Ready Training Online, Author at Ready Training Online https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/author/rto/ Trusted Name In Training Fri, 17 May 2024 19:20:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://readytrainingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-RTO-Favicon-2021-32x32.png Ready Training Online, Author at Ready Training Online https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/author/rto/ 32 32 Why You Should Be Building Custom Career Paths https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/building-custom-career-paths/ Fri, 17 May 2024 05:10:31 +0000 https://readytrainingonline.com/?p=149221 We’ve all been through a lot in the last few years with a global pandemic, the Great Resignation, labor shortages, and a host of other challenges. As a result, it’s more important than ever to find quality, dependable employees—and even harder to keep them.  According to LinkedIn, studies show that members of Gen Z have […]

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We’ve all been through a lot in the last few years with a global pandemic, the Great Resignation, labor shortages, and a host of other challenges. As a result, it’s more important than ever to find quality, dependable employees—and even harder to keep them. 

According to LinkedIn, studies show that members of Gen Z have high expectations when it comes to employment and they’re not afraid to go from job to job until they find the one that aligns most with their values and interests. Developing custom career paths for your employees will not only demonstrate your investment in their skill development and growth, but also encourage their loyalty by providing a clear outline for their future with your company.  

8 Benefits of Customizing Career Paths

Developing custom career paths for your employees can be just as beneficial to your company as it is for your employees themselves. Here are just some of the benefits custom career paths can have:  

1. Attract quality employees: An employee who is interested in a long-term commitment to your company is more likely to be the kind of employee your company needs. Offering advancement opportunities and being transparent with those opportunities up front will help attract those employees.

2. Reduce turnover: Employees confident and excited about their prospective career paths within their current organization are a lot less likely to seek employment opportunities that appear to provide more potential elsewhere. Developing custom career paths for your employees will increase retention and reduce turnover by giving them a reason to remain loyal to you. 

3. Increase employee engagement: Studies have shown that employees who have a clear career path within their company are more likely to be invested in and engaged with your company. Employee engagement creates a number of other benefits for your company. 

4. Provides purpose and motivation: With increased employee engagement comes an increase in purpose and motivation. An employee with a career path has a purpose and a goal, and they’ll be motivated to perform well and achieve that goal.

5. Improve employee performance: It should be growing evident by now that customizing career paths for employees has a positive snowball effect. Having a clear path within your company increases the employee’s engagement, which provides them with purpose and motivation, and ultimately leads to improved employee performance. Employees will want to perform better because this is their career–not just an hourly job.

6. Create a positive culture: Engaged employees who are driven to perform well and are invested in the company’s success help build a positive work environment and culture for success. 

7. Maximize potential: Your employees likely have a whole range of potential that’s just waiting to be unleashed. Working with them to customize their career paths allows you to discover that potential and develop it into something greater – allowing your employees to be the best versions of themselves. 

8. Develop leaders: Taking advantage of custom learning paths allows you to train employees for future positions within the company. In this way you’re developing your company’s future leaders, which will lead to better results when you promote from within.

Discover Gears To Your Career® with trainingGrid® 

The Gears To Your Career philosophy, paired with the trainingGrid® LMS, provides the training need to prepare your employees for promotion and leadership roles. trainingGrid’s intuitive design makes learning management simple and allows employees to begin training with just a click. This flexible system comes with a variety of robust features customizable to fit your needs in addition to built-in reporting and certification tools that track your compliance documentation. 

Request a guided demonstrationof trainingGrid today! 

 

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Alternatives to Brainstorming (And Why You Need Them) https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/alternatives-to-brainstorming/ Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:10:33 +0000 https://readytrainingonline.com/?p=137445 Brainstorming was introduced in the 1950s as a way to generate out-of-the-box thinking, particularly in businesses such as advertising agencies. Since then, it has become a go-to strategy for teams to problem solve and innovate. But does it really work? Not always.  4 Reasons Brainstorming Doesn’t Work Brainstorming doesn’t work for everything. It also doesn’t […]

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Brainstorming was introduced in the 1950s as a way to generate out-of-the-box thinking, particularly in businesses such as advertising agencies. Since then, it has become a go-to strategy for teams to problem solve and innovate. But does it really work? Not always. 

