Benefits of in-person team training events In the age of remote working, attending events online and enhanced technology in the event sector, it’s hard to understand why employers would want to bring people together for in-person training. While the financial benefits of online events cannot be denied, the connection, practice and organic relationships fostered by in-person events far outweigh the financial savings. Choosing the ideal location for your in-person training is the first step to a worthwhile and useful session with your team. DCU offers a selection of meeting spaces catering from 5 to 1200 attendees in a customisable space, so your training is a guaranteed success. Contact our event planning team to learn more about our Dublin conference and event venue.
Stronger Connections
Working from home or attending training at your desk can be an isolating experience. You’ll have limited time, if any, to converse with fellow attendees and when you do, it’s usually in the form of a breakout chatroom. When you see and interact with your colleagues and teammates in person, it fosters a greater sense of teamwork and belonging. Individuals feel more passionate about the subject in question and are more likely to interact with fellow learners when they’re face to face.
Enhance Soft Skills
Many employers have transitioned to a remote or hybrid workplace for their employees since it worked well during lockdowns. Some employees are less likely to want to go into the office if they don’t have to. As a result, soft skills have decreased in the workplace. Employers want a team that is engaged and excited to excel at their jobs, which is hard to demonstrate from your home office. When you encourage in-person training, soft skills, such as communication, empathy, organisation, problem-solving and self-awareness are encouraged and practised.
Read Body Language
Research indicates that the absence of body language, facial expressions and gestures in remote interactions can hinder the conveyance of emotions and intentions between teammates. This is likely to reduce team cohesion and potentially lead to misunderstandings. Being able to read body language signs in person allows you better to interpret the emotions and moods of other people and allows you in turn to measure your response.
Introduce New Joiners
Chances are, there have been lots of new joiners at your company since the start of 2020. If you have a hybrid or remote working schedule, chances are you may not have met some of your new colleagues face-to-face. In-person training allows teams to bond, encouraging a sense of belonging and ‘we’re all in this together’ that contributes to a more productive team. It encourages greater natural communication between teammates and allows friendships to form organically.
Ask Questions
When you’re sitting at home listening to a training module, chances are you are not absorbing the information fully because you’re checking emails on the side. You may not feel comfortable interrupting the flow of an online presentation to ask a question and the presenter might forget to ask for feedback, meaning you are none the wiser by the time you leave. Face-to-face learning offers people the opportunity to ask questions naturally, have organic conversations and build relationships more traditionally, enhancing their learning experience. Opportunities to network and break away
from bigger groups for brainstorming sessions allows the creative juices to flow and for individuals to encourage each other. This leads to a better understanding of the topic at hand.
Hands-on learning
Compared to online training, classroom or in-person training is literally hands-on. The best way to learn something is by doing it and allowing your employees the opportunity to get their hands dirty is invaluable. Usually, you have time during or after a session to discuss the learnings and you have a whole room full of experience and opinions to learn from. Certain skills – like manual handling and first aid – are better learned in person building muscle memory and interactive learning skills.
Have Fun!
One of the most important aspects of in-person training is the fun you have with your colleagues or teammates. No matter what the subject matter, you are likely to enjoy the company of your colleagues, tell stories and enjoy conversations during breaks in the training. You might take the opportunity to go for a well-deserved lunch together or an after-work drink with your colleagues to reconnect in person.
DCU is the perfect team training venue on the edge of Dublin City Centre. We’re easy to reach, offer enhanced facilities, on-site accommodation and world-class conference and event facilities in our venue in Dublin. Contact us to learn more.
