Frontline employees are the face of a business, driving customer interactions, operational success, and brand reputation. Despite the importance of this group of employees, training them often seems to be an insurmountable hurdle. From scheduling conflicts to high turnover rates to diverse learning needs, traditional frontline employee training methods fall short. The result is disengaged employees and customers complaining about customer service.
Enter video-based training. With its unique combination of accessibility, engagement and consistency, video learning empowers employees in a totally different way. Statistics show that 42% of companies that use video learning (and other types of e-learning) are more profitable and that this type of learning takes 40-60% less time than classroom lectures.
Investing in frontline employee training programs using workplace training videos pays off – literally.
Common Challenges in Training Frontline Employees
Training frontline employees is no small feat. Here are some of the biggest challenges companies face and why new training methods are needed:
- Limited Access to Training Resources – Workers’ different shift schedules make it almost impossible to gather everyone for in-person training at the same place and time. This leaves major gaps in skills development.
- Maintaining Consistent Messaging and Quality – With teams spread across locations potentially being trained by different people, there can be discrepancies in service quality and brand representation.
- Low Engagement and Knowledge Retention – Long, monotonous training sessions rarely capture attention or lead to lasting knowledge retention. According to German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus’ famous “Forgetting Curve,” people forget up to 50% of what they learn within 24 hours and after a week they can usually only recall up to 3%.
- Language and Literacy Barriers – Workforces today are diverse and tend to speak different languages and have varying degrees of literacy levels. Most employee training methods fail to account for these differences and can leave some employees behind.
- Tracking Progress and Measuring ROI – Without the right tools, it’s tough to monitor who has completed training or how effective it’s been. Companies then struggle to connect their training efforts with tangible business outcomes.
Benefits of Video-Based Training for Frontline Employees
Video-based training addresses these challenges head-on, offering a dynamic and effective alternative to traditional training methods that are proven to be less effective for frontline employees.
Employees themselves have expressed their preference for videos with 65% of those surveyed saying they choose video over lectures, presentations or reading articles. The benefits of online training systems with a heavy emphasis on videos include:
- Accessibility – Mobile-friendly video training means employees can learn anytime, anywhere. They can pick up their phone and catch a quick video during a break or at home before they go in for a shift.
- Enhanced Engagement Through Visual Content – Short, focused videos – also known as microlearning – keep attention spans in check and improve knowledge retention. Adding interactive elements like quizzes or polls transforms passive viewing into active learning, which 82% of employees prefer.
- Language Flexibility – Videos can easily be translated into multiple languages at once, ensuring that all employees are covered. And, visual elements like animations, demonstrations and subtitles can also bridge language gaps. Employees with lower literacy levels can still grasp key concepts with ease.
- Consistency – The best training videos ensure that every employee sees the same content so that there is uniform messaging and service quality across all locations. Professionally produced videos enhance credibility and create a polished learning experience.
Best Practices for Implementing Video Training
If you’re ready to incorporate video-based training into your repertoire, there are a number of best practices to keep in mind, including:
- Create Short, Focused Microlearning Videos – Brevity is key. Break down complex topics into manageable, digestible chunks to maintain employee focus and interest.
- Incorporate Interactive Elements – Use quizzes, prompts, or simple questions embedded within the interactive videos to engage learners and encourage their active participation.
- Ensure Accessibility Features are Included – Add captions, subtitles or alternative formats to make content accessible to all employees, regardless of their abilities or environment.
- Provide Multilingual Options When Possible – Offer training materials in multiple languages or at the very least include subtitles to cater to a diverse workforce.
- Measure Engagement and Learning Outcomes – Select an employee training software solution that collects analytics that can be used to track completion rates, engagement level and overall impact of training. Use these insights to refine and improve the training program over time.
How Can Bites Help?
Bites is redefining what frontline employee training can achieve. We are at the forefront of digital learning platforms, helping businesses like yours overcome the challenges of traditional training. Here’s just a few of the ways we do it:
- User-Friendly Content Creation – Craft professional-quality video training units in minutes. No technical expertise needed. Just drag, drop and publish.
- Integration with Existing Communication Channels – Deliver training through platforms your employees already use regularly like WhatsApp or other messaging platforms. No need for additional systems or logins.
- Analytics Dashboard – Get a clear view of employee progress, engagement and completion rates to always have a handle on how your employees are doing and what may need to be improved.
- High Completion Rates – Join the current users of Bites in getting over 90% completion on training materials, proving the worth of engaging, accessible content.
Are you ready to transform your frontline employee training? Schedule a demo today to see how Bites can elevate your team’s skills, engagement and success.