How to Develop an Employee Training Program in 8 Steps
This guide is for HR, L&D and compliance teams that have been asked to set up training and want a process that holds up in front of leadership. It covers the steps, the decisions inside each step, a one-page template you can copy, and what drives time and cost.
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Developing a training program in short
To develop an employee training program, start with the business problem and a training needs analysis, define who needs training and what they must be able to do, then choose the format, build and pilot the content, support people back on the job and measure behavior and results, not only completions. The eight steps below show how.
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Get a Free Quote →What is an employee training program?
An employee training program is a planned set of learning activities that helps a defined group of employees perform a specific part of their job better, for example handling a new system, following a safety procedure or onboarding into a role. A good program has a business goal, a clear audience, measurable objectives, chosen formats, an owner and a way to check that it worked.
People often use "training" and "development" as one phrase, as in "training and development programs for employees". They overlap, but they answer different questions, and the difference changes how you design and measure them.
| Point | Training | Development |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Skills and knowledge for the current job | Growth for future roles and responsibilities |
| Time frame | Weeks to a few months | Months to years |
| Typical formats | eLearning, workshops, simulations, on-the-job instruction | Coaching, mentoring, stretch assignments, leadership programs |
| Who drives it | The organization, tied to a job need | Shared between the employee, manager and organization |
| How you measure it | Job behavior and business results against a baseline | Readiness for promotion, internal moves, retention of key people |
Most employee development training programs combine both: structured training for the skills, and development activities that make them stick over time.
How to develop a training program: the 8 steps
Each step has an output. If you cannot produce the output, do not move on yet.
| Step | Key question | Output | Who usually owns it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Analyze the need | Is there a performance gap, and is training the fix? | Needs analysis summary | L&D with the business sponsor |
| 2. Define the audience | Who needs it, and what limits them? | Audience profile | L&D, HR, line managers |
| 3. Set objectives | What must people be able to do afterward? | Measurable objectives and success measures | L&D, sponsor signs off |
| 4. Choose the format | Which mix of formats fits the goal and the audience? | Blend and delivery plan | L&D, IT or LMS admin |
| 5. Design and build | What will people see, do and practice? | Outline, storyboard, built content | Instructional designer, SMEs |
| 6. Pilot and launch | Does it work for real learners in the real systems? | Pilot findings, launch plan | L&D, pilot group, LMS admin |
| 7. Support transfer | What happens back on the job? | Manager follow-up plan, job aids | Line managers |
| 8. Measure and improve | Did behavior and results change? | Evaluation report, update or retire decision | L&D with the sponsor |
Step 1: Start with the business problem and a training needs analysis
Begin with a business problem stated in plain numbers: errors on a process, time for new hires to reach full productivity, audit findings, safety incidents or customer complaints. Then run a training needs analysis to find out whether training is the right answer.
The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) defines a needs assessment as the process of identifying the gap between the performance required and current performance, including the causes and ways to close it. OPM also makes a point that saves many budgets: "Sometimes training is not the best solution, and it is virtually never the only solution." If people already know how to do the task but lack time, tools or clear expectations, a course will not fix it.
The CDC describes the same order: a needs assessment first, then a training needs analysis only if training is needed, to settle who needs training, on what, when and where.
Output: a one-page summary of the gap, its causes, the part training can fix, and the baseline numbers you will measure against later.
Step 2: Define the audience and their constraints
Write down who the program is for and what will make it hard for them to take part. These details decide the format more than any preference does.
- Roles and numbers: which jobs, how many people, and whether new hires and experienced staff need different paths.
- Prior knowledge: what they already know, so you do not train people on what they can already do.
- Locations, shifts and time: desk staff, field teams, frontline workers on shifts, and how much time away from work is realistic.
- Languages: which languages are needed and whether content must be localized, not only translated.
- Devices: desktop, tablet or phone, and whether learners have a company login.
- Accessibility: learners who use screen readers, captions or keyboard navigation. WCAG 2.1, published by W3C in 2018, is the accessibility standard to name in your requirements; IKHYA builds accessible eLearning to WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508.
Output: an audience profile of one page.
Step 3: Write measurable objectives
An objective describes what a person will be able to do after the training, in terms you could observe. "Understand" and "be aware of" cannot be measured; "complete", "identify", "choose" and "demonstrate" can. Agree on the objectives with the business sponsor before anything is built, because they drive every later decision.
