8 Effective Methods for How to Train Employees

From skills assessment to mentorship systems, learn 8 proven methods to train employees effectively and transform new hires to confident contributors!

Training is the most important way to set your teammates up for success. Invest in it, hone it and create a process for it as soon as possible.

The mistake companies make  is that most training of employees happens by accident rather than design. We hand someone a manual, point them toward a desk, and hope they’ll somehow absorb years of institutional knowledge through osmosis.

In this guide, you’ll discover eight proven methods to train employees that go beyond the “figure it out as you go” mentality and create learning experiences that actually stick.

What Is Employee Training?

Employee training is a structured process designed to develop specific skills, knowledge, and competencies that enable workers to perform their roles effectively and contribute to organizational goals.

Training is not only an investment in your new hire’s success, it is a gift of engagement right off the bat.

The best training employees programs understand that people learn differently. Your detail-oriented colleague might love comprehensive written procedures, while your hands-on teammate learns best by jumping right in and figuring things out through practice. Most people need a combination of both.

Unfortunately, most organizations treat training like a checkbox to tick rather than an investment in their employees’ future. When you skip proper training or rush through it, you’re essentially gambling with your team’s success. But when you do it right, you’re setting everyone up to win!

Want to train employees in essential social skills using these same proven methods? Our People School program combines hands-on practice and expert instruction to help teams master the interpersonal skills that drive workplace success.

Why Effective Employee Training Matters

Before diving into specific methods, it’s worth understanding why training people properly makes such a difference in workplace success.

• First, it sets clear expectations. New employees often struggle not because they lack ability, but because they don’t know what success looks like in their role. Effective training provides that roadmap, showing them exactly what they need to do and how to do it well.
• Second, proper training reduces anxiety. Starting a new job is stressful enough without having to guess your way through basic tasks. When employees feel confident in their abilities, they’re more likely to take initiative, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute meaningfully to team discussions.
• Finally, good training creates consistency across your organization. When everyone learns the same processes and standards, it improves collaboration, reduces errors, and ensures customers receive the same quality experience regardless of who they interact with.

8 Effective Methods for How to Train Employees

Ready to transform your approach to training staff? These eight methods will help you create learning experiences that actually stick.

Use the 70-20-10 Learning Model

The 70-20-10 framework suggests that effective learning happens through 70% hands-on experience, 20% social learning from others, and 10% formal instruction. This model recognizes that most real learning happens when people are actually doing the work, not just hearing about it.

The 70% experiential learning means giving trainees real tasks to complete, with appropriate support and guidance. Let them handle actual customer calls, process real orders, or work on genuine projects. This builds confidence and reveals gaps that theoretical training might miss.

The 20% social learning involves pairing new employees with experienced colleagues, facilitating team discussions, and encouraging questions. This could include:

• Mentorship programs
• Peer observation sessions
• Team problem-solving exercises
• Cross-departmental shadowing

The 10% formal instruction covers essential foundational knowledge through presentations, manuals, or structured courses. While this is the smallest component, it’s still crucial for establishing core concepts and company standards.

Pro Tip: Plan your training program around this ratio. If you’re spending 50% of training time in conference rooms, you’re probably over-emphasizing formal instruction at the expense of practical experience.

Start With a Skills Assessment

Before you can teach someone effectively, you need to know where they’re starting from. A thorough skills assessment helps you identify knowledge gaps, avoid redundant training, and tailor your approach to each individual’s needs.

I once worked with a manager who assumed his new hire knew nothing about spreadsheets, so he spent three hours teaching Excel basics. Turns out, she had been a data analyst for five years and was secretly wondering if she’d made a terrible career mistake. Yikes!

Begin by having an honest conversation with your new hire about their experience. What similar tasks have they performed? Where do they feel confident, and what areas worry them?

You can also use practical exercises to gauge their current abilities. Have them walk through a typical workflow, review sample scenarios, or complete a skills checklist. The goal is to create a baseline that informs your training strategy.

Pro Tip: Create a simple skills assessment form that covers both technical abilities and soft skills. This gives you concrete data to reference throughout the training process and helps track improvement over time.

Use Multiple Training Formats

People learn differently, so effective training programs incorporate various formats to accommodate different learning styles and preferences. Some people absorb information best through visual demonstrations, others through detailed written instructions, and many through hands-on practice.

