Category: Learning & Development

Employees are valuing career development more than ever—it’s a sign that the company is willing to invest in their future. How are businesses approaching training today? What are their pain points, and what topics are being addressed in training?

Different Types of Cross-Training and Why Your Business Needs Them

According to recent research highlighted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), now is the time for professionals in the Human Resources (HR) department to step up and fully embrace cross-training programs. By many counts, 60% of the workforce in North America is underengaged, and employee retention is a huge problem. Fortunately, members of […]

Myths About a Multigenerational Workforce, Dispelled 

There are now five generations in the workforce.1 While some industry leaders think this causes a lot of problems and conflicting interests, a lot of research is concluding the opposite. Myths about a multigenerational workforce must be dispelled and dismissed from conversations if businesses truly want a productive and effective workforce. Keep reading to see […]

Lonely in L&D Land? How to Prevent Feelings of Isolation

Lonely? Sometimes being an L&D (Learning and Development) manager can promote feelings of isolation. You’re in charge of everyone else’s learning, development, and growth, but what about your own? Below are a few things you can do as an L&D manager to prevent feelings of isolation. And as you do them, you’ll also be boosting […]

When Must Employees Be Paid for Training?

There’s still a lot of uncertainty across industries about when you must pay your employees for training hours. Businesses know that underneath the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) they’re responsible for compensating their employees for all the hours they’ve worked. But when does training fall underneath the umbrella of “hours worked”? Does it apply to […]

technology

Benefits of Virtual Reality Training in Healthcare

Virtual reality (VR) is no longer a tool used only in the gaming world or entertainment sector. It’s an innovative tool with the capacity to mitigate safety risks and save lives, especially in the healthcare industry. Here’s how the healthcare sector is benefiting from using VR training, for healthcare professionals and their patients alike.

How to Promote Discretionary Effort at Work

When a business hires an employee, it typically provides a job description that has a set of responsibilities and expectations. Similarly, during regular performance reviews, employees are evaluated based on how well they met certain criteria. These are the baseline requirements of the job. But we have all seen employees who go above and beyond […]

Internal Versus External Trainers: Which Is Best for You?

Effective training of employees is key for any business. Your staff needs to understand the industry you operate, how your specific business operates within that industry, and how their efforts contribute to success. To develop and nurture well-trained employees, it certainly helps to have effective trainers. But should you develop trainers from within your organization […]

Crowdsourcing Training Material

Many companies rely on their own staffs for training their fellow employees. In the traditional sense, this typically involves a designated trainer or trainers who are tasked with formal training, or it could involve the use of internal subject matter experts (SMEs) for one-off or ad hoc training on topics that represent their specific areas […]

What Is Positive Discipline?

Facing the prospect of disciplining an employee, many managers would rather … not. Having difficult conversations like this is one of the more frustrating and cumbersome (and, let’s face it, sometimes awkward) tasks a manager faces. And for HR managers, who may be tasked with employee discipline (directly or by assisting) or with training managers […]

Are Unpaid Internships Now Acceptable?

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently updated its internship fact sheet, in effect changing the guidelines for internships. The move has prompted many employers to wonder: Do we still have to pay interns?