13 Types of Corporate Training Programs

ccording to dozens of studies, corporate training affects business efficiency and workplace attractiveness for employees. Large corporations create dedicated HR departments that deal with development. However, this practice is also useful for small businesses, where one person covers more diverse tasks and responsibilities.

Let's explore why companies should enhance employee skills, explore different types of corporate training, and discuss how to choose the right approach for your company.

💡You may also be interested: Top 5 Insights Into Online Corporate Training in 2024

What Are the Key Types of Corporate Training Programs?

It is obvious that different types of corporate training programs are created for different purposes. For example, when a new person appears, they need to be included in the team, explained how everything works, and quickly adapt so that they can work fully. The format of its training will differ from the approaches used to continuously develop the skills of workers already involved in the processes. 

Below, we have collected 13 main types of corporate training programs, that probably you may need in your learning process.

#1. Leadership Training Programs

Not every manager is a leader and knows how to lead a team. And this is not surprising. A leader must have specific qualities and skills to inspire their employees to achieve outstanding results. That's what leadership training is for. 

Of course, leadership training could be a difficult job, requiring an individual approach in each case. However, a manager does not have to study books on psychology or turn into a personal coach for everyone. You can start small: creating fertile soil within the company. And for this, several simple techniques have proven themselves well:

• Personal area of responsibility.
• Establish regular assessments of leadership competencies.
• Develop mentoring.
• Engage future leaders to work on the most exciting projects.
• Write your employees' ideas and suggestions.

Why Should Companies Invest in Leadership and Management Training?

• Business growth. A strong leader can take a business to the next level, while a weak one will struggle to make any progress. This is because good leaders can inspire and motivate those around them. They can also make difficult decisions and see opportunities where others cannot.
• Improved morale. If your employees feel led by a strong and competent leader, they will be more motivated to do their best work.
• Reducing staff turnover. The costs of employee turnover can be extremely high, so it's important to keep your employees happy and engaged.
• Efficient processes. Leadership development is also vital to pave the way for efficient work processes. If you want your business to run smoothly, you need to make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do. This can only be achieved with a strong leader.

#2. Technical Skills Development Programs

Technical skills are the experience and knowledge required to perform specific digital or physical tasks. 

Let's look at those who work in sales. They should have a good understanding of the platforms used for customer management, such as CRM. At the same time, retail employees must have extensive knowledge of inventory and point-of-sale software.

Providing your employees with the technical training they need will make them professionals who keep up with the times and therefore who are more productive. 

All of this results in your business having a competitive advantage over others. To gain all these benefits, you need to train your employees in tech skills.

What Technical Training Programs Are Essential for Today’s Workforce?

Depending on your company's industry, the technical skills your employees need to do their jobs can vary greatly. Luckily, there are a few basic technical skills that provide huge benefits regardless of industry:

•  Database management; 
•  Knowledge of company software;
•  Project management;
•  Customer service systems;
•  Intracorporate communications;
•  IT security;
•  Data analysis;
•  Social media management.

#3. Compliance Training Programs

Compliance training programs are an important aspect of any business operation. It is the process of training employees on the laws, regulations, and company policies that apply to their job functions. It ensures that employees are aware of the risks and consequences of non-compliance, which can result in financial penalties, legal action, and reputational damage.

It is important to have a compliance training program in place for various roles and responsibilities to reduce risk and avoid non-compliance. Compliance training programs can vary depending on the type of industry, company size, and jobs. 

💡Note: It is significant to tailor training modules that relate to work roles that can help employees understand their responsibilities and the consequences of non-compliance.

Why Is Compliance Training Crucial?

1. Legal Compliance: Compliance training ensures that employees are aware of the laws and regulations that apply to their roles.

💡 For example, if an employee is not trained in data privacy laws and regulations, he may unintentionally violate them, exposing the company to hefty fines.

2. Risk Mitigation: This gives employees the knowledge and skills to identify and report any compliance issues before they become serious problems.

💡For example, employees trained in anti-money laundering regulations can identify and report any suspicious transactions to the compliance department.

3. Reputation Management: This ensures that a company conducts its operations ethically and legally, which improves its public image.

💡For example, a company that trains its employees on anti-bribery laws is less likely to be associated with corrupt practices.

4. Cost savings: This reduces the likelihood of lawsuits, financial penalties, and reputational damage, which can be costly for a company.

💡For example, a company that trains its employees in workplace safety is less likely to experience workplace accidents, which can be costly to the company.

#4. Safety Training Programs

Safety training programs are prerequisite courses for employees before they start working. It covers both general and job-specific instructions, aiming to educate new hires about workplace hazards and equip them with the skills to work safely and follow first aid protocols.

Employers also should guide employees in protecting themselves from workplace hazards and ensuring safe job performance. 

💡Note: For sure, these guidelines can differ across companies and depend on the organization's nature of work.

How Does Safety Training Protect Your Company and Employees?

One of the main reasons why occupational safety and health is necessary for your business is to reduce production risks. Implementing and maintaining proper safety procedures and measures will help reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and illnesses among employees. This, in turn, will lead to reduced lost work time, increased productivity, and lower health care and compensation costs.

