Creating a new hire training plan template

Matthew, a manager at a large home-improvement store, always thought his company could benefit from a new hire training program. But it took an embarrassing occurrence to catapult that idea from a lofty notion to top priority at the next administrative meeting.

Two employees called in sick on a recent Saturday morning, stretching his already taxed staff even further on one of the store’s busiest days. Despite doing their best, team members still experienced difficulty getting to customers in a timely manner. When he noticed a significant backup in the paint department, Matthew asked Anna to stop stocking and assist those customers.

Anna obliged. She helped one lady locate a color chart and gave a man some paint stirrers. The third customer, however, wanted a gallon of custom-color paint. Anna called for help. Though employed here for about a month and a half, nobody had ever taught her how to use the mixing machine.

Anna’s requests for help went unanswered, and the customer became increasingly agitated. After 10 minutes, Anna decided to mix it herself. She had seen co-workers use the machine before. How hard could it be?

The answer to that question came in the form of periwinkle paint splattering everyone and everything within 8 feet of the mixer — the result of Anna failing to secure one of the latches. And so Matthew committed to creating a training plan template for new hires.

The benefits of new employee training

A consistent, thoughtful new-hire training plan provides new team members with the foundation for success.

Ways a plan helps include:

• Providing everyone with equal information on company policies and procedures.

• Ensuring things employees should know don’t “slip through the cracks.”

• Outlining metrics used to measure employee productivity and how to meet these expectations.

• Scheduling a time and training method to address skill gaps.

• Keeping the learning experience sane rather than subjecting new hires to information overload.

• Building excitement about career development by showing a roadmap of what type of training lies ahead.

• Improving employee retention rates, as those who go through a structured training process feel more competent and valued and tend to remain longer.

The purpose of an employee training plan template

Savvy organizations know that reinventing the wheel each time a new hire joins the company wastes time. Instead, they use employee training templates as the base for outlining a plan for each individual employee.

A training plan template details the steps and resources necessary to get a person up to speed. The document showcases what the new worker needs to learn, how to acquire these employee skills, and when training will take place. It enables new hires and their managers to rest assured that all important aspects of the new role will be presented in a timely, organized fashion.

Filling in employee training templates

An employee development plan template technically starts as a blank outline awaiting input from human resource professionals and department managers. However, certain things exist that all new workers must accomplish. These elements become fixtures on every new person’s plan.

General all-employee training needs

The most obvious case of this situation is the early stages of onboarding. All new employees learn about the company’s mission, values, culture, history, and standard operating procedures. Likewise, all need an introduction to using the company’s technology. Training in professionalism, business etiquette, internal and external communication, diversity initiatives, safety, and anti-bullying/harassment measures also are routinely covered in the onboarding process at many places.

Departmental training needs

Writers of the plan should next consider training needs common to certain departments or job types. For instance, perhaps first aid instruction is a must for everyone who works on the factory floor. Or, maybe every receptionist in the building needs training sessions on recognizing and responding to intruders. Make these elements standard to the corresponding template.

Individual training needs

Now comes the tricky part. Every job has its own set of duties. Adequately adding these responsibilities to the template involves figuring out what needs to be taught, when, and by what training method.

The job description serves as a good starting point. What new skills must be mastered to fulfill business goals? Managers also benefit from asking current employees for advice. What, for instance, does a seasoned customer service rep think are the most essential things for a new rep to learn in the short-term and what things could be postponed until later?

Get input from the new individual, too. She may have specific skills she would like to learn to further her overall career goals. Or, maybe she realizes a knowledge gap and would welcome the opportunity to improve. Asking breeds engagement and demonstrates that you value her opinions and development.

Identify the right tools

After determining what to cover, there is the matter of figuring out training tools. An effective employee training plan does not just list desired learning outcomes — it provides the ways in which this knowledge will be acquired.

Nowadays, much of the preparation for a new role comes from e-learning. This training method is less time-consuming for managers and existing staff because new workers can learn on their own. The interactive nature promotes engagement through visuals, challenges, assessments, and surveys.

However, your template also likely will include various other training methods. Mixing things up keeps learning interesting, and some learning objectives are better taught through observation, job shadowing, role playing, simulations, or instructor-led training courses. Live demonstrations offer the learner the chance to ask questions or request certain elements be repeated for clarity.

