5 Creative Job Aids For Your HR Team
While HR is a distinct discipline, it’s often underrated. Organizations might look to HR during the hiring process or they might check in with them when they want reference documents. But most of the time, they’re unseen and overlooked. So, in a way, training your HR team not only helps them do their jobs better. It also helps them feel seen. That said, HR topics can seem pretty dull and drab. They’re mostly staff policies and labor laws. How can you bring this alive for your trainees? Here are 5 creative job aids to include in your HR online training course design.
1. Networking Opportunities
There’s a cliché that in today’s workspace, it’s not what you know—it’s who you know. Someone else put it more succinctly (and verbosely). You don’t look for people who you know can do it. You look for people you know…who can do it. In other words, qualifications matter, but you look for those talents among people already in your circle. It’s surprisingly easy to offer HR trainees these kinds of networks. As part of the course, set up meet-and-greet webinars. It allows them to interact with peers in their field. It also widens their talent pool, which in essence makes them look better at their job. After all, HR’s job is recruiting talent, so offering them a variety of talent sources boosts their corporate profile.
2. Assessment Exercises
In an HR online training course, you can include small quizzes for learners to assess their own progress. These same tools can be repurposed. An HR trainee could use that kind of module to identify their strengths and weaknesses. They can tweak it for their hiring process. Instead of leaving it up to them, give each student an assessment folder. It could be a kind of JIT training resource they can use as they recruit for positions within their firm. At the same time, it makes them better at their job because it makes the interview process less stressful for recruits. And that shapes interviewees’ perception of your organization, even if they don’t get the job. So once again, that’s extra brownie points for your HR trainees.
3. Listening Practice
The average simulation requires trainees to perform an active task. They might make a sales call or try to calm an aggrieved client. As a job recruiter, your trainee’s job involves asking questions. They may even have a template or prepared questionnaire. However, the real skill is in listening. Five candidates may receive the same survey and give polar responses. Include coaching exercises that entrench active listening. Your trainees can listen to an interview or have a simulated conversation. Then, ask questions about information gleaned from the chat. They can review the listening exercise and see what they missed out on. However, the HR job description goes beyond hiring. They must also help in-house employees to resolve issues and navigate the choppy waters of company policy. For example, how to file for paid leave or submit a complaint. These are, yet again, areas that require a high degree of active listening skills.
4. Microlearning Troubleshooting Aids
How-to videos and audio clips are a useful JIT resource for your HR online training, but you could take it a step further. Categorize them into groups for easy access. For example, you could have a folder of “hiring tips” that includes interview scripts and active listening tools. It could also have infographics for recruits, recommended salary scales, and vacation regulations for policy-related conundrums. Or demos that teach the tips on how to handle workplace challenges without losing their cool. This would be more constructive and educational than a tome of HR policy. It’s also easier for the trainees to remember, making it an effective eLearning resource. As a bonus, these microlearning compilations can be expanded into mini standalone courses.
5. “Do And Don’t” Serious Games
In many respects, your HR employees are the gatekeepers who ensure that everyone who enters the organization is a wise investment. They’re also the ones who keep the team up to date regarding compliance issues. There may be some gray areas. However, for the most part, there’s a right and wrong way to follow the rules. Create “do and don’t” serious games that test their ability to differentiate the two. For example, one level might consist of an employee who breaches the COI guidelines. How will the trainee handle the situation tactfully? They must choose between two to four distinct reactions using all their experience and skills. If they opt for the best solution, they advance to the next level. If not, they receive immediate feedback and targeted recommendations. Incorporate interesting characters and relatable scenarios to facilitate real-world application and improve employee engagement.
Conclusion
HR training doesn’t have to be boring and routine. There are lots of unconventional ways to jazz it up while arming your employees. Organize webinars and synchronized online sessions for your trainees so they can network with their peers. Introduce a library of HR assessment exercises they can apply on job recruits. Give them lots of experience in active listening, not just smart question-asking. Gather related resources to create mini-courses for reference and future expansion. HR training is a kind of “gift that keeps on giving.” It boosts the skillset of the trainees themselves, but it also spills over to their charges. Design the kind of course that stretches far into the corporate ether.
Are you looking for a new authoring tool to develop your HR online training job aids in house? Or maybe you’d like to outsource the job to a content provider? Use our online directory to find the perfect eLearning partner for your online training course, from translation providers to rapid authoring tool vendors.
