Discover 14 Strategies to Help Your Team Benefit from Workshops
Are you wondering how to make the most of workshops for your team? Well, you’ve come to the right place! In this piece, I’ll share 14 amazing techniques to ensure your employees get the absolute best out of workshops. Let’s dive in!
1. Set Clear Goals: First things first, it’s important to define what you want to achieve from the workshop. This will help you stay focused and ensure everyone is on the same page.
2. Engage Participants: Creating an interactive environment is key. Encourage your team to actively participate, ask questions, and share ideas. This will make the workshop more enjoyable and educational.
3. Create a Safe Space: Foster an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions. When people feel safe, they are more likely to engage and contribute.
4. Provide Relevant Content: Tailor the workshop material to your team’s needs and interests. Addressing their specific challenges and goals will make the experience more valuable.
5. Encourage Reflection: After each session, give your team time to reflect on what they’ve learned. This enables them to internalize the information and think about how they can apply it in their work.
6. Promote Collaboration: Workshops are a great opportunity for team members to collaborate and learn from one another. Encourage group activities and discussions to foster collaboration and exchange of ideas.
7. Provide Supportive Materials: Share handouts, reference materials, or online resources to support the workshop content. This allows participants to revisit the information later and reinforce their understanding.
8. Follow Up: Don’t let the learning end with the workshop. Regularly check in with your team to see how they are applying what they’ve learned and offer support if needed.
9. Lead by Example: Show your team that you value continuous learning by attending workshops yourself. This sets a positive example and encourages others to prioritize their professional development.
10. Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate the progress your team has made as a result of the workshop. Recognize their efforts and give credit where it’s due. This boosts morale and motivates further growth.
11. Encourage Networking: Encourage your team to connect with other participants or industry professionals during the workshop. Networking opens doors to new opportunities and can lead to valuable connections.
12. Embrace Practical Application: Help your team see the practical relevance of the workshop content. Provide real-life examples and guide them in translating what they’ve learned into actionable steps.
13. Offer Ongoing Learning Opportunities: Keep the momentum going by providing continuous learning opportunities beyond the workshop. This could include webinars, online courses, or mentorship programs.
14. Solicit Feedback: Finally, ask for feedback from your team about their workshop experience. This will help you improve future workshops and ensure that their needs are being met.
There you have it – 14 incredible strategies to help your employees make the most out of workshops. Implement these techniques and watch as your team’s knowledge and skills soar to new heights. Have a blast!
When you invest in ongoing education and professional development for your employees, it shows them that you value their contributions to the company. This, in turn, can boost morale and loyalty. Many companies host speakers or workshops to support their teams’ ongoing education and personal and professional development. However, it’s important to make sure your employees feel engaged, especially during virtual meetings.
To help you achieve this, I reached out to 14 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) and asked them the following question:
Many companies host speakers or workshops to support ongoing education and the personal and professional development of their teams. How can you ensure your employees feel engaged and get the most out of these opportunities?
Here are a few of their ideas for boosting employee engagement.
Contents
- 1 1. Let’s Have Fun with ‘Lunch and Learns’
- 2 2. We’re All in this Together: Company-Wide Debriefing Sessions
- 3 3. Get Your Team Involved in the Planning
- 4 4. Make sure Your Content is Relevant
- 5 5. Don’t Forget to Answer Questions
- 6 6. Be Open to Suggestions
- 7 7. Add Some Excitement
- 8 8. Let Your Team Take the Lead
- 9 Step 9: Make Your Work Environment Awesome!
- 10 Step 10: Put What You Learned into Action!
- 11 11. Get involved and interactive
- 12 12. Have meaningful discussions
- 13 13. Get Insight with a Survey
- 14 14. Make it Exciting with Giveaways
1. Let’s Have Fun with ‘Lunch and Learns’
I think it’s a cool idea to let our staff take charge of ‘Lunch and Learn’ workshops. It’s a great opportunity for them to improve their public speaking skills and showcase their knowledge. Plus, it will get everyone involved over time. You’ll be amazed at how much more engaged everyone becomes when they know it’s their turn to lead the discussion soon.
2. We’re All in this Together: Company-Wide Debriefing Sessions
I believe that involving the entire company in these activities is crucial. It’s important for everyone, from the CEO to the support staff, to participate. Afterward, we should gather as a team to discuss our key takeaways. Hearing different perspectives will teach us valuable lessons and allow us to expand upon the new ideas and experiences we gained from the presentation or workshop. ~ Kyle Michaud, Carolina Dozer
3. Get Your Team Involved in the Planning
4. Make sure Your Content is Relevant
I learned that it’s important to choose speakers or workshops that are relevant to what’s happening in your company. If the topics don’t resonate with your team, they won’t engage with them. So, it’s crucial to tailor the speech or workshop to something your team has recently completed or is currently working on. When the message aligns with their experiences, they’ll get the most out of it. ~ Nick Venditti, StitchGolf
5. Don’t Forget to Answer Questions
One way to make workshops and events more engaging for employees is by giving them a chance to ask questions. This not only makes them feel more involved, but it also helps them clear up any doubts they may have. So, remember to create space for questions and encourage your team to participate. ~ Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
6. Be Open to Suggestions
When it comes to employee learning and development, it’s important to involve your teams. They should have a say in the areas where they need training. This way, they’ll feel more invested in the process and look forward to the training sessions.
7. Add Some Excitement
To make workshops and training sessions more interesting, you can create contests and offer rewards. For instance, you can have a quiz during the session and recognize the winner. Alternatively, you can set up a point-based system with tasks, and reward the person with the most points. These incentives will motivate people to pay attention and actively participate.
8. Let Your Team Take the Lead
Step 9: Make Your Work Environment Awesome!
I’ve got a tip for you – it’s all about creating a great work culture. You see, some companies have an awful culture where their employees are unhappy. They might bring in famous speakers or athletes to motivate their staff, but it doesn’t work. The key is to engage your employees from the inside out. You can’t pretend to be genuinely interested in their well-being.
Step 10: Put What You Learned into Action!
Let’s talk about how to make the most out of workshops and training sessions. It’s not just about sitting back and listening, but actually putting what you learn into practice. That’s why they’re called ‘workshops’ – because you gotta work on what you workshop!
11. Get involved and interactive
When you attend a workshop, ask the speaker or organizer to include interactive activities. This could be a QA session or having the speaker demonstrate something live. By getting hands-on and having experiences that relate directly to your work, you’ll be more engaged and get more out of the training.
12. Have meaningful discussions
13. Get Insight with a Survey
If you want your team to really get into workshops and other cool opportunities, why not start by sending them a survey? Surveys are a neat way to learn more about your team and get their valuable feedback. Just ask them how they would benefit the most from a workshop and what you can do to help. By taking the lead, you’ll inspire them to share their needs and ideas.
14. Make it Exciting with Giveaways
Who doesn’t love free stuff? If you want to make your employees feel super engaged during workshops, why not hold some giveaways? It’s a fun and thrilling way to get everyone excited. You can even choose prizes that are useful and practical, something your employees will actually use in their daily lives. Ready to amp up the fun?