Starting a new job often feels like being handed a complex machine manual without any illustrations—confusing and time-consuming at first.
For companies in corporate or manufacturing settings, this kind of uncertainty can slow productivity and impact morale right from the start.
The real challenge lies in building an onboarding process that’s efficient and straightforward.
Traditional methods often rely on lengthy handbooks, outdated presentations, or a “sink-or-swim” approach. These methods not only waste time but can also leave new hires feeling disconnected and overwhelmed.
But what if there was a faster, more engaging, and stress-free way for new hire training?
In his book, Beyond Freedom and Dignity, psychologist B.F. Skinner highlighted the impact of external surroundings on behavior:
"People are products of their environment. If you want to change attitudes, start by changing the environment."
Real-time displays embody this idea perfectly.
Acting as a key external stimulus, digital displays provide new hire training with clear visual cues, real-time updates, and interactive guidance.
By transforming the training environment, it simplifies the process for both trainers and new hires alike. Let’s explore how!
1. Interactive Onboarding: Engaging Ways to Train New Hires
For many, the first days are a whirlwind of processes, unfamiliar tools, and expectations
Traditional onboarding methods, often dependent on paper manuals and generic PowerPoints, fail to make the experience engaging.
Enter real-time digital displays, a game-changer for new hire training.
These displays provide dynamic, step-by-step guidance, breaking complex processes into digestible parts.
Instead of static, non-interactive manuals to train new hires, companies can use these displays to showcase interactive videos, on-the-spot safety demonstrations, and task breakdowns.
The impact is undeniable! Studies reveal that 65% of people learn best visually, so real-time displays are the way to go for a successful onboarding process.
With real-time digital displays, aka, digital signage, new hire training feels less daunting, making the transition smoother for employees—making it one of the most effective training ideas for new hires.
2. Real-time Feedback: Boosting Confidence During New Hire Training
Feedback is a cornerstone of effective new hire training. It’s how we know if we’re on the right track or if we need a course correction.
And with real-time digital displays, we know we are—because feedback becomes immediate, visual, and actionable.
Here’s a scenario: A manufacturing facility onboarding new machine operators uses digital displays to guide employees through safety protocols and operational steps. As trainees complete each module, progress bars on the screens update in real time.
This innovative approach to training new staff ensures that employees can visually track their progress. If a quiz follows a module, employees see their results immediately, allowing them to review their answers or revisit sections for improvement.
In another example, a corporate office uses interactive dashboards during sales training. As part of their new employee training, new hires simulate client calls while performance metrics—such as response time and closing rates—are tracked and displayed instantly.
Trainers can also leverage digital screens to collect feedback from new hires. For instance, after a safety walkthrough in a warehouse, employees are prompted with a poll asking, “Was this training clear?” or “What part of the process felt confusing?” These digital tools elevate training ideas for new hires by making feedback a real-time component of the process.
By training new staff in an interactive environment, companies ensure their new hire training is not only effective but also engaging and responsive to employee needs.
3. Self-paced Learning: Customizing New Employee Training
Not everyone learns at the same pace. Some people absorb new information quickly, while others prefer to take their time, and traditional methods often fail to handle this challenge.
Digital signage changes the game by enabling self-paced learning.
With interactive screens or kiosks, digital signage is an ideal tool for new employee training.
Most importantly, these digital displays provide flexibility in training new staff and help create a collaborative environment where the process to train new hires can run at its own pace.
For example, in a manufacturing setting, a new hire could pause and replay safety protocol videos until they feel confident. Whether it’s a video explaining internal tools or a visual guide to compliance rules, employees can always choose to revisit the material at their convenience.
This makes digital displays the best method of employing self-paced learning to train new hires.
4. Visual Learning: Training Ideas for New Hires That Work
Ever tried explaining a complex process with words alone? It’s an uphill battle. Fred R. Bernard very rightly said, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
And here’s why: Studies show that visuals improve learning by 400%, and employees are more likely to retain information presented visually than text alone.
Digital signage leverages videos, infographics, and animations to create an engaging learning experience.
Take a manufacturing setting, for example. Instead of handing out dense safety manuals, companies can display animated safety procedures on digital screens.
This approach also works in service-oriented roles, where customer interaction techniques can be demonstrated visually.
By incorporating these impactful tools into training new staff, companies ensure employees are better prepared and less likely to make mistakes. It’s a simple but powerful way to train new hires effectively.
It’s one of the simplest yet most impactful training ideas for new hires. Then why wait? Get a demo and grow!
L Squared: Effective Training With Digital Displays
Real-time digital displays have flipped the script on employee communication and employee training. Their effect? Turning dull sessions into engaging experiences with real-time feedback and interactive visuals.
Having a digital display is like having a digital trainer who never takes a coffee break—perfect for simplifying new hire training and boosting confidence from day one.
For a detailed look at building effective training strategies, explore A Plant Manager's Guide to Training New Hires in 30 Days.
If you're ready to add this effective training method to your workplace, L Squared is your perfect partner.
With over 17 years of experience and a stellar reputation with Fortune 500 companies, L Squared delivers customizable digital solutions to train new hires.
Setup takes just an hour, and with L Squared’s 24/5 live support, you're never left hanging.
Ready to add a touch of brilliance to your onboarding? Contact L Squared today!
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What kind of training plan is needed to help employees engage with the new digital tools?
An effective training plan for digital tools should be structured yet flexible, starting with an introduction to the tools' purpose and benefits. Use hands-on demonstrations and visual guides displayed on the digital signage itself to familiarize employees with the interface. Incorporate self-paced learning modules and real-time feedback sessions to encourage active engagement. With L Squared, you can seamlessly update and broadcast these training materials across your organization. This ensures employees have constant access to the latest resources, promoting continuous learning and effective tool adoption.
2) How do you start training a new employee with Digital Signage?
Begin by using digital displays to welcome the new employee and provide an overview of their onboarding journey. Start with simple, step-by-step instructions displayed visually, such as workplace protocols or an introduction to their role. Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes and progress trackers to engage them as they go through training modules. Digital signage can also showcase company values, safety procedures, and role-specific tasks, making the first day both informative and engaging.
3) How would you ensure that the training is effective for an employee within the company?
Effectiveness can be ensured through regular real-time feedback loops enabled by digital signage. Use polls and quizzes to assess comprehension and gather feedback on the training content. Provide visual progress tracking so employees see their advancement, which boosts motivation. Monitor performance metrics from the interactive sessions to identify areas for improvement and tailor follow-up training sessions. Lastly, ensure content is role-specific and updated regularly to keep training relevant and impactful.
