Training plays a vital role throughout an employee’s journey, far beyond their initial days with the company. Every interaction and opportunity presents a chance to influence their overall experience. The goal is to create meaningful moments that help employees feel connected—not only to the company’s mission but also to their colleagues and to themselves. While perks like breakroom games, free lunches, and happy hours are common, there are many other impactful ways to create these moments, with training being one of the most powerful.

Leveraging Training to Boost Employee Experience

You might wonder how learning and development (L&D) ties into employee experience. Gallup reports that career growth opportunities are the second most common reason employees leave their jobs, which makes L&D’s role in shaping employee experiences even more critical. As I often discuss in my writings and speeches—particularly around topics like trust-building through training and managing authentic DEI conversations—training can significantly improve the overall employee experience.

Moving Beyond Skill Building

Training isn’t just about transferring knowledge; it’s about driving real change. It’s important to focus on measurable outcomes, particularly behavior change, since simply knowing something doesn’t necessarily lead to action. The first step is identifying the skills your organization requires. I recommend developing a custom competency model tailored to your company’s specific goals and needs. This model becomes a foundation for skill development, allowing you to upskill and reskill employees effectively.

Once the necessary skills are identified, training should focus on hands-on practice rather than just knowledge sharing. Instructional designers can craft exercises that allow employees to apply new skills in a safe environment, boosting both their abilities and confidence. When employees feel competent and capable in their current roles—and prepared for future ones—they’re likely to reflect more positively on their experience in the organization.

Creating Connection Through Training

Training, whether formal or informal, provides opportunities for employees to build relationships, especially in synchronous formats like live courses, lunch-and-learns, or virtual book clubs. These interactions matter less for their content and more for their design, as they allow employees to connect beyond their departments. Such cross-functional relationships are essential for strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts by building empathy and creating allies. Gallup found that employees who have a close friend at work experience higher job satisfaction and increased productivity.

To foster these connections, we can design experiences that encourage vulnerability and trust-building. When employees feel they can be their authentic selves at work, surrounded by colleagues they trust—including their supervisors—they are more likely to have a positive experience with the organization.

Re-energizing Employees Through L&D

One often-overlooked benefit of L&D is its ability to reinvigorate employees. Training should be an engaging and exciting experience, not a mundane task. In recent years, there’s been a growing conversation around mental health and well-being at work, and the need for L&D to play a role in this.

According to an American Psychological Association survey, 79% of U.S. workers report stress at work, leading to exhaustion. Mental, emotional, and physical burnout can’t be solved simply by taking time off. Training, however, can provide the boost employees need by aligning with their roles and career goals, inspiring excitement about their future. Well-designed training helps employees set boundaries, build skills, and explore new career paths, leaving them feeling energized and motivated.

Evaluating the Employee Experience

As you reflect on your organization’s employee experience, consider this question: How does it feel to work here? Ask yourself, your teams, and colleagues regularly. The employee experience is ever-evolving—just like the employees themselves. Make adjustments based on feedback and continue asking this question to create an environment where employees feel engaged, supported, and valued.

By leveraging training effectively, organizations can create a dynamic and positive employee experience that promotes growth, connection, and well-being, ultimately enhancing retention and engagement.