An employee training manual can make or break an organization’s efficiency. Effective training procedures make employees more excited and engaged in their work. Without proper education on company roles and values, employees become disengaged and unsatisfied with their roles, leading to a high turnover.
An effective employee training manual is the secret to having happy employees and a well-organized company. In fact, according to LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, 94% of employees said they would stay with a company longer if there was an investment in learning.
You can use Heretto to create many different kinds of documents, and an employee manual is one of them. In this article, we’re diving into the benefits of having a great employee training guide and tips for creating one of your own.
Quick Takeaways
- Effective employee training manuals are online, downloadable, easily editable, interactive, compatible with all devices, and user-feedback friendly
- Digital employee training manuals can be easily created using a component content management system, or CCMS
- Benefits of using a CCMS to create an employee manual are: simple content management, easy access, effortless collaboration, multimedia output, and more
- Include a table of contents, use a template, and feature a progress meter to keep both authors and users engaged
Creating an effective employee training manual is vital to having an educated workforce. A content management system ensures a positive experience for authors and users.
What Is An Employee Training Manual?
An employee training manual is a detailed guide or document specifically designed to help employees reach optimal performance within their organizational roles. Employee training manuals can be used in-person, on-demand, or remotely to:
- Onboard new employees
- Roll out new software or systems
- Address new protocols or processes
- Share SOPs, or standard operating procedures
- Publish product instructions and information
When creating an employee manual, the publishing possibilities are endless. Although, when deciding which format is best for your company, there are a few qualities to prioritize that ensure an effective document:
- Online
- Downloadable
- Easily editable
- Digital interaction
- Device compatibility
- User feedback
- Single Source of Truth (SSoT)
When these features are integrated into an employee training manual, they help enhance your organization's performance. Luckily, creating an effective online guide for employees with these qualities is simple with a component content management system, or CCMS.
Typical content management systems give control over company documents, but in a different way than a CCMS does. Component content management systems offer a higher level of control at a component level, whereas CMS manages content at a document level. This makes CCMS more flexible when it comes to creating employee training manuals.
When employee training manuals are created through a DITA XML powered CCMS, they can be written and edited by single authors or several authors simultaneously. Any modifications made are trackable and streamlined throughout the entire system in real-time, eliminating the need to make repetitive updates. A CCMS also provides a single source of truth, making sure that everyone in the organization has access to the same information.
Benefits of Using a CMS to Create an Employee Training Manual
Writing and publishing effective employee training manuals can take a lot of time, planning, and money. By taking your manual online, you can take advantage of a smarter, renewable approach to educating your employees.
The specific benefits of creating an online employee manual are:
- Simple content management. Component content management systems were created with the intent to simplify extensive digital publishing projects. They are specifically designed with features to make creating content as easy as possible.
- Easy access. Since materials live online, both authors and users can access the most recent versions 24/7. Not to mention, online manuals eliminate many hard copy issues, like font size and misplacement.
- Effortless collaboration. Content management systems are designed for efficient collaboration. Several writers can edit the same content at the same time.
- Reusable content. When you use a CCMS to create your employee training manual, independent blocks of information can be easily reused. This makes content creation faster and more effective.
- Interactive. To create an effective employee training manual, you need to receive feedback. With a digital guide, you can field responses from users.
- Localized Interface. If English is not an employee's preferred language, they can easily select a different language for their employee manual.
- Single Source of Truth (SSoT). An SSoT ensures that everyone in an organization has access to the same information. With SSoT in place, creating employee manuals with accurate, up-to-date content is easy.
With these benefits, you can give your employees a valuable, interactive opportunity to maximize their growth and reach their potential.
Essential Features Of Your Employee Training Manual
The layout and design of an employee training manual can determine whether or not it’s engaging or effective. To take advantage of maximum value, here are a few specific qualities your employee manual should feature:
- Table of Contents. An outline of contents will make your employee training manual highly indexable, making finding and discovery easy for users.
- FAQs. Including FAQs at the end of an employee training manual gives users the opportunity to answer their own questions. According to a recent study, 67% of users prefer self-service over speaking to a company representative.
- Effortless Navigation. Include links, prompts, and cues to guide employees through a natural progression of content interaction.
- Streamlined Template. Using a template will streamline function and design, making the experience consistent for users and authors.
- Mobile Support. Today’s wide variety of digital devices requires flexible accessibility. Make sure your employee training manual is viewable on any internet-capable device to maximize its effectiveness.
Not only will these features create a positive experience for employees but also for content authors.
Perfect Your Employee Training Manual Today
A great employee training manual can have a significant impact on the growth of your organization. Using a component content management system to create your user manual can keep authors and employees educated and engaged.
Ready to get started? Heretto makes creating consistent, positive user experiences simple. Start creating an effective employee training manual today by booking a demo, or explore Heretto to learn more.
