Where are employees more likely to absorb critical training information? Is it during an intensive 1-week program or in bite sized pieces over their working hours? We know that both work, but many employers are switching to the latter, and using digital signage to make it happen.

Statistics back this up as well; digital signage has been shown to improve workplace engagement by 22% (Gallup), and 9 out of 10 manufacturers now use these solutions to reinforce employee training. 

Bite sized employee training powered by digital signage just works.

In this blog, we’ll look at how digital signage can supercharge your employee training, some of the challenges you might encounter, and how to solve them.

Why it’s difficult for employees to focus on upskilling

Before we dive into the wonders of digital signage, there's something else we must discuss. 

According to DevOps Institute, more than 85 million jobs could be vacant by 2030 because there simply aren't enough skilled employees to fill them. That's a problem.

Three of the factors causing this gap include:

• Time constraints: Every second that employees spend consuming training resources is time away from work and their work/life balance.
• Technology anxiety: Think about the dozens of training platforms employees have to interact with to master a skill.
• Information overload: The courses, certifications and training material sonline can be nothing short of overwhelming, even for the most savvy employees.

Digital signage can help bridge this gap by presenting training to employees in a way that they can receive it. Because they don’t have to commit more than a few minutes to individual training info, time constraints will melt away.  Employees can simply glance at the screen in the break room while winding down. 

This also addresses the problem of technology anxiety, since the company handles the technical  aspect, distributing training info through the digital signage software.

Lastly, because the training materials are provided in bits and pieces, employees can absorb them  without worrying about being overloaded with info or splitting their focus.

Why use digital signage for employee training?

Using digital signage as part of your employee training process has a number of benefits. Whether you’re training people in an office or warehouse setting, these are some of the main reasons to embrace digital displays in your training:

A boost in engagement

Digital signage combines vibrant visuals, colors, and media elements in a way that captures attention. That means employees are free of the dreaded monotony of training materials.

Additionally, digital signage lets you incorporate interactive features like quizzes, polls, and surveys that encourage active participation. That way, employees can be a big part of the program instead of experiencing it one way, boosting overall employee engagement.

This method can also boost engagement for on-the-job training programs since it delivers real-time and role specific learning content that employees can engage with as they perform their tasks.

Real-time information sharing

Digital signage training is fast, not just in the way employees can consume information, but also in the way your business can share it. You can send out immediate updates on policy changes, or emergency situations in real-time ensuring that employees are always well-informed.

Consistency across locations

With digital signage, you can keep employee training streamlined, focusing on the same points across your various company locations. With rigid training structures, some points might fall through the cracks because you may be depending on individual training personnel or playing telephone with your training modules.

Your business won’t have this problem with digital signage platforms since you can easily manage and update content from a single point. 

Aids visual learning

By leveraging videos, animations, and infographics, your organization can cater to different learning styles and ensure that employees don’t get left behind. No more uncomfortable performance evaluations or productivity lags; everyone is on the same page, operating with optimum efficiency.

Flexibility and adaptability

Using digital signage for employee training allows you to share information in different ways using the most suitable formats. Your training materials have the freedom to include videos and slideshows that can show the nuances of the training topic. 

This flexibility will allow your organization to tailor training materials to suit the preferences and needs of different employee groups.

More cost and time efficient

According to the Association for Training Development, organizations spend an average of $1,252 on training per employee. A lot of this involves printing costs of traditional training materials, manuals, handouts, and posters. Digital signage eliminates the need for physical materials, reducing printing expenses.

But that’s not all. Digital signage can also streamline the delivery of training content, reducing the time needed for in-person sessions. Employees can access information at their convenience, allowing trainers and employees to allocate time more efficiently.

Training materials are easily modified as well which means your organization will save time on distributing and updating physical materials at various locations.

Best practices for employee training with digital signage

In this section, we’ll get into how your business can effectively implement employee training programs, focusing on the practices that yield the most results.

1. Content is key

Very often with digital signage training, education is always on, so there’s a risk that employees experience information overload. You can combat that by breaking down complex topics into easily digestible segments.

Bullet points, visuals, and straightforward language can really help to improve overall understanding of the topic. It also helps to focus on content that’s relevant to employees' roles and responsibilities. 

This way, they have real world examples to work with, and can find practical applications for their lessons.

2. Interactive learning

Incorporating interactive elements like quizzes and assessments can be very helpful in keeping employees engaged, as well as getting a feel for their understanding level. 

Feedback loops can also be very helpful in reinforcing the lessons. Organization can encourage employees to provide feedback through surveys or comment sections, and use that input to refine training content and address specific needs or concerns.

Another important, and fun aspect of interactive learning is gamification. By introducing gamification elements, you can make learning more enjoyable. Some ideas include:

• Leaderboards
• Badges
• Progress points

These can motivate employees to actively participate in the training process.

3. Strategic placement

It is important to place content in locations where employees can easily find and interact with them. These include high traffic areas like break rooms, lobbies, and entrances that ensure maximum visibility.

Some organizations also take the natural employee workflow into account when positioning screens. That way, employees encounter them without disrupting their daily tasks or feeling like it’s an extra burden.

4. Regular content updates

Keeping content fresh by updating it regularly will help prevent stagnation and the feeling that employees have seen the message before. The result is a consistent interest level that helps your staff take in more and more information. You can use digital signage's real-time capabilities to communicate the latest information promptly.

5. Employee training support

It’s a good idea to create training sessions for users that focuses on showing how to interact with and make the most of digital signage. This includes understanding interactive features, accessing additional resources, and troubleshooting common issues.

You may also want to create a dedicated support system for employees encountering difficulties with digital signage. They can seek help when interactive features glitch out or if they spot inconsistencies in the training material.

6. Measure success

Digital signage training will require a different kind of success measurement than traditional training. A great place to start is setting specific training objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) that need tracking. These will allow you to see how the training program does, and any improvement opportunities that exist.

Some organizations also regularly review analytics data including user engagement metrics and feedback, refining their content with the insights they gain.

The challenge with using digital signage for employee training

Switching to digital signage for employee training is very beneficial. But like any transition, it comes with its own set of challenges to your organization. Being able to recognize and address these challenges is important for successful implementation. Here are some common challenges you might face:

Technical hurdles

Digital signage has infrastructure needs that, unless you’ve been using it in the past, will require some major changes. This involves placing digital screens in strategic areas, as well as training for your IT staff. You will also need to pay attention to hardware and software components of your system to prevent technical glitches.

Initial cost of implementation

Your organization may need to invest in digital screens as well as an effective digital signage software to manage the new system of employee training. You may need to develop a separate budget for this.

Content creation and management

The chances are that operations in your industry are nuanced, which means a boilerplate training program won’t do. You need personnel to assemble employee training materials based on current trends and events.

They will need to create and manage the content, choose media formats, and decide on optimal times to share the info with employees. 

Integration with existing systems

Organizations that already use an LMS or other communication platforms will have to consider integration options. You'll need a way to safely transfer current training modules to your digital signage’s CMS without complications or data loss.

ScreenCloud: The digital signage solution

If you choose the best digital signage software, your organization will sidestep most of these challenges, even if you’re just launching your digital signage training program.

ScreenCloud offers education support for employees so that you can hit the ground running with your training campaigns. There are also a ton of compatible apps, integration support and content editing tools that take the stress out of launching a new training program. 

You can book a demo today to see how ScreenCloud can make your employee training easier, and more effective.