20 Top Employee Training Tools To Take Your Workforce to the Next Level
The right employee training tools can boost engagement, performance, and retention, increasing profits and cutting hiring costs. Even better, companies with strong training programs see 218% higher income per employee than those without.
Effective employee training benefits not just employees but also employers. In addition to greater retention and engagement, 59% of employees report that training improves their overall job performance, which, in turn, leads to increased profit margins for the organization. As an HR professional, you can take advantage of employee training tools to support these positive outcomes.
This article discusses the importance of such tools and how you can choose the right ones for your organization. It also provides a list of 20 employee training tools you can select from to boost your company’s workforce productivity and performance.
Contents
What are employee training tools?
Why employee training tools matter
HR’s role in selecting and implementing the right tools
20 employee training tools to boost workforce performance
Employee training tools selection checklist for HR
What are employee training tools?
In simple terms, employee training tools refer to platforms, templates, systems, or resources that help businesses manage learning and development (L&D). They make it easier to onboard new hires, build future leaders, stay compliant, and upskill teams.
There are a few types of useful employee development tools you should know about, including learning management systems (LMS), online content libraries, microlearning apps, and employee training management systems.
In addition to the digital systems and apps mentioned above, offline resources are also important, especially when used to support digital formats and resources. For instance, tools like AIHR’s Training Needs Analysis template or Employee Development Plan template provide structure and clarity when mapping out your strategy.
Why employee training tools matter
Training isn’t just a formality — it’s a wise investment in your workforce and your company’s future. Often, employees don’t just want a job; they want to grow, see progress, and have a reason to stick around.
However, more traditional training and learning methods, like in-person sessions or PDF handouts, don’t always cut it. Today’s employees reasonably expect training to be smooth and engaging, and technology plays a big part in this. Having a variety of tools to cater to different needs, learning styles, and career goals is a great way to ensure well-rounded employee training.
Below are some key benefits of employee training tools for HR, employees, and employers:
For HR teams
Employee training tools can help you streamline planning by centralizing aspects like scheduling and content creation, which allows you to focus your efforts and attention on other strategic HR initiatives.
These tools can also automate the tasks related to new hire onboarding for consistency and ease. At the same time, reporting tools allow you to monitor learning progress, scoring, completion rates, and real-time feedback.
For employees
Whether it’s tech skills or soft skills, good tools help people grow faster, yet effectively. Training plans also help employees see how today’s work connects to tomorrow’s goals — when employees see a roadmap for growth, motivation and morale tend to increase.
Additionally, employees are more engaged and productive when their employer is invested in their development and provides suitable, effective training to support their growth.
For employers
Thanks to effective employee training tools, employers can enjoy higher productivity and quality output. Trained employees tend to make fewer mistakes and perform better. Such tools also allow for easier tracking, which means better compliance and being audit-ready with less effort.
The improved retention also benefits employers by allowing them to explore avenues for promoting high-potential staff to leadership positions. At the same time, lower employee turnover helps minimize external hiring costs.
HR’s role in selecting and implementing the right tools
As an HR professional, you’re not just responsible for choosing the right tools — you must design, cultivate, and maintain a long-term learning culture. That means aligning tools with both business needs and employee goals. Here’s what that typically looks like:
Identify learning needs
Before diving into learning tools, talk to people to identify skills gaps and understand employee needs. You can use data from performance reviews, employee surveys, or tools like AIHR’s Training Needs Analysis Template to help prioritize what matters most.
Evaluate the options
There’s no shortage of employee training software available, so take your time and do your homework before selecting the most suitable one. Look for platforms that:
- Match your company size and structure
- Integrate with existing tools (HRIS, Slack, email, etc.)
- Support your preferred employee training methods
- Align with your company’s budget
- Are scalable and can be integrated with existing systems.
