New Hire Online Training Resources You Should Avoid In Onboarding

7 Assets You Do Not Need To Use In Your Onboarding Program

Onboarding training isn’t the easiest topic to cover in L&D. You aren’t sure of new employee goals or performance issues, which makes it difficult to customize the experience. You must also cover the essentials in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand, even though their backgrounds are still unexplored. Think of them as wildcards who bring fresh talent to the company, as well as hidden gaps. So, how do you design new hire online training that motivates and captures their attention? Firstly, you need to make sure the following 7 resources are left out of your library.

1. PDF Company Policy Handbooks

Oh, the dreaded employee handbook. For decades, new hires have loathed those text-heavy manuals. This is why you should avoid them in onboarding training and opt for interactive resources instead. You can even incorporate links into your existing PDFs to enrich the experience. However, this still contributes to cognitive overload. Break it down into demo videos, infographics, and other bite-sized resources to impart company policy without the boredom. Better still, immerse employees in the action and covert handbooks into simulations that outline every step of the task.

2. Graphs And Charts Without A Backstory

Every chart, graph, or visual aid you upload to your new hire online training course should have context. Include a brief backstory about the graph and how it relates to the training topic. For example, you can use a chart that depicts the number of compliance violations last year, which will better illustrate the importance of following rules and regulations. Also, include supplemental links to expand on the topic, such as demo videos or simulations that show them how to uphold policies in the workplace.

3. Outdated Tutorials

Nobody wants to see a tutorial that belongs in the training vault. Except maybe new hires who are hungry for nostalgia or want a good laugh. So, get rid of those outdated demonstrations and walkthroughs. You can even use a rapid authoring tool to incorporate new images, voiceovers, or background music. There’s no shame in repurposing those 90s tutorials to give them a new lease on life. Just make certain they’re still relevant and focus on the current online training objectives.

4. TMI Personal Anecdotes

Unassuming new staffers log into the training. They think they’re getting all the info they need for their first day on the job. What they find is way too many personal details that have no connection to their work duties. TMI personal anecdotes are not a welcome addition to your new hire online training course. Not only does it make employees feel uncomfortable, but it also lowers the value of the content. It may even force employees to think less of the storyteller. For instance, the customer service manager provides a personal anecdote that diminishes their credibility. Keep it professional and omit any details about romantic relationships or embarrassing work incidents.

5. Overly Complex Simulations

Try as they might, new employees simply can’t make it through the simulation and achieve the desired outcome. Bear in mind that many new staffers are still unsure about their place in your organization or are nervous about the upcoming obstacles. As such, your simulations, branching scenarios, and other real-world activities should be challenging but not stressful. Employees should build practical experience and learn from mistakes. However, incorporating too many problematic customers or complex challenges takes the fun out of training. Employees are so worried about failing that they don’t take any risks, even those that lead to professional growth.

6. Wordy Video Demos

You should really give your new employees a script so that they can follow along. Wordy video demos have no place in onboarding training. There’s already enough swimming around in their minds. The last thing they need is a 20-minute video that creates confusion and cognitive overload. As a general rule, let the actions speak for themselves. Of course, you need to include a few tidbits here and there for clarification or even subtitles for employees with special needs. But try to avoid redundant narrations or involved descriptions that are pretty self-explanatory. Another mistake to avoid is background music that takes center stage. The audio should evoke emotion and set the tone instead of becoming a distraction in new hire training. Lastly, break longer videos into bite-sized online training tools. That 1-hour task tutorial can be transformed into 10 manageable demos that cover different aspects of the process.

7. Generic Certification Paths

Everybody hop on board and participate in training that doesn’t address your personal goals or areas for improvement. Generic certification paths don’t benefit anyone. Your new employees are forced into courses that don’t suit their needs or online training requirements and your organization fails to tap into the true potential of its newest team members. Instead, develop personal plans of action so that every employee gets equal opportunities for growth. Surveys and assessments reveal their interests, career goals, and strengths/weaknesses. Then you can chart their course or encourage them to pick and choose their own certification activities. Reevaluate their progress periodically to adjust their path based on new job responsibilities and hidden gaps.

New employees never know what to expect when they log in to the onboarding course. Every organization has its own protocols and orientation policies. However, removing these resources from the online training library improves engagement and emotional connectivity. So, cut out the PDF manuals, verbose video demos, and one-size-fits-all certifications to grab their attention. Then custom-tailor their online training paths to help new employees achieve the objectives and fine-tune their talents.