Training is an important part of onboarding new team members, and keeping existing ones engaged in their work. 

But not all training is created equal.

Typically, training fits into one of two categories; active and passive.

While both focus on knowledge acquisition, only one of these result in a change in behaviour for the individuals on a team. So let’s look at the characteristics of each:

A lot of e-learning content that we see is quite passive, which means it improves knowledge, but doesn’t relate to the learner’s environment. In this situation it probably won’t produce the outcomes a business is wanting.

In the retail environment, most training is focused on skills acquisition or development, which means that it should almost exclusively take an active stance. One where trainees are expected to practice and perfect their skills.

WEBINAR: Moving from Knowledge Acquisition to Behaviour Change: The Power of Practice & Coaching in Learning Design

Over time, we’ve seen the growth of the ‘blended learning’ model, where training providers take the best of online and face-to-face training and create something entirely new.

Blended learning is focused on delivering information through a mix of online and face-to-face delivery methods – and there’s been a lot of research to prove the effectiveness of this type of training:

• A study by the research and consulting organisation Ithaka S+R recently found that blended learning produced the same, and in some cases better results than traditional face-to-face training. 
• The United States Department of Education also uncovered that trainees enrolled in a blended program were 25% faster in achieving the same learning outcomes as their classroom-based counterparts.

How do we do it at RedSeed?

We understand the value of face-to-face interactions in a retail environment, which is why we take a blended learning approach to our training. We also know that, for a number of reasons, face-to-face training isn’t always realistic in a retail environment. 

That’s why we’ve built tools like SkillsCheck into the RedSeed LMS. 

Where a coach would traditionally be required to be in-store to observe and coach a salesperson, SkillsCheck allows trainees and their coaches to replicate this interaction online by uploading video examples, and providing feedback and advice to verify that a skill or sales technique can be performed correctly.

If you’re looking to deliver training that changes behaviour and improves outcomes for your business, check out our latest webinar with guest speakers Jane Calleja, National Training Manager for Weber BBQ and Kelly Hopkins, Learning and Development Manager at Kathmandu where we discuss this importance of incorporating practice and coaching in learning design.

To further understand how to implement a training program within your business and drive engagement in your workers, contact RedSeed today.