-consuming 

Conclusion 

Certainly, the list of effective employee training methods is broader than one can imagine. Personalized employee training can develop advanced workplace skills and take your staff's productivity to the next level. 

If you've found yourself creating a personalized course, Coursebox is your ideal solution. This AI course creator tool not only structures high-quality content and offers engaging quizzes but also provides AI assessment based on your rubrics. Our AI tutor empowers you with an AI chatbot, which provides your trainees real-time assistance anytime.