4 Reasons Brainstorming Doesn’t Work

Brainstorming doesn’t work for everything. It also doesn’t work for everyone. While it’s true that brainstorming can lead to creative ideas, it also has drawbacks that cause some proactive leaders to look for alternatives to brainstorming. Here’s why: 

1. Neurodiversity. Not everyone thinks the same way, which means not everyone will participate in brainstorming the same way. As more and more companies embrace neurodiversity in the workplace, the less effective – and less inclusive – brainstorming will be. 

2. Groupthink. Depending on the group dynamics in your company, having many different people participate in the decision-making process can sometimes backfire and hinder creativity. 

3. Mediocrity. Some people might not want to give up their best ideas to share credit with the group, and others may be fine riding the coattails of more vocal group members. This leads to a less creative end result than if people had contributed ideas individually. 

4. Chaos. Brainstorming sessions can be difficult to manage and can go from productive to chaotic very quickly. That can lead some people to become frustrated, be less likely to participate, or shut down completely. 

4 Alternatives to Brainstorming

If brainstorming sessions haven’t produced the results you’re looking for, try these alternatives: 

1. Mind mapping. This is a more controlled version of brainstorming that still relies on ideas coming from many different people but presents them visually. It starts with the core issue in the center, and then maps out solutions from general ideas to more specific strategies. 

2. Teaming. Instead of having one large group of people, break your brainstorming session into smaller groups of just three or four people. Give the teams a time frame to come up with a certain number of ideas, and then have one team member present what the team thinks is their best idea for open discussion in the larger group. 

3. Reverse brainstorming. This strategy starts with known solutions to an issue and identifies why they won’t work. It’s like hiring a hacker to check your cyber-security. By testing the ways your ideas can fail, you’ll discover ones that are fail-proof. This strategy can be done in a large group or in teams. 

4. Brain writing. This takes the idea of brainstorming and puts it on paper. A team member starts with a blank sheet of paper and writes down a few ideas, then passes it to the next person who adds new ideas or comments on the first set of ideas. The paper is passed around until everyone gets a chance to add their thoughts. Depending on the size of your group, this can also be done in teams. 

Whether you decide to stick to brainstorming or try one of the above alternatives to brainstorming, there’s one common denominator that will help determine your success: you! Any meeting is only as effective as the person who’s leading it. 

Get More Leadership Development Training with trainingGrid®

The trainingGrid® LMS delivers online training and blended learning strategies through learning paths that are customized for your organization. Its intuitive design makes learning management simple and allows employees to begin training with just a click. This flexible system comes with a variety of robust features customizable to fit your needs in addition to built-in reporting and certification tools to help maintain compliance. 

Request a guided demonstration of trainingGrid® today! 

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5 Factors Affecting Business Growth https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/business-growth/ Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:23:57 +0000 http://readytrainingonline.com/?p=122372 If you’re a business owner, then growing your business is most likely your primary goal. However, growing a business doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a lot of effort and action – and a solid growth strategy to achieve that goal.  Key Factors of Business Growth So where should you focus your energy? Consider these five […]

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If you’re a business owner, then growing your business is most likely your primary goal. However, growing a business doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a lot of effort and action – and a solid growth strategy to achieve that goal. 

Key Factors of Business Growth

So where should you focus your energy? Consider these five factors of business growth: 

1. Customer Loyalty

When company leaders strategize about sales growth, the focus is often on how to bring in new customers. While it is important to increase brand awareness and expand your customer base, you must also work to increase sales potential with your current customers. Look for opportunities to grow your profits with the customers you already have through add-on sales, customer loyalty programs, and referral business. 

2. Smart Adoption of Technology

Technology is like fertilizer for the growth of your business. It can help you tackle tasks more efficiently, save on labor costs, and streamline processes. The challenge comes with selecting the right technology tools for your specific business goals. Proper alignment with the various facets of your business strategy is key. Look at ROI from multiple angles when choosing technology partners. 

3. Commitment to Employee Training

Business growth doesn’t occur in a vacuum. All your employees must have a standard baseline of knowledge from which they cultivate their own growth. This requires an online training platform such as a learning management system that meets your needs today and can grow with you. By training online, you ensure consistent knowledge transfer to everyone and you can design customized learning paths for each employee. 