Illustrative example, not client data
| Weak objective | Strong objective |
|---|---|
| New support agents understand the refund policy. | By the end of week 2, new support agents process a standard refund in the ticketing system without errors in 9 of 10 practice cases. |
| Managers are aware of harassment reporting. | Managers can name the three reporting channels and choose the correct next step in 4 workplace scenarios. |
For each objective, also decide the measure you will use in step 8 and when you will check it.
Output: 3 to 6 objectives per program or module, each with a success measure.
Step 4: Choose the format and the blend
Pick the format from the objectives and the audience profile, not from habit. Many programs work best as a blend: self-paced eLearning for knowledge, live sessions for discussion and practice, and on-the-job tasks to apply it. In the 2025 Training Industry Report from Training magazine, online or computer-based learning was the largest single delivery method, at 34% of training hours among the US corporations and educational institutions with 100 or more employees in its sample.
| Format | Best for | Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Instructor-led classroom | Discussion, role play, hands-on equipment practice | Travel, room and trainer time; hard to scale across sites |
| Virtual instructor-led (vILT) | Distributed teams who need live interaction | Time zones; screen fatigue in long sessions |
| Self-paced eLearning | Consistent knowledge and procedures for large or spread-out groups; tracking in an LMS | Needs good design to avoid "click next" courses |
| Microlearning | Short refreshers, single tasks, reinforcement after launch | Not enough on its own for complex skills |
| Simulations and scenarios | Decisions, software tasks, safety and compliance judgment calls | More design and build effort |
| On-the-job training and coaching | Applying skills in the real workflow | Depends on the quality and time of the coach |
| Blended program | Most programs that must change behavior | Needs one owner to keep the pieces connected |
If you plan to deliver online, decide now which learning management system (LMS) will host the courses and how they will report completions and scores. Courses are usually published in SCORM, the set of technical standards that lets a course run in most LMSs and report completion and scores, or in xAPI (also called Tin Can), which can also track mobile, simulation and real-world activity.
Output: a blend and delivery plan: formats, sequence, total learner time and the platform.
Step 5: Design and build the content
Many teams follow an instructional design model here. ADDIE stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation and runs largely in sequence. SAM is an agile alternative with a preparation phase, repeated design, prototype and review cycles, and development through alpha, beta and gold versions. Either works; what matters is that subject matter experts (SMEs) review early, on an outline and a storyboard, not on a finished course.
A storyboard is the page-by-page plan of text, visuals, interactions and voiceover that SMEs approve before development starts. An eLearning storyboard template saves weeks of rework because changes on paper cost far less than changes in a built course.
Build practice into the content, not just information. Two findings from learning research are worth designing for:
Retrieval practice
A 2006 study in Psychological Science found that practicing recall beat restudying the same material when learners were tested two days and one week later. Questions and scenarios are learning tools, not only tests.
Spacing
A 2006 review of 317 experiments in Psychological Bulletin found that spaced study improved retention compared with massed study. Plan short follow-ups after launch instead of one long session.
If your team does not have instructional design capacity, this is the step where outside instructional design services usually pay off.
Output: an approved outline and storyboard, then the built and reviewed content.
Step 6: Pilot, then launch
Run the program with a small group from the real audience before rolling it out. Ask them to complete it in the real environment: their devices, their network, the live LMS. Watch where people get stuck, time how long it really takes, and check that completions and scores report correctly.
Then plan the launch:
- A message from a senior sponsor that explains why the program matters.
- Clear deadlines and the time people are allowed to spend on it.
- A brief for managers before their teams start (see step 7).
- A named contact for questions and technical problems.
Output: a pilot findings list with fixes made, and a launch plan with dates.
Step 7: Support transfer back on the job
Transfer means people use what they learned at work. It is easy to skip, because it happens after launch and outside L&D's direct control. A 2010 meta-analysis of 89 studies in the Journal of Management found positive relationships between transfer and trainee characteristics such as cognitive ability, conscientiousness and motivation, and a supportive work environment. You cannot change the first three quickly; you can change the environment.
A 2012 research review in Psychological Science in the Public Interest makes the same point from the other side: what organizations do before training (a needs analysis, the right learning climate) and after it (checking that transfer happened) is just as important for program success as the training itself.
Practical ways to support transfer:
Give managers a one-page brief: what the training covers, what to look for, and two questions to ask in the next one-to-one.
Assign a real task within a week of the training that uses the new skill.
Provide job aids (checklists, quick reference guides, short videos) at the point of work.
Remove the obstacles found in step 1, such as missing tools or conflicting targets.
Output: a manager follow-up plan and a set of job aids.
