8 popular types of employee training programs

Table of contents

1. Orientation training
2. Onboarding training
3. Hard-skill training
4. Soft-skill training
5. Product or service training
6. Compliance training
7. Franchise training
8. Leadership training
9. How to create different types of employee training programs
10. Can Easy LMS support me, as a consultant, in implementing all types of employee training across different organizations?

Types of employee training programs

Now, let’s take a look at the eight most popular types [1].

1. Orientation training

Orientation training primarily involves welcoming and introducing new employees to a company. It essentially acquaints them with the fundamental core principles of the company. Usually, it is a one-day training that covers the following topics:

• Company vision and core values
• Company culture and policies
• Organizational structure
• Introductions and office tour
• Mandatory new-hire paperwork
• Administrative procedures, including creating login credentials and setting up workspaces

2. Onboarding training

While orientation training is quite generic, onboarding training is tailored to make new employees productive swiftly. The onboarding training is role-specific; thus, the program length varies from a few weeks to several months. A robust onboarding program adheres to the 4 C’s [2]:

• Compliance: involves teaching new employees the fundamental rules of the organization, also known as adherence.
• Clarification: ensures employees understand their responsibilities and how to fulfill their role effectively.
• Culture: entails providing formal and informal norms of the organization from the first interaction.
• Connection: signifies relationships with colleagues and a sense of being part of the team, such as clearly communicating expectations.

Read more about onboarding training.

3. Hard-skill training

Your job demands specific hard skills – measurable abilities crucial for your role. Think of a software engineer’s coding prowess. Through targeted hard-skill training, employees refine abilities, whether to bridge gaps or achieve mastery. This training is particularly suitable for outsourcing to external firms, freeing up the company's resources.

4. Soft-skill training

Success isn't just about technical expertise

Success isn't just about technical expertise. Soft skills play a pivotal role in propelling careers forward. Picture soft skills as a fusion of personality traits, behaviors, and social savvy. They empower individuals to master communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Like hard-skill training, companies often outsource soft-skill training.

Embracing soft-skill training transforms organizations, molding their sought-after corporate culture and enriching work bonds. This journey delves into vital areas:

• Attentive listening
• Effective communication
• Seamless teamwork
• Adaptive flexibility
• Dynamic public speaking

5. Product or service training

Imagine product or service training as a dynamic program that unveils all the ins and outs of our offerings to employees. This isn't just any training – it's the key to empowering a team to excel in their roles. You'll find this training seamlessly woven into onboarding processes, ensuring everyone starts off on the right foot. And that's not all – when a company makes significant updates to our products or services, this training becomes a dedicated refresher for existing employees.

6. Compliance training

Compliance training is a vital part of keeping the workplace in line

Compliance training equips employees with insights into job-related laws and regulations. It comes in various forms, some spanning industries while others focus on specific roles. This training is a must, often with strict timelines, ensuring both company and employees adhere to the law. It's a vital part of keeping the workplace in line.

Moreover, state and federal regulations usually demand the annual completion of relevant compliance training. This keeps employees in the loop about workplace requirements and best practices. Regulating bodies usually offer their own compliance training, but not always – sometimes, they focus on assessments. In those cases, many training firms step up to provide comprehensive compliance training.

7. Franchise training

Franchise training sparks once franchisees sign their agreement with the franchisor just before their franchise journey begins. These programs take center stage in honing the abilities of franchise employees, crafting them into brand ambassadors who shine in their chosen territories. A dynamic touch? Many franchisors team up with external consultants to make this learning experience truly exceptional.

If you run a franchise, you want to keep your processes and products consistent across all franchised units. Maintaining consistency can be quite hard, especially if the processes and products change frequently. A special training team from the headquarters can provide education on-site to keep employees updated.

8. Leadership training

A leadership training program is a structured experience designed to help individuals develop and enhance their leadership skills and abilities. These immersive experiences blend insightful theory and hands-on practice, covering a spectrum of dynamic topics: from mastering communication and decision-making to the art of strategic planning, team orchestration, and nurturing personal growth.

Leadership training programs can take many different forms, such as workshops, seminars, classes, or online courses. There's a spot for everyone, from those stepping into their first careers to seasoned senior executives.

What lies at the heart of a leadership training program? Infusing employees with the wisdom, skills, and unshakeable confidence to navigate, lead, and achieve. This transformation often takes shape through partnerships with training companies like yours.

How to create different types of employee training programs

Crafting various employee training programs involves a thoughtful approach that tailors learning experiences to different needs and goals. Here's a roadmap to help you get started:

1. Identify objectives: Determine the specific goals of the training programs. Is the goal to enhance technical skills, foster teamwork, improve leadership, or something else?
2. Assess audience needs: Understand the diverse needs of the employees. Consider their roles, skill levels, learning preferences, and any knowledge gaps.
3. Choose training formats: Opt for formats that match the objectives and audience. Combine them to yield the best learning results! Options include:
   • Workshops and seminars: Interactive sessions for hands-on learning.
   • E-Learning and online courses: Flexible, self-paced learning accessible from anywhere.
   • On-the-job training: Learning while performing tasks in real work situations.
   • Mentoring and coaching: Pairing experienced employees with novices.
   • Conferences and webinars: External events for exposure to industry trends.
   • Role play and simulations: Immersive scenarios for skill practice.
4. Design and tailor content: Develop relevant content that aligns with the goals and audience. This might involve:
   • Curating resources: Collecting articles, videos, and materials for self-study.
   • Creating modules: Structuring content into manageable units.
   • Interactive elements: Incorporating quizzes, discussions, case studies, etc.
5. Leverage technology: Use learning management systems (LMS) to organize, track progress, and deliver training content efficiently.
6. Measure outcomes: Set clear benchmarks to assess the success of each training program. Track metrics like improved performance, reduced errors, or increased employee engagement.
7. Iterate and improve: Training is an ongoing process. Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your programs and refine them based on (participant) feedback and results.

Remember, effective training is not a one-size-fits-all solution. As a consultant, you must adapt training programs to meet your client's employees' unique needs. This approach will yield the best results and foster a culture of continuous learning and growth, ultimately ensuring your client's satisfaction.

Want to know more? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to create training programs for your employees.

Can Easy LMS support me, as a consultant, in implementing all types of employee training across different organizations?

Easy LMS offers a remarkable online solution for seamlessly implementing all types of employee training across multiple organizations, from onboarding to leadership training. Its user-friendly interface empowers you to effectively manage your time and achieve training excellence. This #1 LMS is specifically designed to eliminate the hassle of repetitive tasks, granting you the mental space to deliver top-notch training to your valued clients.

One online space, multiple academies

One particularly convenient feature is Easy LMS's Academy, where you can effortlessly organize all your content in a single virtual location. Organize your consulting workload by creating multiple academies. This enables you to reuse the same material efficiently with multiple customers while ensuring each customer enjoys their own personalized, company-branded learning portal. Take customization one step further with the option to set different languages, login, and course invitation methods per learning portal.

Useful resources

1. University of Minnesota 
2. SHRM

Frequently Asked Questions