4. Social Responsibility

You may not see the direct line between social responsibility and business growth, but think of it this way: you get back what you put out. When your company adopts policies of social responsibility, you’re impacting your community – and therefore your customers – in a positive way. For example, April is Alcohol Awareness Month. If you are a business that sells alcohol, use this month to refresh your training on responsible selling. If you are a business outside of the industry, use a cause like this as a springboard to give back to your community in a meaningful way. 

5. Leadership

Growth starts way below the surface. How your employees perceive you and your company mission determines their motivation to help you reach your goals. As a leader, you must pave the way to success for everyone. 

Business Growth Through a Culture of Convenience

Leaders who create a culture of convenience can streamline tasks and establish processes that improve employee performance and increase everyone’s productivity. Get ideas on how to make your job easier through the Culture of Convenience™ podcast. Listen now! 

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What Customers Want https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/what-customers-want/ Tue, 26 Mar 2024 05:29:34 +0000 http://readytrainingonline.com/?p=124491 Shopping has become easier than ever. Delivery services, ordering ahead, and online shopping make businesses more accessible and facilitate countless purchases each day. But just as your business can reach more and more customers, so can your competitors; they might even be reaching and influencing your current customers as you read this right now.  10 […]

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Shopping has become easier than ever. Delivery services, ordering ahead, and online shopping make businesses more accessible and facilitate countless purchases each day. But just as your business can reach more and more customers, so can your competitors; they might even be reaching and influencing your current customers as you read this right now. 

10 Primary Factors Influencing Today’s Customers

Whether they’re buying a product online, searching for a service-based solution, or shopping at a brick-and-mortar store, appealing to your customers using these focal points will differentiate yourself from your competitors more effectively.

  1. Control. Today’s customers want control over what they buy and how they’re marketed to. This means they want choices, and that doesn’t just apply to product variety. They also want options for how they engage with you via different marketing channels. If you don’t offer choices, they’ll simply make a choice that’s not in your favor. 
  2. Value. Value isn’t just about price. It’s about what customers perceive they get in exchange for what they pay. Today’s customers are skeptical. If a price seems too low, they won’t trust the product. If it’s too high, they’ll think they’re being taken advantage of. It’s your job to find that sweet spot. 
  3. Personal recommendations. We live in a world where a customer can ask a question about a product to hundreds of people and have a dozen recommendations within minutes. Loyalty matters here. When you give your customers a reason to recommend you, you’ll have the best marketing money can buy. 
  4. Unique experiences. Cookie cutter businesses are out. Customization is in. Providing unique experiences is something you can do through your product offering or by the way you present your product offering. Your customers are asking, “What can you do for me?” They deserve something better than a canned answer. 
  5. Service. Service is your invisible product. Especially if you’re in an industry where all other factors may be considered equal, service is the one area where you can set your company apart. Exceptional service doesn’t happen all by itself. It has to be taught, reinforced, and nurtured every day. 
  6. Efficiency. Today’s customers don’t just want things fast. They want things done quickly and done right. Improving your staff’s efficiency is a top-down process. It starts with company-created procedures and filters through management before it gets to employees and then, finally, customers. 
  7. Social responsibility. More and more, customers want to work with companies who share their values. A growing percentage of today’s customers, more than 50 percent, are willing to pay more for what they perceive to be socially responsible products. 
  8. Connection. You can connect to your customers by finding out where your story intersects with theirs. Make them the hero of your story, not the other way around. Connecting through stories turns customers into loyal fans.
  9. Knowledge. If your customer has a question, they expect an answer. This goes for simple product knowledge questions to ongoing service questions, and – perhaps importantly – solutions to their problems. You must proactively prepare your staff with the knowledge they need to give customers the information they expect. 
  10. Loyalty. You already know that the success of your business depends on customer loyalty. You should also consider that your customers expect loyalty from you as well. Stay true to your word. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Be honest. 

Understanding what your customers want is the first step in delivering what they need. It won’t be easy. Creating customer loyalty has to be part of your ongoing employee training program and, most importantly, part of your company culture. 

More Business Competition Insight  

For more tips on how to gain a competitive advantage for your business, check out the Culture of Convenience podcast. From maintaining a healthy culture in your company to exploring how other business owners make the magic happen, everyone can get something out of the Culture of Convenience. 

