What if the only thing between your employees and a more efficient office was you?
Many managers turn to new office accessories as a way to make the work day much smoother. And a new paper trimmer is one of the best keys to a more efficient office.
However, a new tool is only as good as the employee using it. And without specialized training for your employees, your new trimmer will be more like a paper weight than a paper tool.
Read on to discover how to help train your employees!
Why a New Paper Trimmer?
We live in a very technological age. Because of this, some managers may wonder why they should bother with a new trimmer.
The truth is that genuine paperwork is never going to fully go away. While computers have reduced our need to use various kinds of paper, they have not eliminated it.
The trimmer remains one of the best ways to organize and edit paper documents. It is safe and reliable, and it serves as an investment because it will last for many years.
Ultimately, though, the trimmer may be unfamiliar to employees. This is especially true of younger employees. This is why it is so important to train them.
Read on to discover the best tips for training your employees to use the trimmer!
Mix In-Person and Online
There is a powerful trend in modern management to rely on online training for employees. And the benefit of this training is that employees can access it wherever they go.
However, it's not a replacement for in-person training. Things that make sense in the abstract world of online quizzes may not make a lot of sense in the real world of your office.
It's best to have a mixture of the two. For instance, online instruction is a great way to reinforce concepts such as safety procedures and trimmer maintenance.
At the same time, having in-person training lets someone double check the quality of your employees' work. And it also gives them someone to direct questions to if they get confused.
Make It a Team Effort
Some employers treat training as a solitary exercise. However, there are many benefits to making training like a group exercise.
The main reason you have teams of employees is that they are stronger together. Teams help each other overcome individual weaknesses and emerge stronger than before.
Try to mix veteran employees and newer employees together for the training. And consider offering rewards and other incentives to encourage the entire time completing training.
This approach encourages those who have mastered the paper trimmer to help those who are still struggling. And it gives the entire team a specific reason they should all strive for mastery.
Finally, teaching these skills to a team underscores how important you think it is to know all of this. It shows that this is so important that you need the entire team to understand it.
Get Hands-On
When training is mostly theoretical, it's tough to measure how well your employees have learned. This is especially true of the trimmer.
Incorporate as much hands-on training as you can. Allow employees to practice different kinds of cuts and different amounts of paper until they are comfortable.
It's also important that they see how the trimmer will improve their lives at work. Being able to see the practical use of a new skill gives your employees the incentive to master that new skill.
Pick the Best Location
One of the benefits of the paper trimmer is that they are relatively low weight. That allows you to set up a training area that is mostly out of the way.
Employees can feel self-conscious if the entire office can see their failures on a new piece of equipment. Even employees who are comfortable with their direct team don't want to mess up in front of other teams.
Try to set the trimmer up in a more remote location at first. This allows both individuals and small teams to develop their skills without being criticized by anyone.
The location is also an important part of employees learning at their own pace.
Let Them Set Their Own Pace
Employers often see training as a series of steps for employees to complete. It's tempting to try to rush your employees through these steps as quickly as they can finish them.
However, the truth is that everyone learns at their own pace. Trying to force everyone to learn at the exact same pace is bound to cause chaos and confusion.
Let your employees learn at their own pace by including time to think and reflect between training sessions. This lets them build a bridge between the theory of what they are doing and the practical reasons why they are doing it that way.
Choose the Best Teacher
If you mix online and offline teaching, you will need to select the appropriate teacher. This is the most important part of the training process.
You may have the skills and confidence to conduct the training yourself. If not, you should pick someone who has the right qualities for the job.
Teachers are able to analyze and explain the use of things like the trimmer in a variety of ways. A good teacher can see how others view problems and use that understanding to offer unique solutions.
Choose an existing employee as a trainer whenever possible. This allows them to draw on their knowledge and employee relationships as well as their skill with the equipment.
The Bottom Line
You know that a new paper trimmer is one of the best investments your office can make. However, you may not know where to start when it comes to selecting the trimmer that's best for you.
At Triumph Cutter, we take your complex problems and offer straightforward solutions. In this case, we take your need for versatile paper trimming solutions and offer you a variety of options.
To see how Triumph Cutter can keep your office efficient and organized, come browse our selection of paper trimmers today!