And, of course, hands-on practice (especially under the guidance of a manager or other mentor who can offer feedback) should make up a significant portion of any training program. Anna may have seen colleagues mix paint before, but she discovered there was more to it than what meets the eye when she attempted it herself.

Picking a training plan template

For most organizations, gone are the days of pen-and-paper new-hire training templates. Technology provides a variety of interesting and convenient options. Embedded links can take the learner directly where he needs to go to watch the training material and assess his knowledge with a corresponding quiz afterward. For management, drop and drag features allow quick formulation of an overall plan based on outlines created for previous employees. Columns stay straight, changes to the plan are easy to implement, and everyone has a visual of what has been accomplished vs. what milestones are still to come.

Some companies invest in specific training plan software. They find the standardized templates helpful, or they like being walked through how to customize templates to their needs. Other organizations come up with their own templates using Excel, Trello, or other common office programs.

Looking at the learning process through a 30-60-90 lens is a common way to grasp the big picture. This method breaks down what the new hire should master the first month, by the end of the second month, and at the 3-month mark. Such “chunking” makes learning manageable, builds interest in what’s to come, and ensures that nothing gets overlooked.

Here’s a snippet of what a new hire training plan might contain for Anna:

Time Period: Complete by end of first day

Intro to company
Delivery mode: e-learning (provide link)
Time: 1 hr
Status: complete

Intro to procedures
Delivery mode: e-learning
Time: .5 hr
Status: complete

Professional conduct
Delivery mode: group meeting with HR, room 302
Time: 1 hr
Status: complete

Safety 101
Delivery mode: in-person, instructor-led class, room 501
Time: 2 hrs
Status: complete

Time Period: Complete by end of first week

Stocking merchandise with assistance
Delivery mode: job shadowing Ellen
Time: 1 hr
Status: complete

Diversity matters
Delivery mode: e-learning
Time: 1 hr
Status: in progress, quiz not taken

Cash register operation
Delivery mode: observation of David, practice under David on real customers
Time: 6 hrs
Status: complete

Mastering merchandise location
Delivery mode: e-learning and group scavenger hunt
Time: 2 hrs
Status: complete

Time Period: Complete by end of 30 days

Performance review of stocking skills and cash register operation
Delivery mode: manager evaluation
Status: complete

Measuring and cutting blinds and shades
Delivery mode: e-learning tutorial, practicing under Ellen’s supervision
Time: 3 hrs
Status: complete

Mixing custom paint
Delivery mode: one-to-one instruction, practicing under David
Time: 3 hrs
Status: incomplete

Fundamentals of interior design
Delivery mode: e-learning sequence
Time: 7 hrs
Status: complete

Time Period: Complete by end of 60 days

Performance review of measuring shades and mixing paint
Delivery mode: manager evaluation
Status: incomplete

Caring for plants
Delivery mode: e-learning module, job shadowing Ellen
Time: 5 hrs
Status: complete

Intermediate interior design
Delivery mode: e-learning sequence
Time: 7 hrs
Status: in progress

Time Period: Complete by end of 90 days

Performance review of caring for plants
Delivery mode: manager evaluation
Status: incomplete

Creating a seasonal display
Delivery mode: e-learning tutorial, work with group
Time: 5 hrs
Status: incomplete

Advanced interior design
Delivery mode: e-learning sequence
Time: 7 hrs
Status: incomplete

Considerations

For Anna, the training plan reveals several things. It shows when and how she will be taught certain new skills that are important to her job duties. Plus, it outlines a timeframe by which she should master these competencies. The plan also demonstrates that Matthew listened when she stated that learning about interior design was a career goal. Units on the subject are included throughout her first three months.

For management and HR, the plan ensures important elements get covered. Like all employees, Anna goes through training on company policies, diversity, and safety. But, her template also contains training specific to her job, such as caring for plants and cutting window coverings.

Lastly, a close look at the plan reveals knowledge gaps. (Some systems use color-coding, such as putting incomplete items in red, to make these stand out.) If the plan had been in place, the splatter disaster may never have occurred. Anna may have realized she needed the right training on the machine and should not just “wing it.” Matthew would be kept up-to-date that the instruction did not happen and that he needs to make certain the designated teacher gets time in his schedule to meet with Anna. And the store would not have had to compensate a customer for her paint-blotched clothes!