 

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Remember LEAST for Great Customer Service https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/customer-service/ https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/customer-service/#respond Tue, 05 Mar 2024 06:00:58 +0000 http://readytrainingonline.com/?p=7268 Customer service is the backbone of any successful business. It not only resolves issues and addresses concerns but also creates memorable experiences that keep customers coming back. Exceptional customer service can set you apart from your competitors.    Great Customer Service Starts with LEAST  An important aspect of providing customer service is the ability to deal […]

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Customer service is the backbone of any successful business. It not only resolves issues and addresses concerns but also creates memorable experiences that keep customers coming back. Exceptional customer service can set you apart from your competitors.  

 Great Customer Service Starts with LEAST 

An important aspect of providing customer service is the ability to deal with challenges when they arise. To solve these customer service challenges, remember this acronym: L.E.A.S.T. – Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Solve and Thank. 

  • Listen: To show that you’re actively listening to your customer, repeat their concern: “I understand that we appear to be out of the item you’re looking for.” 
  • Empathize: Show genuine concern while putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. 
  • Apologize: A sincere “I’m sorry” goes a long way. “I’m sorry this happened. I’m happy to help fix it.” 
  • Solve: Find a solution as best you can. You may not be able to completely solve the customer’s problem right that minute, but moving toward a solution is often enough. “It looks like we do not have any of that item in stock at the moment. Can I offer you an alternative that’s equally popular?” 
  • Thank: Thank customers for bringing the problem to your attention and for simply being a customer. “Thank you for letting us know so we can get this corrected. Please come back again to try our fresh donuts!” 

Empower Employees to be Problem Solvers

Empower your employees to respond properly to any kind of customer service request. To be successful, they’ll need training on the LEAST technique and the autonomy to make good decisions. You’ll need to support them, even if they make mistakes from time to time. In those cases, it’s wise to discuss the matter privately, never in front of customers. A good way to start: “What could we have done differently to prevent the situation from occurring?” 

Employees who can solve problems and know they have the backing of management will provide great service. Employees should be able to take care of most customer service issues. Equally as important, make sure your customer service training teaches employees to recognize situations that truly require management involvement. 

Online Training for LEAST Problem Solving  

As part of our comprehensive Convenience Store Training suite, our Problem Solving Techniques module ensures your employees are properly trained in handling customer complaints and solving problems with the LEAST technique – all delivered through our trainingGrid® learning management system. This flexible system comes with a variety of robust features customizable to fit your needs in addition to built-in reporting and certification tools to help maintain compliance.    

Request a guided demonstration of trainingGrid® today! 

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Why Your Employees Need Training Recertification https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/employees-training-recertification/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 06:39:53 +0000 https://readytrainingonline.com/?p=150129 How often do you recertify your employees for compliance topics? If a situation arose, are you confident they would know how to handle it? Recertification, even when state or federal law does not require it, is a good way to make sure your employees are always up to date in their training and ensure they […]

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How often do you recertify your employees for compliance topics? If a situation arose, are you confident they would know how to handle it? Recertification, even when state or federal law does not require it, is a good way to make sure your employees are always up to date in their training and ensure they don’t make costly compliance-related mistakes.  

5 Reasons to Recertify Your Employees

Your employees are your front line, and any mistakes they make in the store can have lasting repercussions not only for them, but for you and your company as well. Here are five reasons for recertifying your employees’ compliance training: 

1. Risk mitigation: Ongoing training helps identify and address potential compliance risks, minimizing the chance of violations that could lead to financial and reputational damage for your store.

2. Industry changes: Retraining helps employees adapt to the latest industry standards and expectations. Laws can also change from time to time, and even if recertification is not required, it’s a good idea to make sure your employees are aware of any relevant changes.

3. Customer trust and reputation: Employees who are well-versed in compliance matters contribute to building and maintaining trust with customers. If customers know they can trust your employees to handle situations correctly, they’ll be more likely to return.

4. Cost savings: Investing in regular training may save costs associated with legal penalties, fines, and damages resulting from compliance violations. For example, if your business sells age-restricted products, it’s better to make sure your employees are trained to handle those transactions correctly rather than suffer fines as the result of a sting. Additionally, insurance companies might offer discounts on liability insurance if your staff is properly trained. 