I once trained two people on the exact same process using the exact same method. One person picked it up immediately; the other looked confused and frustrated. It wasn’t that one was smarter. They just learned differently. Once I switched to a more visual approach for the second person, everything clicked.

Consider incorporating these different training formats:

Visual Learning Materials

• Step-by-step process diagrams
• Video demonstrations
• Flowcharts for decision-making
• Screenshots with annotations

Auditory Learning Options

• Recorded training sessions
• Podcasts or audio explanations
• Group discussions
• Verbal walkthroughs

Kinesthetic Learning Activities

• Hands-on simulations
• Interactive workshops
• Physical practice sessions
• Learning games or competitions

Mix these formats within individual training sessions when possible. You might start with a brief video overview, follow with a hands-on demonstration, and then have trainees practice while discussing what they’re learning.

Pro Tip: Ask new hires about their preferred learning style during the skills assessment phase. This helps you customize their training experience from day one.

For a more comprehensive overview of different learning styles, check out: 4 Learning Styles & Why They Matter in The Workplace

Create Clear Learning Objectives

Vague training goals lead to vague results. Instead of saying “learn the system,” create specific, measurable objectives like “complete a customer order using our inventory system within 10 minutes with zero errors.”

Think of learning objectives as your training GPS. Without them, you’re basically telling someone to “drive somewhere nice” and hoping they don’t end up lost in a sketchy neighborhood. Well-defined objectives give trainees a clear destination and help trainers stay focused on essential skills.

When writing objectives, use action verbs that describe observable behaviors:

• Demonstrate the ability to…
• Complete tasks involving…
• Identify and resolve…
• Communicate effectively about…

Each objective should also include success criteria.

• What does “good enough” look like?
• How will you know when someone has mastered this skill?
• How do you measure or quantify it?

Having these standards upfront prevents the awkward situation where you think someone’s ready and they think they need three more weeks of practice.

Action Step: Write 3-5 specific learning objectives for your next training session. Share them with the trainee at the beginning so they know exactly what they’re working toward.

Implement Microlearning Sessions

Traditional all-day training is kinda like trying to drink water from a fire hose: way too much all at once. Your brain can only absorb so much before it starts leaking information faster than you can pour it in.

Instead of cramming everything into lengthy training marathons, break content into bite-sized chunks that people can actually digest. Microlearning sessions (typically 5-15 minutes long) are easier to schedule, less overwhelming, and more likely to result in retained information.

Focus each microlearning session on one specific skill or concept:

• Monday: How to greet customers effectively
• Tuesday: Using the appointment booking system
• Wednesday: Handling common objections
• Thursday: Processing returns
• Friday: End-of-day closing procedures

This approach works because it respects how our brains actually process information. When we try to learn too much at once, most of it gets forgotten. But when we learn small pieces consistently over time, the information has a chance to stick.

Pro Tip: You can deliver microlearning through various formats: short videos, quick demos, brief practice sessions, or even email tips.

Provide Hands-On Practice Opportunities

Reading about riding a bike is very different from actually getting on one. Turns out the same principle applies to job skills. People need opportunities to practice in a safe environment where mistakes become learning opportunities rather than costly errors.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I watched a perfectly trained new employee freeze up during their first real customer interaction. They knew the script backward and forward, but they’d never practiced handling an actually frustrated customer who wasn’t following the training manual.

Create realistic practice scenarios that mirror actual work situations. If you’re training someone at work to handle customer complaints, role-play different scenarios where they can practice adapting their approach based on the customer’s mood and specific issue.

Set up practice sessions that gradually increase in complexity:

• Start with simple, straightforward scenarios
• Add complications or time pressure
• Introduce edge cases or unusual situations
• Practice handling multiple tasks simultaneously

During practice sessions, resist the urge to jump in and correct every small mistake immediately. Let trainees work through challenges and discover solutions on their own when possible. This builds problem-solving skills and confidence.

Action Step: Identify three real-world scenarios your new hires will encounter and create practice exercises for each. Include both routine situations and challenging edge cases.

Establish a Mentorship System

Pairing new employees with experienced team members creates a built-in support system that extends beyond formal training periods.

