5 Essential Types of Workplace Training

What Are the Different Types of Training Programs?

Employee training programs are an essential part of any organization’s success. From onboarding to skills development, different types of employee training can significantly impact their engagement, performance, and career growth. 

In this guide, we’ll explore the five essential types of employee training every organization needs—along with benefits, examples, and tips for each. Understanding these distinctions can help you identify gaps to develop more comprehensive and effective training programs. 

1. Employee onboarding 

Onboarding is the first step to welcoming new hires and getting them up to speed with the company culture, processes, and tools. It’s designed to familiarize employees with their roles, the organization’s expectations, and key policies from day one.

Why onboarding matters

An effective orientation and onboarding training program can reduce turnover rates, accelerate time to productivity, and improve job satisfaction. Employees who are properly introduced to their roles and the company are more likely to feel confident, integrated, and aligned with organizational goals.

Common onboarding program topics 

• Company culture and values
• Role-specific employee training
• HR, code of conduct, and legal requirements
• Software and tools introduction
• Professional growth and development opportunities

E-learning tip: Extend onboarding beyond the first few days or weeks on the job. Consider designing custom learning paths to organize multiple courses in a single collection or guided curriculum for new hires to take at their own pace over time. This can help to reduce information overload, while still helping them continue building institutional knowledge and job skills incrementally.

2. Compliance training

Training employees on compliance topics is vital for ensuring adherence to relevant laws, regulations, and company policies. This type of training is mandatory in most industries, but it’s particularly important for those with job functions related to safety, healthcare, finance, and data privacy.

Why compliance training matters

Compliance employee training programs protect workers, customers, and the business from potential harm. This might include workplace accidents and injuries, data or security breaches, discrimination, and employee misconduct. Non-compliance can lead to serious legal and financial consequences, including fines, lawsuits, and damage to the company’s reputation. 

Common compliance training topics

• Workplace health and safety (OSHA regulations, for example)
• Anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, and diversity training
• Cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy laws (e.g., GDPR or HIPAA)
• Employee code of conduct 
• Business ethics (e.g., conflicts of interests)
• Industry-specific regulations (e.g., Anti-Money Laundering)

E-learning tip: Break training sessions into digestible microlearning modules to avoid overwhelming employees with dense information. Regularly update materials to reflect changing laws and regulations—e-learning platforms simplify this process by instantly publishing updates across all courses.

3. Technical skills training

Technical training, also known as vocational training, equips employees with the skills needed to perform specific tasks or roles within their jobs. Whether it’s learning how to operate specialized equipment or mastering complex software, technical training helps employees stay current in their roles and enhances their overall job performance.

Common technical training topics

• Software, tools, or equipment use
• Accounting or bookkeeping
• Project management methodologies
• Graphic design, animation, or video editing 
• Research and UX design
• Web development
• Strategic planning
• SEO writing
• Sales training hard skills

E-learning tip: Create vocational training programs with input from both subject matter experts (SMEs) and learning and development (L&D) teams to ensure accuracy. Online collaboration tools, like Articulate’s Review feature, allow you to seamlessly request, organize, and review feedback in one place.

4. Product or service training

Product or service training educates learners about the specific products or services that your company offers. This type of training is especially critical for sales teams, customer service representatives, and marketing professionals. Some organizations also create customer-facing product or service training, such as a self-service library of FAQs, demo videos, or user guides. 

Why product or service training matters

When employees deeply understand the company’s offerings, they can deliver better customer experiences, close more sales, and enhance the organization’s credibility. Proper product training ensures that employees are confident in discussing, demonstrating, and troubleshooting your products or services. 

Public-facing product or service training programs also help end users maximize the value of their purchase and troubleshoot issues independently, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Common product or service training topics

• Product features and benefits
• Customer use cases
• Troubleshooting and FAQs
• How-to demo videos or user guides
• Competitive differentiators

E-learning tip: Use media elements to demonstrate product functionalities and organize information in easily digestible formats. For example, you might use labeled graphics, 3D images, or video demos to improve product online learning.

5. Soft skills training

Soft skills development training fosters employees’ interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and other non-technical abilities that are critical for effective communication, teamwork, and leadership. This type of training is valuable for employees at all levels, from entry-level workers to senior management and executive leadership.

Why soft skills training programs matter

While technical skills are essential for job performance, soft skills are equally important in promoting a positive work environment and building strong teams. Employees who excel in communication, problem-solving, and leadership tend to be more collaborative, adaptable, and effective in their roles. 

These skills are also increasingly important in a world of AI that automates technical tasks, making human-centered skills like creativity, empathy, and adaptability more critical than ever for long-term success.

Common soft skills training topics

• Communication and active listening
• Management training and leadership skills
• Conflict resolution and negotiation
• Emotional intelligence and empathy

E-learning tip: Use scenario-based and role-playing training materials to help employees practice applying soft skills in a no-risk environment.

Bridge workplace training gaps

Understanding the different types of workplace training allows you to design a more comprehensive L&D program that meets the diverse needs of your workforce. Whether you’re onboarding new hires, developing technical and soft skills, or ensuring compliance, each type of training plays a vital role in employee and business success. 

Want to learn additional tricks to create successful employee training programs that drive business impact and increase ROI? Discover actionable insights in our free e-book: Close Skills Gaps with Science-Based Learning.