5. Employee empowerment: Continuous learning empowers employees, making them more confident in their roles and better equipped to make informed decisions within the boundaries of compliance requirements.

Tracking Employee Recertifications

An important step to ensuring your employees are recertifying in the training they need is being able to report on certifications and see who needs training. Here are three ways your learning management system (LMS) can assist you with tracking certifications for your compliance training:  

1. Reporting: Take advantage of your LMS’s reporting capabilities to stay up to date on what training your employees have taken, and when they’re due for recertification. Depending on your platform, you can build dashboards to focus on compliance training and schedule reports to be sent to you. 

2. Document management to store certifications: If your LMS subscription includes a document library, you can use it to store all certifications for quick and easy access – even the ones taken outside of your LMS. 

3. Schedule training: Build out learning paths that will automatically reassign training for compliance topics after a designated time period. This way, you know the training your employees need is always up-to-date, and you don’t need to worry about remembering to manually assign training.

LMS Reporting with trainingGrid®

Monitor your employee training with easy-to-use tracking and reporting features in trainingGrid®, an LMS developed with you and your employees in mind. Its intuitive design makes learning management simple and allows employees to begin training with just a click. Quickly monitor training progress down to the individual employee scorecard or aggregate company-wide training results for a complete picture using real-time and scheduled tracking and reporting tools. 

Request a guided demonstration of trainingGrid® today! 

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Transforming Training Techniques https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/training-techniques-transformed/ Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:08:28 +0000 http://readytrainingonline.com/?p=9740 Ask any business manager how things are going these days, and the answer will probably include the word “busy.” But what does that really mean? Busy with customers? Busy with operational tasks? Busy training staff members? Managers have many responsibilities, and it’s not uncommon for them to become overwhelmed by too many to-dos and not […]

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Ask any business manager how things are going these days, and the answer will probably include the word “busy.” But what does that really mean? Busy with customers? Busy with operational tasks? Busy training staff members? Managers have many responsibilities, and it’s not uncommon for them to become overwhelmed by too many to-dos and not enough time in the day to get them all done. Something has to give.

You can give your managers the gift of time through streamlining their most common and time-consuming tasks. Just as technology has made things like inventory and bookkeeping easier, it can also significantly reduce the time your managers spend on employee training. Training techniques delivered through technology eliminate hours upon hours of time managers must spend on training.

Training Techniques – Then

As an example, consider the training topic loss prevention. Without online learning, a manager will take time away from other duties to sit down with employees and talk about what loss prevention is and why it’s important. Some employees may get a full presentation from the manager, others may only get a short overview. There may be some handouts available, or possibly even a video. The manager won’t likely have the time to guide employees through those materials, though, so they’ll be left to figure it out on their own. Some employees will understand and apply the material easily. Some will get it in theory, but not in practice. Others will miss the message entirely. The manager thinks the training is done, but in reality, very little actual learning has taken place.

Training Techniques – Now

With the advantage of an online learning management system, the training process is streamlined. Using a user-friendly dashboard, the manager assigns the Loss Prevention course to the employees who need it. They take the guided training course with learning checks along the way. At the end of the course, employees take an assessment to help ensure mastery of their new skills. Back at the administration dashboard, the manager can quickly monitor the training process. What may have taken hours of the manager’s time in the past, now takes minutes. And as an added bonus, employees have all received the same training with a consistent message.

Manager’s Role in Training

Online learning, when used correctly, doesn’t eliminate the manager’s training responsibilities. Instead, online learning shifts the manager’s focus from delivering training to managing knowledge. With the time managers save, they can focus more on their primary responsibilities of achieving higher level company goals.

Get More Leadership Tips

The Leadership section of our article archives is dedicated to helping you be a more effective leader. Check it out!

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The Benefits of Workplace Mentorship https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/workplace-mentorship/ Tue, 23 Jan 2024 06:41:26 +0000 https://readytrainingonline.com/?p=150007 January is National Mentorship month. What better way to start off the new year than by developing a workplace mentorship program to further invest in your employees? Mentoring programs can benefit the mentor as well as the mentee. A good mentoring program can also promote learning, growth, and a positive workplace culture.   Why Start a […]

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January is National Mentorship month. What better way to start off the new year than by developing a workplace mentorship program to further invest in your employees? Mentoring programs can benefit the mentor as well as the mentee. A good mentoring program can also promote learning, growth, and a positive workplace culture.  

