ONE TO ONE OR GROUP TRAINING: WHICH IS BETTER FOR YOUR COMPANY?
Providing corporate training to employees that is consistent with the company’s culture and relevant to its objectives can help increase performance across all levels and boost returns for the company.
However, choosing the appropiate form of training can be a headache if your priorities are not clear.
Should employees learn together or by themselves?
Training for companies has become a must in a marketplace where companies, in order to keep up with constant technological advancements, have to train their employees to stay competitive. Training has proven to be much more cost-effective than constantly onboarding new employees.
It is a priority for employees, too: 94% of them wish to work for a company that provides training and invests in their career advancement. For these reasons, corporate training is a must-have. But some companies, oblivious to the pervasive effects this could have, are careless when deciding the format in which their training takes place.
The effectiveness of corporate training is dependent on several factors, most importantly whether the subject and objectives are compatible with the format in which the learning materials are provided, in order to maximise the benefits that the employees reap from the investment. This compatibility has to be studied and taken into account.
It’s recommended as well to ask your employees about their own preferences and learning styles: the way your teams think and learn can make or break the results of the training they receive, so their input is crucial to decide the specifications when selecting a form of training for companies.
The advantages of One to One training
One to one training refers to training that takes place when only one teacher and one student interact. Training is adapted to one person’s needs, both in the learning sense and the emotional sense, and results are achieved more satisfactorily, and faster, too!
Additionally, in a one to one training context, there is less margin for error or gaps in knowledge, both because the person in charge of teaching can notice these right away in a single person, and because the employee will feel more supported; they will feel less pressure to fit certain expectations, and have a safe space to share their doubts and questions so these don’t get in the way of their learning experience.
For these reasons, one to one coaching is more suitable for technical skill courses, or intrapersonal skills that are improved with introspection and contemplation, not interaction. Historically, one to one training is often provided to high-level or senior employees with specific skills they need to acquire in order to succeed at their unique, new role.
Online training for companies delivers particularly good results in one on one scenarios, when employees are given the liberty to choose when and how to conduct their own learning. When it comes to choosing the best time to learn, no one knows better than them!
Why group training might be the best choice
Group training takes place when the learning happens in an environment shared with other learners. In a business setting, an example would be a language class where a small group of employees share a classroom, in person or online, receive the same input, and then interact with each other to put the new information to use and practice their new skills.
As group training is, inherently, more dynamic, it’s suitable particularly for subjects related to interpersonal skills, that is, those that require interaction and empathy. Likewise, language courses work best when a space for real-life practice is provided: employees can rehearse conversations and build their confidence with their peers, creating community.
When learners have similar levels of the skill addressed, they greatly benefit from a group environment regardless of the subject matter they study, as they can support each other’s questioning and investigation throughout the learning process.
How to determine which learning mode fits you best
Choosing the format in which corporate training is delivered does not have to be a trial and error process; there are many factors to take into account, and managers can acquire valuable data from their teams that will help clarify the pros and cons of each method.
The end goal is to find out which solution will be more engaging to the learner or learners, and therefore, more cost-effective in the long run, as the company reaps the benefits from having invested in growth-oriented training.
In some cases, it’s very difficult to tell what type of training for companies could suit your employees better. Because of this, some companies offer services such as audits, where they study the structure, culture and inner workings of the client’s company in order to determine what specific parameters will most enhance learning for their teams.
