Over the past few years, the procedures regarding corporate employee training in Cyprus have undergone significant changes, as Cypriot companies continue to make an effort to keep up with the global market. In an era where we are more connected than ever before, information and trends travel at the speed of light, and as such, multiple innovative training methods have made their way into the island’s landscape.

How did these changes come to be and what is their impact? 

This is the main question we will try to answer in this article, by going through these strategies, the mindset behind them and the effect they have in the workplace.

Nowadays, traditional employee training methods have mostly given way to digital personalised solutions provided by multiple platforms across Cyprus, such as the Cyprus Digital Skills and Job Coalition and New Horizons. These programs often offer increased flexibility, personalisation, and can be tailored to cater to each company's different needs. All of the above advantages, as well as the ever-increasing demand for remote work, have made digital training a no-brainer for modern companies. 

Finally, digital training facilitates an unprecedented level of work-life balance for employees, as it allows them to learn and grow at their own pace and always in accordance with their personal schedule, thus making them an overall more appealing choice for both parties.

According to a study by Microsoft, the average human’s attention span has decreased dramatically over the past years, due to the massive change in our daily lives in the digital age. Fast-paced living, constant online access, and bite-sized video content are all factors that have contributed to this noticeable shift. To combat this phenomenon, many sectors have adopted a method often referred to as Microlearning to their operations. Microlearning is all about short, concise sessions designed to cover specific topics, one at a time. Microlearning has achieved such popularity in the modern workplace, due to its efficiency and the ways in which it accommodates the human brain’s learning process.

The introduction of microlearning is not the only way companies have adjusted their training methods to better suit current employees and how they learn. Another interesting phenomenon that has found great success in recent years is often referred to as the “gamification of learning”. As the title implies, various training courses have implemented gaming elements within their process, to better engage and motivate generations that grew up with video games on a daily basis. By incorporating elements such as points, leaderboards, levels, animations and more, training courses become a much more appealing prospect to young employees. Furthermore, the interactive nature of this process encourages quick thinking, flexibility and healthy competition.

As the world progresses and subjects like psychology and mental health become more widely accepted, companies across the world have put great emphasis on their workforce’s well-being, as well as the development of their soft skills.

Essentially, soft skills are one’s interpersonal qualities that allow them to harmoniously coexist with those around them. Skills such as teamwork, adaptability and problem-solving are highly prioritised by modern brands, as they allow them to nurture a culture of respect, empathy and communication amongst employees, which in turn, boosts productivity and creativity. Soft skills are usually trained in workshops, team-building exercises, and role-playing scenarios, among others.

With the emergence of VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality), their implementation in corporate training courses should come as no surprise. These technologies allow trainees to engage in very realistic scenarios that give them hands-on experience without any of the risks involved in physical training. Companies that make use of heavy machinery find VR and AR particularly useful, as they perfectly simulate the real thing, while also reducing operational costs and limiting the need for any further resources.

Learning & Development is a rapidly evolving field that adapts to the growth of technology, the demands of the market, and human psychology. As such, it is easy to surmise that the current status quo will not remain unchanged for long. So, what should we expect from the future of employee training? One of the most effective methods of decision-making is based on data analysis. By leveraging data accumulated from surveys, performance reviews and multiple other sources, companies can identify the ideal path for each employee, thus streamlining their training procedures.

The global corporate landscape has shifted towards training methods that address modern needs and issues, and Cyprus has largely followed suit. These methods include more flexible, technology-driven solutions that can also be highly personalised to cater for each company’s individual needs. 

The search for more effective and efficient employee training methods is a constant one. Society, technology, and multiple other factors are always shifting, and employee training needs to reflect these changes, in order to have the desired results.