#5. Onboarding and Orientation Training Programs

The inclusion and adaptation of new persons into processes in the workplace is called onboarding. Usually, at the recruiting stage, people are selected based on their knowledge, that is, they don’t need to be taught anything new. Usually, such type of training includes such content as:

•  description of the company’s corporate culture;
•  getting to know the team and the roles of different specialists;
•  training in established algorithms for solving problems;
•  gaining skills to work with the tools, technologies, and programs used.

At this stage, online courses, mentoring, and individual consultations with a line manager can help you to share all the information with new employees. Sometimes you can conduct training in case a company hires many people of the same specialty, for example, when forming a sales department.

💡You may also be interested: 9 Onboarding Best Practices To Integrate New Hires Better

What Role Does Onboarding and Orientation Play in Employee Training?

If adaptation is successful, the employee quickly gets into the job and performs it effectively. Otherwise, up to half of new employees may leave the team in the next six months.

In this case, the recruitment team will have to re-initiate the process of selecting and hiring candidates, which will cost the company several salaries of the departed employee. Poor quality onboarding leads to losses of valuable specialists, time, and material costs, slows down the company’s development, and destroys its brand. 

💡Note: Therefore, it is important not to let this process take its course.

#6. Soft Skills Training Programs

Soft skills are personality traits that help you “interact effectively and harmoniously with others in a particular environment.” The term “soft skills” was first coined by the US Army in the 1960s and essentially meant soft skills that didn’t involve technology.

There is no single and universal list of soft skills, and each research group identifies its classification. The main “soft skills” that are in demand among employers are described in detail in the global study of the World Economic Forum in the Future of Jobs Report 2023. But which of them to upgrade depends on the tasks of the company and the employees themselves.

How Can Soft Skills Training Benefit Your Organization?

• Improved Communication: Soft skills training enhances interpersonal communication among employees.
• Enhanced Teamwork: It fosters better collaboration and teamwork within the organization.
• Leadership Development: Employees develop leadership qualities and management skills.
• Customer Relations: Better soft skills lead to improved customer service and client relationships.
• Conflict Resolution: Training helps employees effectively manage and resolve conflicts.

#7. Sales Training Programs

For a company to thrive, it needs to generate solid revenue. Sales managers often drive this revenue as product experts, so they require thorough training to understand the product inside and out.

The basic adaptation plan for a sales employee consists of three blocks: company, product, and sales technology. 

• Company. The purpose of this block is for each employee to understand: what company he works for, what it does, what value it produces, and what its goals, values, and principles are.
• Product. As a result of studying the product course, the employee must have a good understanding of the company’s product (its characteristics, properties, value) and understand the needs of customers to be able to advise them correctly.
• Sales technology. In the third block of customer service training, it is important to tell the salesperson what the functions of his position are and what algorithms he should use to perform them. The algorithm should not be based on assumptions but on the real experience of your managers.

#8. Product Training Programs

As previously mentioned, after completing the product course, employees should have a solid grasp of the company's product and understand client needs to provide accurate advice.

To do this, it is significant to introduce the seller to the product range. Talk about product groups, on what basis they are divided, and what characteristics each product has. When studying the properties of a product, the seller must immediately understand what advantages and benefits these properties represent for customers. 

If the product is complex and consists of various components, the salesperson must understand each component and be able to explain it to the client. 

💡Note: The course needs to explain what customer segments exist and how the needs of each segment differ. Understanding the needs, the seller will be able to offer the client the right solution.

#9. Diversity and Sensitivity Training Programs

Diversity & sensitivity training, alternatively known as anti-harassment training, is an educational program designed to develop understanding, empathy, and support among people in the workplace. 

By making it easier to be aware of unconscious biases, prejudices, and the consequences of one's words and actions, the training aims to provide a positive, inclusive, and productive work environment.

Sensitivity training not only helps prevent discrimination and harassment but also enables employees to value and embrace diversity in its many forms, from gender to age and background.

This corporate training can take many forms, depending on the specific requirements and resources of the organization. Common methods include in-person workshops, online courses, role-playing, and even one-on-one coaching. 

💡Note: Regardless of the form, effective sensitivity training must be interactive, programmatic, and tailored to the use of the workforce.

#10. Cybersecurity Training Programs

Cybersecurity Awareness or training in the field of information security is a comprehensive educational program aimed at developing employees understanding of the importance of information security and the ability to recognize and prevent cyber threats. 

This type of corporate training includes not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills, scenarios for interacting with potential threats, as well as developing habits of safe behavior on the Internet and when working with corporate data.

Training can cover everything from basic principles of creating strong passwords to more advanced topics. They may refer to recognizing and preventing social engineering, or secure use of cloud services & mobile devices at work. There, instructors should pay particular attention to the following how to act if a threat is detected, how to correctly report suspicious incidents, etc.

💡Note: The effectiveness of such courses lies in the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical exercises. This approach allows employees to learn about potential threats and find out how to effectively deal with them.

