We’ve covered a lot of ground so far in our series about employee training for franchise business owners. In our last two articles, we explored 10 effective types of employee training and 8 training methods you can use to deliver them. Now that you have some background knowledge, it’s time to combine those elements into an effective employee training program.
As a franchisee, you may or may not have an employee training framework set up by your franchisor. This guide will help you develop an impactful employee training program if needed. A well-thought-out program ensures consistency in employee skills and customer experience, which is especially crucial if you manage multiple units. Let’s get started!
How to Develop an Employee Training Program
Creating an employee training program is complex, but we’ve boiled it down into six main steps. Here’s your blueprint for a robust and impactful employee training program.
Step 1: Conduct a Needs Assessment
Think of a needs assessment as your training roadmap. It’s all about finding out what training your team needs to do their jobs better or prepare for future roles. This step helps you pinpoint where to focus your training efforts, so you’re not wasting time and resources.
Without a proper needs assessment, you risk spending time and money on training that may not directly benefit your franchise. By assessing needs first, you’ll be able to create a program that is relevant, targeted, and valuable for both the employees and the business.
Here are some tips for conducting your needs assessment:
- Use anonymous surveys to capture honest employee feedback.
- Leverage direct observations and job performance evaluations.
- Examine sales and service metrics to identify areas where better training could improve performance.
A thoughtful needs assessment will help you develop an employee training program tailored to your requirements. Conducting a needs assessment is not a ‘once and done’ task. By evaluating training needs regularly, you can tweak your training program to keep pace with your evolving franchise business.
Step 2: Set Clear Objectives
Once you know what your team needs from a training program, it’s time to set objectives. These are the goals you want to achieve by the time the training is complete.
It’s important to choose specific outcomes. For example, “employees will be able to handle customer complaints effectively” or “staff will understand the steps for upselling products to customers.” Objectives give everyone a target; trainers and trainees have specific things to aim for and expectations for the training program. We previously wrote an article on goal setting, so check that out for some guidance.
Once you determine your objectives, you can use them to create KPIs (key performance indicators) by which you will measure success. KPIs are the metrics that will tell you whether or not you’re hitting your objectives. For instance:
- If one of your objectives is “employees will be able to handle customer complaints effectively,” a KPI could be “reduce the number of escalated customer complaints by 15% within the next two months.”
- If your objective is “staff will understand the steps for upselling products,” a relevant KPI could be “increase sales generated from upselling by 10% in the next quarter.”
- If your objective focuses on “improving teamwork and collaboration,” a KPI could be “achieve a 90% or higher on the next team satisfaction survey.”
By having both objectives and KPIs in place, your training program will stay focused, and you’ll have a way to measure success. As your franchise grows or faces new challenges, revisit and revise objectives and KPIs to align with your evolving needs.
Step 3: Develop Curriculum
Once your objectives and KPIs are in place, the next thing to do is develop the curriculum. This is where you decide what materials to use, what topics to cover, and who will lead the training. Picking the right trainer is just as crucial as choosing suitable materials. A good trainer can take your program from okay to excellent, engaging your team and ensuring they absorb the necessary information.
When developing your curriculum, keep in mind the needs assessment you conducted. This will help you focus on the most critical training topics. Here are some factors to consider:
- Choose materials that are closely aligned with your objectives.
- Decide on the training methods that best suit your franchise setup.
- Pick trainers who are skilled in the methods and materials you’ve chosen.
Step 4: Implement the Program
After all the prep work, it’s time to launch your training program. Start with a small group of employees if you’re unsure about the new curriculum or design; this will allow you to fine-tune any aspects of the program before rolling it out to the entire team.
To help your team get the most out of the training, make sure to:
- Provide all materials in advance so participants know what to expect.
- Keep channels of communication open for questions and clarifications.
- Assign mentors or go-to people for additional guidance and support.
Once your program is up and running, keep tabs on its progress. Are employees engaging with the material? Are you starting to see improvements in the KPIs you set? This real-time feedback will help you make any needed adjustments as you go along, ensuring the training stays relevant and effective.
Step 5: Gather Feedback
Gathering feedback about your employee training program is essential. This is your chance to see if the training is hitting its mark, if employees benefit from it, and how well it aligns with your KPIs.
Here are some ideas for gathering feedback:
- Use post-training surveys to collect employee reactions.
- Review KPIs regularly to gauge if objectives are being met.
- Hold one-on-one interviews or focus groups to dive deeper into individual experiences.
Feedback allows you to understand how effective your program is from an employee and organizational standpoint and determine what adjustments need to be made.
Step 6: Review and Update (as Needed)
Your training program isn’t set in stone; it needs periodic reviews and regular check-ups. Changes in the franchise model, new technology, or industry regulations can quickly make old methods obsolete.
Being willing to adapt your training program isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a hallmark of a business responsive to its staff and customers. This proactive approach keeps your franchise on the cutting edge of employee training and will make your business more successful in the long run.
Ready, Set, Train!
You’ve got the blueprint, so nothing is holding you back. It’s time to create a training program to make your team more skilled and your business more profitable. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, we have more to share. Our next article will focus on how technology can streamline your training process, making it more efficient and engaging. Stay tuned!