A good mentor can help newcomers navigate company culture, understand unwritten rules, and build relationships across the organization.

Think about your workplace’s unwritten rules. Maybe everyone knows that Tuesday morning meetings always run long, or that Sarah from accounting is the go-to person for expense report questions, or that the coffee machine on the third floor is always broken. New employees don’t know these things, and a good mentor helps them navigate these hidden realities.

Choose mentors carefully. Look for people who are not only skilled at their jobs but also enjoy helping others learn. The best mentors are patient, communicative, and genuinely interested in seeing others succeed. They should also represent the values and work ethics you want new employees to emulate.

Looking for tips on how to be a better mentor? We’ve got you covered:

10 Best Tips for Being a Great Mentor (Backed by Science)

Structure the mentorship relationship with clear expectations:

• How often should mentor and mentee meet?
• What topics should they discuss?
• How long will the formal mentorship last?
• What are the mentor’s responsibilities vs. the supervisor’s?

Don’t forget to support your mentors. Provide training on effective mentoring techniques, recognize their contributions, and consider their mentoring duties when assigning other work. Mentoring takes time and energy, and good mentors deserve acknowledgment for their investment.

Implement Continuous Feedback and Assessment

Training doesn’t end when someone completes their initial program. The most effective training staff approaches include ongoing feedback mechanisms and regular check-ins to ensure learning is sticking and skills are developing.

That’s because learning is messy and nonlinear. Someone might nail a skill on Tuesday and completely forget it by Friday. Or they might struggle for weeks and then suddenly have everything click during month two. Continuous feedback helps you catch these patterns and adjust accordingly.

Schedule regular one-on-one sessions to discuss progress, address concerns, and identify areas for additional support. These conversations should happen frequently during the first few weeks, then gradually become less frequent as confidence builds.

Use multiple assessment methods to gauge progress:

Formal Assessments

• Skills tests or quizzes
• Performance evaluations
• Customer feedback reviews
• Peer assessments

Informal Check-ins

• Daily brief conversations
• Observation of work quality
• Questions and concerns raised
• Self-reflection exercises

Create a feedback culture where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities rather than failures. When someone struggles with a concept, dig deeper to understand why. Is it a knowledge gap, a confidence issue, or maybe a mismatch between the training method and their learning style?

Action Step: Set up a 30-60-90 day review schedule for new hires. Use these milestones to assess progress, gather feedback on the training process, and make adjustments for future employees.

Best Practices for Training Employees

Beyond the eight core methods, several training employees best practices can elevate your program from good to exceptional.

• Set Realistic Timelines: Don’t expect mastery overnight. Most people need several weeks to feel comfortable with new processes and several months to become truly proficient. Rushing the timeline often leads to overwhelmed employees and subpar performance.
• Document Everything: Create comprehensive training materials that new hires can reference later. This includes process documents, FAQ sheets, contact lists, and troubleshooting guides. Good documentation reduces the burden on trainers and gives employees confidence that they can find answers independently.
• Personalize the Experience: While standardization is important, the best training programs allow for some customization based on individual needs, prior experience, and learning preferences. A one-size-fits-all approach often leaves some people behind.
• Make it Engaging: Boring training leads to poor retention. Use storytelling, real-world examples, interactive elements, and even humor when appropriate. Engaged learners are more likely to remember what they’ve learned and apply it effectively.

Measure Training Impact and ROI

Let’s be honest: if you can’t prove your training program is working, it’s hard to justify the time and resources you’re investing in it. That’s why you need hard, concrete data.

Start by establishing baseline metrics before training begins. What’s the current error rate? How long does it take new hires to reach full productivity? What’s your turnover rate in the first 90 days? These numbers become your benchmark for measuring improvement.

Here are some key metrics to track:

Immediate Impact (30-60 days)

• Time to competency: How quickly new hires can perform tasks independently
• Error reduction rates in key processes
• Training completion rates and assessment scores
• Employee confidence surveys

Long-term ROI (90+ days)

• Employee retention rates compared to pre-training periods
• Productivity improvements measured against baseline performance
• Customer satisfaction scores for employees who received training
• Revenue per employee or cost savings from reduced errors

One company I worked with discovered their comprehensive training program reduced new hire turnover by 40% in the first year. When they calculated the cost of recruiting and training replacement employees, that single improvement saved them over $200,000 annually!