#11. Industry Certification Programs

In general, certification is the process of confirming the compliance of an organization's management systems, personnel, products, or services with certain requirements. These may be requirements of standards, technical regulations, large corporations, and industry systems.

Industry certification, in addition to the general aspects applicable to any field of activity, takes into account the industry specifics of the work, technical, legal, and other aspects.

💡For example, the international standard for quality management systems ISO 9001 applies to all organizations, regardless of their field of activity.

However, some sectors, although the above standard is applicable, require certain specific requirements depending on the scope of their activities.

💡Note: Industry certification is a useful tool for building trust by demonstrating that a product or service meets customer expectations.

#12. Business Skills Training Programs

Business skills training is a vital component of corporate training programs, designed to equip employees with the essential skills required to excel in various business environments. This type of training covers a broad spectrum of competencies, ranging from communication and teamwork to problem-solving and leadership.

Business skills training is not just beneficial for employees but also contributes significantly to the overall success and growth of the organization. It helps employees adapt to changing business landscapes, stay competitive, and contribute effectively to the company's objectives.

💡Note: To launch an effective business skills training program, organizations need to identify key competencies to address, set clear learning objectives, and establish a collaborative learning environment.

#13. Time Management Training Programs

Any manager dreams of working with people who come to work on time, know how to plan their workday, set priorities, and accurately determine the time it will take to complete the task.

Training employees in time management is a long process, sometimes painful, and not everyone likes it. However, top managers prove that you can only be successful and accomplish a lot by planning your time. 

At the same time, they underline that the most effective methods of time management today are directly related to the use of modern IT technologies — online calendars, and special programs for planning and distributing tasks.

Strategies for teaching time management

There are currently several time management training strategies that companies can use:

1. Group classes. Managers can provide time management training to their employees through various group activities such as seminars or team events.

2. On-the-job training. This is a type of time management training that a team leader or manager personally conducts during work hours. The most important topics to be covered during the training are:

•  Setting a goal
•  Ability to prioritize
•  Organizing the workday by the daily responsibilities of employees.

3. Online courses. This is an ideal option for employees already too busy during working hours. The self-paced course format allows each employee to choose when they will study during the week.

💡Note: The problem of teaching time management also runs into the problem of motivation. If an employee claims that they are constantly late due to traffic jams, the real reason is not the roads at all, but that they didn’t want to get up earlier.

How to Choose a Corporate Training Format that Suits Your Needs?

Define organizational goals and training objectives

Why are we going to provide training? What is the goal? What do we want to get as a result?

The more clearly we formulate the purpose of our training, the easier it will be to find exactly the organization, study format, or expert that suits us. 

💡If we understand that in the end we want, for example, two accountants to undergo professional retraining, then it is better to select courses at a training center that has a license for educational activities and experience in the market. 

If the goal of training comes down to the wording “let them learn something new,” then the result will be just as uncertain.

Assess the specific needs of your workforce

Why do we grow a garden? To lay in the shade or to harvest? The same applies to corporate training — you need to decide which courses to send employees to get the maximum benefit. 

💡For example, a company switches to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). How ready is accounting for this? Testing will help determine the level of knowledge of specialists (in this case, specialists will pass tests according to international financial reporting standards). 

And the results will show whether a short intensive course is enough for the department to fill in the gaps and work better, or whether they will have to learn IFRS from scratch.

Consider the scalability and flexibility of the training format

When selecting a corporate training format, it's important to consider whether the chosen method can scale with your organization's growth and adapt to changing needs. A format that offers flexibility allows for adjustments as your training requirements evolve over time.

💡For instance, if you're a startup planning rapid expansion, an online training platform that can onboard new hires quickly and efficiently might be ideal.

Evaluate the technical infrastructure and resources available

Before selecting a training format, assess your organization's technical capabilities and resources. Ensure that you have the necessary technology and infrastructure to support the chosen training method, whether it's online courses, virtual classrooms, or hands-on workshops.

💡For example, if you're planning to implement virtual reality (VR) training modules, ensure your IT infrastructure can support the hardware and software requirements without glitches.

Determine the preferred learning styles of your employees

Understanding the preferred learning styles of your employees can help tailor the training format to better suit their needs and maximize engagement. Some employees may prefer interactive, hands-on learning, while others might thrive with self-paced online courses or group discussions.

💡For instance, if your team mostly consists of tech-savvy millennials, they might prefer mobile-friendly microlearning modules over traditional classroom training.

Review the qualifications and expertise of potential trainers

Lastly, when considering external corporate trainers or training organizations, review their qualifications, expertise, and track record in delivering effective corporate training. Ensure they have experience in your industry and can effectively convey the required knowledge and skills to your employees.

💡As an example, if you're looking for leadership training, choose a trainer with experience in leadership roles within your industry to ensure relevant and practical insights.

Conclusion

To sum it up, corporate training is a vital component of any business strategy. This ensures that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs effectively and helps improve the overall performance of the organization. By choosing the right types of corporate training programs and software to run and manage them, organizations can achieve their goals and stay ahead of the competition.