Step 8: Measure and improve
Measure against the baseline from step 1 and the measures you set in step 3. The Kirkpatrick Model, created in the 1950s, is a widely used framework with four levels.
| Level | What it asks | Example measure |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reaction | Did participants find the training favorable, engaging and relevant? | Short survey after the course |
| 2. Learning | Did they gain the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and commitment? | Scenario-based assessment scores |
| 3. Behavior | Do they apply it on the job? | Manager observation, system data, quality checks after 30 to 90 days |
| 4. Results | Did the targeted business outcomes occur? | Error rates, time to proficiency, incidents, audit findings |
Completion rates tell you who finished, not whether anything changed. Report levels 3 and 4 to leadership, even if the data is imperfect. If leadership asks for a financial return, the ROI Methodology builds on Kirkpatrick's four levels and adds a fifth level, ROI.
Finally, decide what happens next: update the content, add reinforcement, or retire the program. A 2025 "Ten simple rules for developing a training program" article in PLoS Computational Biology advises regular assessment and adjustment, and also knowing when to end a program that no longer meets a need.
Output: an evaluation report and a dated decision to keep, update or retire.
Types of employee training programs
Most organizations run several programs at once. The steps above apply to all of them; what changes is the goal, the typical formats and what you measure.
| Program type | Main goal | Typical formats | What to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| New employee training (onboarding) | Get new hires productive and confident faster | Blended: eLearning, buddy, first-week tasks | Time to proficiency, early turnover, manager ratings |
| Compliance training | Meet legal and policy requirements and reduce risk | Scenario-based eLearning, short refreshers | Completion and pass rates, incidents, audit findings |
| Safety training | Prevent injuries and incidents | Simulations, hands-on practice, toolbox talks | Near misses, incidents, observed safe behaviors |
| Technical and software training | Use systems and tools correctly | Software simulations (show me, try me, test me), job aids | Errors, help desk tickets, task time |
| Product and sales training | Sell and support products accurately | eLearning, role plays, microlearning before launches | Ramp time, win rates, product knowledge scores |
| Customer service training | Handle customers consistently | Scenarios, call reviews, coaching | Quality scores, first-contact resolution, satisfaction |
| Leadership development training programs | Prepare people to lead teams | Cohort programs, coaching, online leadership development modules, stretch assignments | 360-degree feedback, team engagement, internal promotions |
| Soft skills training | Communication, feedback, collaboration | Workshops, branching scenarios, practice with feedback | Behavior observed by managers, peer feedback |
| Upskilling and reskilling | Build skills for changed or new roles | Learning paths, projects, mentoring | Skills assessments, internal moves |
Leadership development: leadership and management programs run longer than most training and lean on development activities. Online leadership development training works well for frameworks and for practicing decisions in scenarios; the behavior change usually needs coaching, real assignments and feedback from the leader's own team. Measure at level 3 over months, not weeks.
Employee training program template
Copy this one-page plan for each program. If you cannot fill a row, that is the gap to close before you build anything. It works as a new employee training program template too: add a row for the first-week schedule.
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Program name and owner | Name, business sponsor, L&D owner |
| Business goal | The result the business needs, in numbers |
| Performance gap and causes | From the needs analysis (step 1) |
| What training can and cannot fix | Other actions needed (tools, process, expectations) |
| Audience | Roles, numbers, locations, languages, devices, accessibility needs |
| Objectives | 3 to 6 observable objectives with success measures |
| Formats and blend | Formats, sequence, total learner time |
| Platform | LMS or other delivery, tracking standard (SCORM or xAPI) |
| Content plan | Modules, SMEs, review rounds, sign-off owner |
| Timeline | Analysis, design, build, pilot, launch dates |
| Pilot | Group, dates, what you will check |
| Transfer support | Manager brief, on-the-job task, job aids |
| Evaluation | Kirkpatrick levels 1 to 4: measure, baseline, check date |
| Review date | When you will decide to keep, update or retire |
How long does it take, and what does it cost?
It depends mainly on how much content is new and how interactive it is. A widely quoted benchmark is old but still useful for planning: a 2010 Chapman Alliance survey of 249 organizations, "How Long Does It Take to Create Learning?", reported average development times per finished hour of learning.
| Type of learning | Average development hours per finished hour |
|---|---|
| Instructor-led training (ILT) | 43 |
| eLearning, level 1 (basic, mostly information) | 79 |
| eLearning, level 2 (interactive) | 184 |
| eLearning, level 3 (advanced, highly interactive) | 490 |
Chapman Alliance, 2010. Averages; real projects vary widely.