Oh, and don’t forget to gather qualitative feedback alongside the numbers. Regular check-ins with both trainees and their managers can reveal insights that metrics might miss. Maybe the training is working great for technical skills but employees still feel lost navigating company culture.

Action Step: Create a simple tracking spreadsheet that captures both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback. Review this data quarterly to identify trends and make adjustments to your training program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Training Employees

What are the most effective employee training methods?

The most effective training employees methods combine hands-on practice with multiple learning formats and ongoing support. The 70-20-10 model works particularly well, emphasizing experiential learning through real work tasks, social learning through mentorship, and formal instruction for foundational knowledge. Microlearning sessions, skills assessments, and continuous feedback also improve outcomes by making learning digestible and personalized.

How do you create an employee training plan?

Creating an effective employee training plan starts with assessing current skills and identifying specific learning objectives. Determine what competencies are essential for the role, then design a structured timeline that introduces concepts progressively. Include multiple training formats, regular practice opportunities, and checkpoints for feedback and assessment. The plan should also designate mentors and outline necessary resources.

What is the difference between training and development?

Training employees focuses on building specific skills needed for current job responsibilities, while development prepares employees for future roles and broader career growth. Training is shorter-term and task-oriented, such as learning new software or customer service protocols. Development is longer-term and focuses on leadership skills, strategic thinking, and competencies that benefit the employee and organization over time.

How do you measure the effectiveness of employee training?

Measuring training effectiveness requires tracking both immediate and long-term indicators. Short-term measures include assessment scores, completion rates, and trainee feedback. Long-term effectiveness can be measured through productivity metrics, error reduction, employee retention rates, and customer satisfaction scores. Regular check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days help identify whether training objectives are being met.

What are common mistakes to avoid when training new hires?

The most common training staff mistakes include information overload, insufficient practice time, and lack of follow-up support. Other frequent errors involve using only one training format, setting unrealistic timelines, providing inconsistent information across trainers, and focusing solely on technical skills while neglecting soft skills and company culture. Successful programs emphasize structured, personalized approaches with gradual skill building.

How can you make employee training more engaging?

Engaging training people requires moving beyond lecture-style presentations to interactive, hands-on experiences. Use real-world scenarios, role-playing exercises, and practical simulations that mirror actual work situations. Incorporate storytelling, visual aids, and varied activities to maintain interest. Breaking content into microlearning sessions and adding gamification elements makes learning more enjoyable and memorable.

What is the 70-20-10 model for learning?

The 70-20-10 model suggests that effective learning occurs through 70% experiential activities, 20% social learning, and 10% formal instruction. The experiential component involves hands-on work experiences and real projects. Social learning happens through mentoring, peer feedback, and collaborative problem-solving. Formal instruction includes structured courses and presentations that provide foundational knowledge.

How do you tailor training to different learning styles?

Tailoring training someone at work to different learning styles involves incorporating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements into your program. Visual learners benefit from diagrams, videos, and written instructions. Auditory learners prefer verbal explanations and group discussions. Kinesthetic learners need hands-on practice and interactive activities. The most effective approach combines multiple formats within individual training sessions.

Mastering the Art of Training Employees

Effective training employees can transform your entire organization’s culture and success.

When you invest in comprehensive, thoughtful training programs, you’re showing that your employees matter, that excellence is expected, and that continuous learning is valued. And that’s not even mentioning the potential ROI of greater productivity and lower turnover!

The eight methods covered in this guide provide a solid foundation for creating training experiences that actually work:

• Start with skills assessments to understand where people are beginning
• Set clear, measurable learning objectives so everyone knows the target
• Use the 70-20-10 model to balance hands-on experience with formal instruction
• Implement microlearning to make information digestible and memorable
• Provide plenty of practice opportunities in safe environments
• Establish mentorship systems for ongoing support and guidance
• Incorporate multiple training formats to accommodate different learning styles
• Maintain continuous feedback and assessment to ensure progress

For more insights on developing your team’s leadership capabilities, check out our comprehensive guide: How to Be a Good Leader: 11 Laws to Crush It.