Business owners and HR teams know how important learning and development opportunities can be. Employees can feel like you value their progress, and you can benefit from a more skilled team. 

However, not all learning and development programs are created equal. This can mean that you don’t always see the results you expected. If you’ve encountered this very problem, it might be for the following reasons: 

You’re Using Outdated Methods and Programs

Just because a training program was created for your industry doesn’t mean it’s still relevant when you use it. Learning and development trends are changing all the time. For example, many businesses are now utilizing virtual reality training. Such training programs offer real-world situation training. As a result, employees can actively work through various scenarios they would likely encounter in their actual work. 

If your training programs are exclusively text-based or contain outdated videos and presentations, it might be time to explore what else is out there. You can then cater to different learning styles and potentially engage your employees more effectively. 

You’ve Made Training a Singular Event

Training and development courses and programs are an excellent way to show employees how to be more efficient, productive, and safe in your workplace. However, many employers treat them like singular events. 

They invite all staff to special seminars or workshops and expect them to immediately implement everything they’ve learned. This rarely happens because there can be a great deal of information to absorb in a single training program. Studies have also found that learners forget an average of 90% of material within one month. 

To ensure retention, training and development should be a series of programs with reinforcement and support. Slowly incorporating learning into everyday tasks can often mean your employees have time to form new, more satisfactory work habits. 

You Don’t Follow Up

It’s easy to assume that your job is done as soon as you provide learning and development opportunities for your team. It’s up to them to attend and put in the work. However, failure to follow up can mean that everything they learned in their training programs won’t be implemented. Any money you spent helping your team to upskill might be all for nothing. Make following up a standard part of offering training opportunities. Support your team to implement the changes, and you might start seeing the desired results. 

You Didn’t Hire a Great Instructor

If in-person instructors are necessary for your training opportunities, be selective about who you choose. Not all industry experts make great instructors. They’re merely experts at what they do every day. Instead, look for people who make a living from training and instruction in your industry. Trained instructors know how to get employees excited about learning and ensure full engagement. They often do this by providing activities and games and catering to multiple learning styles.If you plan to hold training sessions yourself, improve your chances of employee engagement by personalizing the training content, using practical examples, and relying on technology. 

Learning and development programs can be essential for enhancing business practices. However, they aren’t always successful. If your failure is related to any of the reasons above, it might be time to start exploring alternative options to guide your team to success.