When training employees, there are countless measures you can take to ensure that they’re getting the knowledge they need to perform at their best. Because of this, choosing the one that’s right for your team can feel daunting. However, there’s one that every business should be focusing on–instructional design. The
Association for Talent Development defines instructional design as “the practice of creating learning experiences to support learning.” Essentially the instructional materials given to employees must outline what they should be able to accomplish after training is finished and how their performance will be assessed.
So why is this important for your business? It can ensure your employees are equipped with the information required to excel. We can imagine that every business wants to optimize its success this way. But understand that taking charge of the instructional design yourself can be confusing, especially if it’s not something you’re too familiar with. That’s why instructional design consultants are a beneficial resource for a vast majority of companies.
Not sure if it’s the right move for your business? We’re breaking down seven reasons why instructional design should be a priority and how it can help take your business to the next level.
Let’s Dive Deeper into Why Instructional Design Should be a Priority for Organizations
Putting training content (such as videos or manuals) in front of your employees may seem like the most obvious choice when training. However, it goes far beyond that. Learning happens when employees have the time to practice and reflect on what they’re being taught–all of which fall under the instructional design umbrella. With this knowledge, you can maximize your business by reducing turnover, staying on top of trends, and more.
Instructional Design Improves the Learning Experience for the Employees.
Traditional, one-size-fits-all formatting has been the go-to for training employees for years. Yet countless studies have come out proving that everyone learns differently. For example, it’s been found that 65% of people prefer visual learning, while 30% of the population are auditory learners. Though this is just a small glimpse into the differences in learning styles, it proves these methods are outdated.
Instructional design ensures that everyone’s learning needs are being met and allows for the information to be memorized–not just skipped over for the sake of getting it done (unlike most typical online courses). Your employees will find the content engaging and relevant, leading to higher retention rates and overall higher satisfaction rates amongst the employees. Not to mention that, oftentimes, instructional design content involves quizzes and other gamification components that are engaging for the user and allow you to track their progress. If you find that many employees are failing certain quizzes or failing to complete lessons, you can go back and adjust your strategy to make it easier to understand.
Instructional Design Consultants Keep Employees Up to Date with Technology and Current Trends.
Technology has taken the world by storm, and keeping up with current trends and technology can be daunting. Technology is also one of the most powerful resources for a business, so staying on top of it is essential. Luckily, instructional design does just that. Designers create immersive experiences using the latest and greatest technology to produce a learning environment that’s interesting for the learner, which increases its effectiveness.
Instructional Design Keeps Content Relevant
Many people don’t think about the shelf life when creating training content. Sustainability is key to making the most out of the information you’re giving employees. Why spend money on courses if the information is going to be outdated in a matter of months? You’ll end up spending even more money constantly trying to keep content fresh this way. Instead, instructional design is used to develop a curriculum that is known to last for a long while without updates.
If it comes time to update the content, an instructional design consultant will be able to do so in a manner that doesn’t affect the overall flow of the course, so there are no disruptions.
Instructional Design Companies Create Training Programs Unique to the Employee’s Skillset
Although a wide variety of training tools are already out there, putting employees through poor
training courses is a waste of time and money. As we’ve already mentioned, everyone learns differently. And now, more than ever, ensuring that your expenses are worth the cost is crucial. If you’re choosing this one size fits all approach, you may be left with employees still struggling to grasp the necessary skills needed to progress within the business.
A professional consultant will take the time to understand better what your business needs in terms of training and how they can create a tailored training program unique to your employees’ specific skill sets. They can identify performance gaps and what resources are needed to fill them. If the training isn’t working as they’d hoped, they’ll go back to the drawing board or work with an employee one on one to make certain that everyone is successful.
Reduces Employee Turnover
One of the biggest reasons a business loses its employees is unhappiness due to a lack of training. These vacancies may not seem detrimental to a company at first, but they can cost you thousands. Not only are you spending time and money finding new potential candidates, but you’re also putting money into onboarding and training. If your employees are well-trained from the get-go, they’ll feel more confident in their work, increasing the chance they’ll remain loyal to the company.
If you work together with an instructional designer, you can also create an online training program that’s specifically designed with your values and culture in mind, which makes hiring a much simpler process.
Increases ROI
There is a direct correlation between keeping employees and higher revenue. In a study by
GoRemotely, happy and engaged employees resulted in a 21% increase in profits. The more you invest in ensuring that they are satisfied with their job and well-trained in their field, the more productive they’re going to be, which makes you more money in the long run. And because instructional design is so cost-effective, you’ll see a greater ROI than if you were to try other training methods.
Instructional Design Promotes Productivity Among the Workers
As a business owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees are getting the best training available. When they succeed, you succeed. And producing effective, efficient training not only equips them with the skills they need to make this happen, but it also helps promote productivity. Why? The faster they gather all the necessary information, the quicker they can apply it to their everyday work.
And the best part is that they’re not sacrificing the content for speed because, thanks to instructional design, the information they are taking in has been well-thought-out and tailored to your business specifically. It’s also broken down into small, bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest and can be accessed anytime and anywhere.
Connect with Clarity Consultants and Gain the Expertise of Top Instructional Design Consultants
Here at
Clarity Consultants, we want to help your business succeed. That’s why we offer an array of services, such as instructional design, e-learning development, learning delivery, learning strategy, and more. When partnering with us for
instructional design, we assist with needs assessments, curriculum analysis and design, and course design (just to name a few). This means your employees are walking away well-equipped with the information necessary to succeed.
If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, contact us today!
