Training Employees Is Easier with This Tip

Employers are all about training these days. The faster new employees become proficient and the more current stay up-to-date in necessary skill sets, the more productive they can be. The sooner they receive a good understanding of company policies and culture, the more efficient and collegial the working environment can become. Want a clue that will help you make it happen more quickly in your company? Here it is: print management.

Most of us have been exposed to numerous “training modules” that we had to watch on our computers when we joined a new organization. Often, we had to go online to read employee manuals and fill out “paperwork” that wasn’t paper at all. Well, I saw a recent report that shows that if you really want employees to learn quickly, that’s a mistake.

For Learning, Digital is a Paper Tiger

The report included results from consumer surveys between 2015 and 2018. They were conducted by Two Sides North America and Toluna, an independent global polling firm. The findings show that Americans prefer print on paper for learning new material and retaining information. In fact:

  • 88 percent believe they understand, retain or use information better when they read print
  • 80 percent prefer to read complicated materials in print, compared to only 13 percent who prefer computer screen, and a microscopic 3 percent would rather use their smartphones
  • 68 percent believe books are more likely to encourage learning and the development of other skills than using screens

Seems to me that every one of those is a critical issue in employee training, both for new hires and promoted employees. They are equally important for new company initiatives, product introductions, benefit sessions and any other vital transmission of information.

Young People Have Strong Opinions on Print

And those opinions are not what you might guess. Those mislabeled “digital natives” are especially enthusiastic about the role they think print should play.

“We were also surprised by the strong response of the 18 to 24-year-old group—69% of which said it was important to “switch off” and enjoy printed books and magazines, and 62% being concerned about the health effects of increased screen time,” says Phil Riebel, President of Two Sides North America.

It turns out that if you believe the myth about screens dominating our future, you might well be missing the chance to help all your employees (including the younger ones) reach their full potential more quickly.

Superior Results Are No Myth

For almost 100 years, we’ve been helping businesses with their print management. We have learned a thing or two along the way about how to help a business avoid the myths and work more efficiently. We’ve earned two straight Best of Print and Digital awards on the strength of our customers’ evaluations. So I’d like to suggest two tactics that can only help your business.

First, subscribe to our newsletter at the top of this page, so you won’t miss key information and interesting topics that can help you help your company grow. Second, contact Superior today to get help and a head start on a print management plan. Because the fastest way to get your employees to work better is to ensure that their training and education materials work better. And that only happens in print.

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