6 Mistakes That Ruin Online Training Branching Scenarios For New Hires
New hires are already on shaky ground, emotionally speaking. They don't know anyone just yet and aren't sure about their job duties or expectations. Even the most well-adjusted employees may second-guess their talents, despite your personalized onboarding online training course. The last thing they need is decision-making scenarios that frustrate and confuse them before they enter the workplace. Let's look at the top 6 reasons why your online training branching scenarios make them want to click away, as well as tips to prepare them for any challenge that comes their way.
1. Too Many Decisions
You need to test new hire knowledge and proficiency. So, there should be a few decision points in the branching scenario. But not so many that employees feel overwhelmed or stressed. Develop the paths in advance using a branching map or storyboard. Include between five and ten key points where new hires must make their choice based on their pre-existing knowledge. That way, staffers have time to reflect on every decision and don't feel rushed through the experience. You can also conduct test rounds to determine the ideal number of paths to avoid new hire frustration.
2. Unrealistic
We've all been forced to endure unrealistic training scenarios, such as emergency situations we will never encounter on the job or over-the-top dialogue that seems totally out of place. Nothing frustrates new hires more than online training branching scenarios that are disingenuous and unrealistic. Include lifelike images, characters, and obstacles to gauge how new employees perform and immerse them in the action. You can even ask experienced staffers to lend their voice acting talents for the scenario to make it authentic. Or use images and video clips from the workplace, which also cuts costs and saves you the trouble of curating third-party content.
3. High Pressure
New staffers shouldn't feel like they're retaking their college exit exams, complete with sweaty palms and stomach knots. Of course, branching scenarios involve some degree of pressure because they mimic real-life situations. You should expose employees to everyday challenges, prepare them for what lies ahead, and test their responses. That said, they're dealing with enough pressure from their new work duties. They don't need a branching scenario pushing them over the edge and leaving them frazzled. So, keep it real but not to the point that new hires start to sweat the small stuff. When in doubt, conduct surveys and polls after the fact to see how they fared emotionally and if you need to adjust the pressure levels.
4. Throw Them In At The Deep End
This is yet another reason why one-size-fits-all training has no place in modern L&D. You can't use the same branching scenario for seasoned staff members and new hires. Experienced employees may be able to rise to the challenge because they've seen it all before. They've dealt with angry customers who demanded to see the manager and have memorized all the product specs. New employees, on the other hand, need to wade into the waters instead of being thrown in at the deep end. Ensure that new hire training scenarios stick with their pre-existing knowledge base and pay grade. For example, they shouldn't have to look up every other word because they aren't familiar with technical jargon (yet), or handle challenges that usually fall under the purview of management.
5. Too Much Text
New employees feel like they're reading a manual instead of participating in a branching scenario—it's too much text and not enough visuals. Not only does this cause unnecessary frustration, but it also causes cognitive overload. Incorporate photos, graphics, and charts to help them make the right choice without swaying their decision. For example, they may need some background information regarding compliance polices to avoid a breach. This information wasn't covered in the previous onboarding module, so they have no frame of reference. Another reason to add more visuals is to create an emotional connection and boost engagement. They can see the customer and read their facial expression before making their final decision, instead of just reading about their demeanor.
6. Extreme Outcomes
Your branching scenario only covers the ends of the spectrum instead of outcomes in the gray area. Employees either achieve the best possible result or the one they dread, and there's nothing in between. Which isn't true to life. Include a good mix of outcomes that employees can achieve based on their performance. They must be able to see how their behaviors and choices impact their job duties and coworkers. For instance, one mistake leads them to the second-best outcome. They immediately know what they did wrong and how to improve so they don't repeat the same mistake. Once again, it's important to show cause and effect realistically. Mishandling a customer complaint isn't the end of the world. The entire organization won't suddenly collapse like a house of cards because the new employee lacks communication skills. However, they may lose sales and repeat business.
Conclusion
Not being able to perform tasks or having to master new policies is frustrating enough. Online training branching scenarios shouldn't be another hurdle new hires must overcome. So, avoid these common mistakes and develop decision-making scenarios that build them up instead of breaking them down. Keep it real without pushing them past the limits, and limit text to enhance the immersion. Last but not least, ensure that new employees have the basics down pat before you throw them into the deep end.
Does your current authoring tool have branching scenario templates and reusable assets? If not, use our free online directory to find the right tool for the task. There are even user reviews to help you find a replacement that's tried and tested.