For scale, the same 2025 Training Industry Report found that employees received 40 hours of training per year on average, down from 47 hours the year before. That is a market average for US organizations with 100 or more employees, not a guide to any one program.
What drives the cost and timeline of a training program
Length: the amount of learner time and how much content is new.
Interactivity: simple pages versus scenarios, simulations and games.
Media: custom graphics, video, animation and voiceover.
Languages: each language adds translation, voiceover and review.
Authoring tool: some tools suit fast builds, others complex interactions.
Review rounds: how many rounds there are and how quickly SMEs respond.
LMS testing: testing tracking in your platform before launch.
IKHYA prices every project to its scope, so there is no standard rate. For an accurate figure for your program, Get a Free Quote.
What these steps look like on IKHYA projects
IKHYA is a custom eLearning development company that has delivered eLearning since 2010, with 120+ specialists, 500+ projects and clients in 40+ countries. A few real projects show the steps in practice:
- Audience and languages (step 2): our 500th project was a global onboarding program for a FTSE 100 financial services company, localized into 12 languages.
- Measure against a baseline (step 8): a compliance overhaul that raised completion/pass from 61% to 82% across 1,200 employees.
- A program built to repeat (steps 4 and 6): B2B SaaS sales onboarding for 20 reps per quarter.
- Practice for safety (step 5): a safety simulation that reduced near-miss incidents.
Common mistakes when developing a training program
Starting with the course, not the problem.
"We need a course on X" skips step 1, so nobody can later say whether it worked.
Training a problem training cannot fix.
Missing tools, unclear targets or a broken process need other fixes.
Objectives nobody can observe.
"Understand" and "be aware" lead to content dumps and quizzes that test recall only.
Too much content.
Cut anything that does not serve an objective; link to reference material instead.
SMEs reviewing too late.
Review on the outline and storyboard, not on a finished build.
Skipping the pilot.
Tracking errors and confusing instructions show up in the first hour of real use.
No manager involvement.
Without a manager brief and follow-up, transfer depends on luck.
Measuring completions only.
Leadership wants to know what changed at work.
Never retiring anything.
Old courses with outdated content damage trust in all training.
Build it yourself, buy off the shelf or hire an eLearning company?
Be honest about what you need. Off-the-shelf courses are often the better fit for generic topics, such as general software skills or common soft skills, when your process is not different from anyone else's. Building in-house works when you have instructional design skills, authoring tools and SME time available.
An outside eLearning company makes sense when the content is specific to your organization (your processes, systems, products or risks), when you need scenarios or simulations, when you need many languages, or when your team cannot take on a large build. IKHYA offers custom eLearning development and instructional design services, working in Articulate Storyline 360, Articulate Rise 360, Adobe Captivate, Lectora, iSpring Suite, dominKnow ONE and Elucidat, with output in SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI and HTML5. Clients receive the editable source files for future revisions.
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FAQ
When a program targets a real performance gap, the benefits show up as fewer errors, faster time to proficiency for new hires, safer work and stronger compliance results. A 2012 research review also found that what happens before and after training, such as a needs analysis and checking that people use the skills on the job, is just as important for program success as the training itself.
Training builds skills and knowledge for the current job over weeks or months and is measured by job behavior and results. Development prepares people for future roles over months or years through coaching, mentoring and stretch assignments. Most programs combine both.
The five stages usually meant are those of the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. The 8 steps on this page follow the same logic and add two steps that ADDIE often leaves implicit: defining the audience and supporting transfer back on the job.
Use the same 8 steps, with time to proficiency and early turnover as the main measures. Combine a short self-paced core on policies, systems and products with a buddy or manager, first-week tasks and check-ins at 30, 60 and 90 days.
Neither is better in general. Self-paced eLearning suits consistent knowledge for large or spread-out groups, live sessions suit discussion and practice, and many programs blend both. Choose from your objectives and audience.
It depends on how much content is new and how interactive it is. A 2010 Chapman Alliance survey reported averages from 43 development hours per finished hour for instructor-led training to 490 hours for highly interactive eLearning. How quickly reviewers respond also affects the schedule.
Build in-house when you have instructional design skills, tools and SME time. Buy off the shelf for generic topics. Hire an eLearning company when the content is specific to your organization, needs scenarios, simulations or many languages, or your team lacks capacity.
They should, if the output standard matches your LMS. IKHYA builds courses that track in SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004 and xAPI LMSs and tests them before launch. LMS platforms we have delivered courses to include Moodle, TalentLMS, Docebo and Cornerstone.