Why Start a Workplace Mentorship Program? 

Workplace mentorship develops a relationship between an experienced and knowledgeable employee within your company (a mentor) and a less experienced employee (the mentee). The primary goal of these programs is to foster the employee’s professional and personal development. A mentoring relationship can be short-term or can become a long-term sustained relationship over the entire course of the mentee’s career or even lifetime. 

Six Benefits of Workplace Mentorship 

Mentorship programs are a valuable investment for any organization, often leading to increased employee satisfaction and skill development. As stated above, mentorship contributes to a positive and supportive workplace culture by fostering collaboration, open communication, and a sense of community. Below are a few more benefits mentoring can provide for both the mentor and mentee: 

1. Skills & Knowledge: 

Mentees: Gain hands-on guidance and expertise relevant to their career path, while developing necessary skills and knowledge. Mentees benefit from the wisdom and experience of mentors, gaining insights that might not be available through formal training alone. 

Mentors: Sharpen their leadership and coaching skills while imparting knowledge to mentees. Mentors have the opportunity to contribute to preserving institutional knowledge and passing on industry-specific insights.

2. Job Satisfaction & Employee Engagement: 

Mentees: Feel more supported, valued, and satisfied in their roles, leading to higher morale. Mentees are also more engaged and connected to the organization, leading to higher retention rates. 

Mentors: Experience fulfillment from making a positive impact on others’ careers and professional growth. Mentoring also provides a sense of purpose and connection, which fosters a positive workplace environment.

3. Networking Opportunities: 

Mentees: Receive opportunities to expand their professional network through introductions to their mentor’s connections and industry relationships. Mentors can also help mentees develop valuable networking skills to be used in building their own professional network. 

Mentors: Strengthen their own network by developing new connections with mentees and other professionals within the organization. Mentors are also given the opportunity to hone their own networking skills while helping mentees develop theirs.

4. Diversity and Inclusion: 

Mentees: Encounter new ideas, experiences, and diverse perspectives through mentorship. Individuals may also share their own unique perspectives and increase the diversity of their organization. 

Mentors: Contribute to the cultivation of an inclusive workplace by providing guidance to newly hired employees from a variety of backgrounds. Mentors are also exposed to new ideas and perspectives through interaction with their mentees.

5. Career Paths: 

Mentees: Receive support and advice on career paths and career goals, leading to increased opportunities for advancement. Mentees are prepared for leadership roles by learning from experienced mentors. 

Mentors: Play a crucial role in identifying and nurturing future leaders within the organization. Mentors assist their mentees with career goals and contribute to the development of future leaders within the organization. 

6. Confidence Building: 

Mentees: Gain confidence through their mentor’s support and encouragement. Mentees gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful, increasing their confidence in their own abilities.  

Mentors: Witnessing the positive impact of their guidance on mentees’ self-assurance and professional growth reaffirms the mentor’s own abilities. Sharing their knowledge and experience with mentees also helps reinforce the mentor’s confidence in their own leadership skills and abilities.   

Mentoring as Part of Your Learning Management System 

Mentoring and training go hand-in-hand. While mentoring is about more than just mastering the ins and outs of a specific job, it can play a key role in reinforcing your employee training program. A learning management system that supports blended learning allows training administrators to build mentor check-ins into an employee’s custom learning path. This helps ensure that your employees have support and supervision as they implement what they’ve learned online. 

trainingGrid® is an LMS developed with your mentoring program in mind. Request a guided demonstration of trainingGrid® today! 

 

 

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Keeping Your Harassment Training Up-to-Date https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/harassment-training-up-to-date/ Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:21:32 +0000 https://readytrainingonline.com/?p=149695 A new year provides new opportunities for reviewing your training program and making sure your employees are receiving the training they need, particularly in relation to compliance. For example, when was the last time you really looked at your harassment training? Are you sure your employees are getting the most up-to-date information?   Federal Speak Out […]

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A new year provides new opportunities for reviewing your training program and making sure your employees are receiving the training they need, particularly in relation to compliance. For example, when was the last time you really looked at your harassment training? Are you sure your employees are getting the most up-to-date information?  

