At first glance, launching a new in-house training system can appear to be a daunting task. But it’s often simpler than it seems. In short, the key to a successful training initiative is getting your employees involved in the process — keeping them excited and engaged.

Remember that most employees want to do a good job. They just need the knowledge, skills, and tools to do their jobs better. These 5 easy steps will help you build and maintain the momentum of your training initiative.

Make a Formal Announcement

A department or shift meeting is a great place to give employees an overview of your training plan and its goals. Let them know the results you are expecting and why it’s important to the company. It’s also important that they see the personal benefits of training: better job security, a safer workplace, more opportunities for promotion, etc.

Post the Training Plan

Use your company bulletin board to keep your employees informed of the training plan — as well as updates on the progress of each aspect of the plan. Although you cannot post specific information about individual employees, you can announce weekly updates and important milestones, such as ‘Congratulations tor all 1^st shift setups for successfully completing the certification exam!’

Help Each Employee Develop a Professional Evidence Portfolio

Each employee should have a 3-ring binder or similar organizer to retain all their training records, certificates, and other accomplishments. The first item in their binder should be a letter from their manager — thanking them for participating in the training initiative and explaining the company’s investment in their professional development.

Post Company Metrics

It’s not enough to simply tell employees what the company expects to improve as a result of continuous improvement initiatives. There should be weekly or monthly updates to company metrics — so employees can see the results of their efforts and how this affects the company’s bottom line.

Celebrate Their Accomplishments

If your employees are truly working together to make things better, it is good to acknowledge these improvements. Milestones should be celebrated with something special such as a pizza party, coffee hour, or a cookout. Such activities help your employees feel like part of a team.

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These are just five simple ways to help jump-start your in-house training initiative. Please contact us for more information — and be sure to check out our free template and instructional video for developing a Professional Evidence Portfolio.