New manager training activities to include in online onboarding training
Your new leaders might already have enough stress during their first day on the job. They don’t need ineffective or outdated new manager training that will only slow them down. Offer your fresh talent all the online training resources they need to grow their skills and offer ongoing support to their team members.
Modern management is looking for interactive, immersive, and entertaining new manager training activities that capitalize on cutting-edge tech. Here are 8 new manager training activities to consider for your online onboarding program.
1. Virtual department tours
Give your new managers the grand tour from the comfort of their desks. Or from anywhere they are, through their mobile devices. Virtual department tours immerse employees in the work environment so they can explore their surroundings and interact with job-related tools.
This way, new leaders can reduce the first-day learning curve and focus on the tasks they need to get familiar with. They’ll have the chance to know their team instead of spending the first hour touring the building and trying to figure out where all the equipment is located.
2. Conflict resolution simulations
One of the toughest things managers have to do is diffuse conflicts between coworkers. They may even have to intervene when unhappy customers try to escalate a situation. Conflict resolution simulations can be particularly useful in new manager training activities. They help new managers gain on-the-job experience during onboarding training, and get ready to handle such issues.
During those simulation activities, managers get exposed to different personality types and scenarios that they may encounter. This helps them hone useful skills, like communication and interpersonal abilities.
3. Live leadership events
Live online training sessions give new managers the chance to interact with peers and share best practices. For example, you could schedule an exclusive, weekly online training for team leaders. More experienced managers can share their stories and offer pointers to new managers who may be dealing with a difficult situation. You can even create a complementary social media group where they carry on the conversation after the live session.
Also, prompt your new hires to host their own live online training sessions based on their unique expertise. For instance, one of them has great experience in risk management. They can give a presentation to their fellow managers and offer some useful tips.
4. Compliance video demos
Learning by doing is the most effective teaching approach. But, certain topics, such as following safety measures or handling hazardous equipment, are too risky. Fortunately, you can create video demos that cover the basics and allow new managers to follow a concrete example when they’re exposed to a real-life scenario.
For instance, you could create a video that highlights how to evacuate the building during an emergency or how to handle a COI violation tactfully.
5. Company policy infographics
During new manager training, give learners a general overview of the core company policies paired with relevant charts or images. For example, highlight your dress code policy and the essential uniform items each department must wear. Create a separate infographic for each section so that new managers can use it as a quick reference.
Managers can share these resources with their team members to refresh their memory. This way, the entire team will be up-to-date and consistent with all company policies.
6. Serious skill-building games
Determine which skills your new managers need to be successful at their job. Then, develop a serious game for each ability so that new managers can hone talents in a fun and engaging way.
Learners will progress through levels or unlock rewards by displaying their skills. For example, they can gain points as they cater to customers’ needs by actively listening and finding the right product. Or, they can move to the next level where they handle a compliance violation without making the employee feel singled out.
7. Team-building group collaboration
Managers ensure that every member of their team feels like a valued member of the organization. They also apply company policies and bring out the best in their team. All this requires teamwork and leadership abilities. A team-building group collaboration project allows new managers to explore workplace dynamics.
For example, invite the newest round of leaders to break into groups and collectively solve a problem or create a presentation. They need to delegate tasks and roles effectively – for example, decide who will take on the role of the project manager. Everyone will have a chance to offer their input and provide feedback based on their experience. This allows new managers to identify personal areas for improvement that they can address autonomously.
8. Problem-solving podcasts
Produce bite-sized podcasts that explore work-related challenges your new managers might face. For example, create a 5-minute episode with tips on how to diffuse hot-tempered team members who often create conflicts in the workplace. New managers can tune in every week to learn how to solve common problems.
However, these new manager training tools are also ideal for “moment of need” support if you compile them in an organized repository. Your managers can simply log in to the library on their mobile device, search for relevant keywords or categories, and listen on the go.
Encourage employees to develop their own podcasts and upload them to the repository to cut costs and facilitate knowledge sharing. For example, your HR supervisor can create a series that covers hiring policies and other pertinent human resource topics.
Conclusion
New managers need all the help they can get before heading into the workplace. Even experienced professionals require online training tools to master company policies and develop leadership skills.
Are you giving your new leaders interactive and engaging resources to hone their talents? Maybe it’s time to start thinking about adding these activities to your onboarding training program to improve employee retention and satisfaction.