Federal Speak Out Act of 2022

According to recent research, one in three women experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, but approximately 90% of the victims never filed a complaint. Part of this lack of reporting has been attributed to nondisclosure clauses written into employees’ contracts. Congress passed the Federal Speak Out Act in an attempt to curb this issue.  

The Act prohibits the reinforcement of pre-dispute non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions in cases related to sexual harassment and sexual assault. For example, if an employer has included a provision in an employment agreement that prevents employees from speaking about a sexual harassment incident, that part of the agreement cannot be enforced in court. In addition to federal laws, states and local municipalities may have even more stringent laws against harassment and discrimination. 

Additional updates to harassment laws include expanding definitions of protected classes – the groups of people legally protected from discrimination based on certain characteristics. Many states have also passed the CROWN Act, which prohibits racial discrimination based on someone’s hairstyle or texture. 

Ensure Your Harassment Training is Up-to-Date

As an employer, it’s your job to make sure you’re providing your employees with the training they need. This can be a daunting task. Here are three ways to make sure your employees are receiving up-to-date training: 

  1. Review training regularly: Make sure you’re frequently reviewing all training materials to ensure not only the content, but the messaging is relevant and accurate.
  2. Assign training schedules: Don’t just train employees once and hope they remember what they’ve learned. Even if your state doesn’t mandate annual certifications for compliance training, you can set up training schedules and learning paths to refresh employees on their training periodically.
  3. Stay informed: Make sure you stay informed on all topics that could impact your employees or their training. If you hear about updates to laws related to compliance training, make sure your training is updated to reflect them. 

Train Employees to Prevent Harassment

The more information employees have, the more empowered they will be. Online training through a learning management system is efficient and effective. Online learning also provides flexibility in how and when users can train, as well as the ability to track training and certifications. When laws change, you can take advantage of your LMS’s document library or document acknowledgement features to ensure all employees are aware of updates as soon as possible. 

Harassment Prevention Training from Ready Training Online

At RTO®, we’re committed to helping you create and maintain a respectful workplace while complying with federal and state laws. Our harassment prevention training program uses real-world examples to teach employees how to recognize harassment and help prevent it. State-specific sexual harassment prevention training is also available. 

 

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Customer Service Begins in the Interview https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/job-interviews/ https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/job-interviews/#respond Tue, 02 Jan 2024 06:00:56 +0000 http://readytrainingonline.com/?p=8968 Job interviews are stressful experiences for everyone. Think about it. Do you feel comfortable talking about yourself for half an hour to convince someone you don’t even know that you’re competent, intelligent and a good risk? Probably not. You’ll find out more about an applicant if you’re able to put them at ease. Set a […]

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Job interviews are stressful experiences for everyone. Think about it. Do you feel comfortable talking about yourself for half an hour to convince someone you don’t even know that you’re competent, intelligent and a good risk? Probably not. You’ll find out more about an applicant if you’re able to put them at ease.

Set a Good Example in Your Interviews

The first rule of hiring great employees is to treat applicants the way you treat customers. Welcome candidates with a friendly greeting and train your staff to do the same. Be friendly, just as you would with a customer. Hold doors open. Hang up their coats. Offer them a free soda, bottled water or a cup of coffee. Make them feel wanted by being hospitable.

Set the Standard for Respect

If teamwork in your operation is based on mutual respect – as it should be – then you need to set the standard for respect starting with the interview. Don’t make applicants wait. If you positively can’t avoid a delay, greet the candidate personally, apologize and give your best estimate of how long the wait will be. When applicants are talking, give them your full attention. Maintain eye contact, nod your head up and down, and don’t interrupt.

Ask Open Ended Questions

Open-ended questions will help you get the information you need from your c-store interviews. Open-ended questions require more than just a yes or no response. They give the applicant an opportunity to talk about themselves which will help you learn about their demeanor, personality, and aptitude. Here are some examples of good open-ended questions for interviews in an establishment such as a convenience store:

  • What motivated you to apply with us?
  • If a customer was upset about a stale cup of coffee, how would you handle it?
  • Describe to me a situation where you resolved a customer service concern and brought about a positive outcome.
  • How does this job fit into your career plans?
  • Have you shopped here before? If so, what impression do you have of us?

Get More Human Resources Tips

The Human Resources section of our article archives is dedicated to helping you be a more effective leader. Check it out!

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