In 2013, 19.5 percent of voluntary turnover in the retail industry was due to employee dissatisfaction. Of course, there are many reasons for workers to be unhappy with their jobs, including inadequate training. Retailers that robustly and effectively teach new employees the skills they need—and empower them to successfully apply those skills—can cut down turnover and increase productivity.
Video can be a powerful component of new-employee training programs. Combined with tablet technology, it can welcome recent hires to the company and efficiently teach them the skills they need to thrive. Here are some ways how:
A Warmer Welcome
The first day of a new job can be understandably intimidating for some employees. As much as managers, trainers, and HR personnel try, some of the instruction they are trying to deliver might come across as a lecture or, worse, as commands barked out from a drill sergeant. New-employee training that uses video to teach key initial information may not seem so ominous, especially for hires who might already be nervous about starting their jobs.
Videos Instead of Binders
Another intimidating aspect of new-employee training are the binders and instruction manuals dropped on a table in front of a hire, with the expectation he or she knows the content inside and out—and do so in a hurry. More often than not, the information contained within printed training materials is poorly learned, and the workers will feel less confident in their new employment. Studies have shown that visual media make a greater impact than written content. Videos can increase training retention while helping hires feel less confused about the skills they are learning.
Training Before Nametags
When new-employee training is converted to video, the possibilities of where and when the content can be viewed greatly expand. If a tablet-based training solution allows for access from any iPad or Surface, hires can watch videos before their first day. This will help them get up to speed quicker for when they do pin on that nametag for the first time, as well as assist managers, trainers, and HR associates because there will be less hand-holding (and fewer resources spent) during those first few days.
A Great First Impression
The first days—even the first few hours—of an employee’s new job can make or break his or her success and commitment at your organization. Make a good impression, and hires are more likely to engage in their new employment and stick around for the relative long term. Make a bad impression, and workers might not commit to learning and excelling at the job and be more apt to bolt on a whim. Effective use of video during new-employee training can move hires past apathy, if not get them genuinely excited about their jobs.
On the Floor; In the Field
There’s no better way to learn than by doing. This approach doesn’t work if new employees are directed to a back office and told to read about how to perform their jobs. Tablet-based training videos allow workers to take their learning onto the floor or into the field, where they can practically develop skills. A video can be paused and rewound as needed, giving hires a chance to truly master something rather than rely solely on the memory of something they read.
How have hires at your organization responded to videos incorporated into new-employee training?
