Skip to main content
All CollectionsGetting StartedThe Basics
Getting Started: Role-Based Training
Getting Started: Role-Based Training
Sara Delgado avatar
Written by Sara Delgado
Updated over a week ago

Role-based training is a crucial component of employee development, focusing on the specific skills and knowledge required for each role within your organization. This article will guide you through creating effective role-based training in Opus, covering core competencies, proficiency levels, and cross-training opportunities.

💡 Why separate New Hire from Role-Based training?
We recommend separating your New Hire Onboarding from you Role-Based training modules to give you better flexibility in assignment workflows and reporting in Opus. Think of your NHO training as “one and done” upfront module assignments that can be triggered via automations that gets followed by your role-based training modules in a path.

Understanding Role-Based Training

Role-based training typically encompasses 2 phases:

  • Core Competencies: Essential skills and knowledge required for the role

  • Leveling or Cross-training: Breaking skills into levels (to mastery) or stations across roles (to improve efficiency)

Phase 1: Start with Your “Core” Training First

To begin creating role-based training in Opus, we recommend a crawl, walk, run approach where you nail the basics first:

  1. Identify key roles: Determine the primary roles within your organization that require specific training.

  2. Define core competencies: For each role, list the essential skills and knowledge required.

  3. Outline relevant training topics: Map out topics that you can build training around.

  4. Develop training content: Create courses, resources, and assessments for each competency and proficiency level.

Phase 2: Build on Proficiency and Cross-Training

  1. Establish proficiency levels: Create a progression path for each role, from beginner to expert.

  2. Develop cross-training paths: Create opportunities for employees to learn skills across different roles or stations to increase operational flexibility and promote career growth.

✨ Need some inspiration?
We’ve compiled a collection of real training examples in Opus on our blog to showcase best practices.

Building Role-Based Training in Opus

Step 1: Implement the "Show, Tell, Do, Review" Framework

When building out your modules in Opus, use the “Show, Tell, Do, Review” framework as a guide on how to use every type of content (courses, quizzes, check-ins, resources) effectively. Learn more about how to build good training on Opus here.

Show

Demonstrate the skill or process through videos or in-person demonstrations.

Resources, Courses

Tell

Explain the concepts and reasoning behind the skill.

Courses

Do

Allow trainees to practice the skill through interactive exercises or on-the-job training.

Check-ins

Review

Assess the trainee's performance and provide feedback.

Quiz-Only Courses, Check-ins

Step 2: Set Up Assessments

Assessments verify if a person can actually do the job. What’s often missed is re-verifying if a person has remembered.

Assessments can be done as a combination of:

  • Online quizzing

  • In-person check-ins

Keep your existing employees up-to-date with:

  • 30-60-90 day check-ins, which you can set up using Paths

  • Periodic assessment/refresher courses on core competencies

  • Cross-training opportunities to broaden skill sets

Get a step-by-step guide on how to set up a path here.

Best Practices for Role-Based Training

  • Start with the basics: Don’t overwhelm your employee with too much information. Start with just enough information and add over time.

  • Lean on existing materials, then improve: You likely have existing SOPs and job aids. Even if it’s not perfect, it’s better to have them accessible. Then you can add better video or training content.

  • Use microlearning: Break content into small, focused modules for easier consumption and retention.

  • Incorporate real-world scenarios: Use case studies and simulations to apply skills in context.

  • Gather feedback: Regularly collect input from trainees and managers to improve your training content.

Getting stuck? 😫
Remember, effective role-based training is an ongoing process. Continuously refine and improve your training content based on feedback and changing business needs to ensure your employees are always equipped with the skills they need to succeed.

FAQs

How often should role-based training be updated?

Review and update your role-based training at least annually, or more frequently if there are significant changes in processes, technology, or industry standards.

Can role-based training be customized for different locations or departments?

Yes, Opus allows you to create variations of your training modules and assign them based on location, department, or other custom attributes.

How do I track the effectiveness of role-based training?

Use Opus's reporting features to monitor completion rates, assessment scores, and time-to-proficiency. Also, gather feedback from managers on employee performance improvements.

Did this answer your question?