Plan a thoughtful implementation
Rolling out new software is a major undertaking, so don’t rush it and plan accordingly. If you’re considering working with a vendor, ask them to provide demos so you can see in detail how the system works. You’ll also need stakeholder buy-in, a training framework, and a deadline for testing and implementation.
Get support from managers
Getting managers on board is essential for a smooth rollout. Help them understand the “why” behind the tools, and offer quick-reference materials or micro-trainings they can use with their teams. Their buy-in is crucial to success, and having them lead by example is an effective way to get employees on board as well.
Tie tools to business goals
Ultimately, your training strategy and the tools used to implement it should support positive, measurable outcomes. Whether that’s reducing customer service response time or improving leadership diversity, make goals as clear and detailed as possible and explain how each tool you’ve chosen can help employees achieve those goals.
Learn to drive consistent, effective employee training
Develop your skills in facilitating effective employee training and choosing the right training tools that support long-term success for both your organization and its workforce.
AIHR’s Learning & Development Certificate Program teaches you how to create a strong L&D program, close skills gaps, develop and sustain a learning culture, increase employee retention, and use learning analytics to measure the impact of your employee training.
20 employee training tools to boost workforce performance
Below are 20 employee training tools that can help boost your workforce’s performance. These tools fall into six categories, covering a wide range of employee training needs, priorities, and goals.
Templates for HR
Templates for HR are ready-made documents (e.g., onboarding checklists or training plans) that help save time and make employee training more consistent. They help HR standardize processes, reduce errors, and make sure every employee receives the same important information.
Examples
- AIHR’s Training Needs Analysis template: Helps HR identify skill gaps by comparing current employee competencies to required standards, ensuring training aligns with organizational goals.
- AIHR’s Leadership Development Plan template: Provides a structured approach to cultivate future leaders by outlining goals, necessary skills, action steps, and timelines.
- AIHR’s Employee Development Plan template: Facilitates focused discussions between managers and employees to set development goals and track progress, enhancing growth and retention.
- AIHR’s Employee Training Plan Template: Defines what employees need to learn and how, helping them ramp up faster, perform better, and stay ready for future challenges.
Learning management systems (LMS)
A Learning Management System (LMS) helps HR deliver, track, and manage training courses online. It provides a structured way to guide employee learning, allowing HR to monitor progress, assess knowledge through quizzes, and issue certifications when needed.
Examples
- Absorb LMS: An LMS that delivers and tracks training programs, offering personalized learning paths and analytics to improve performance.
- Docebo: An AI-powered LMS that automates learning delivery, personalizes content, and integrates with other tools to streamline employee training.
- Moodle: An open-source LMS that allows organizations to create customizable online training environments tailored to their specific needs.
Online course platforms/providers
Online course platforms or providers offer ready-to-use courses that HR can use to quickly train staff on specific skills without building material from scratch. This saves time, ensures content quality, and gives employees access to expert-led learning.
Examples
- edX for Business: Offers access to university-level courses, enabling companies to upskill employees in areas like leadership, data analysis, and digital transformation.
- LinkedIn Learning: Provides a vast library of professional courses, allowing employees to learn new skills at their own pace and stay current in their fields.
- Skillshare Teams: Focuses on creative and practical skills, offering team-based learning experiences to foster innovation and collaboration.
Microlearning and employee training apps
Microlearning and employee training apps deliver bite-sized lessons, helping employees learn faster and fit training into their busy schedules. These tools make learning more engaging and easier to retain because the content is short, focused, and accessible on mobile devices.
Examples
- 360Learning: Combines LMS capabilities with collaborative tools, enabling employees to create and share learning content, promoting a culture of continuous learning.
- Axonify: Delivers daily, bite-sized training sessions tailored to frontline employees, reinforcing knowledge through repetition and gamification.
- OttoLearn: Specializes in adaptive microlearning, providing short, frequent training bursts that adjust to individual learning needs for better retention.
Employee development and coaching platforms
Employee development and coaching platforms support continuous growth by offering personalized coaching and career development tools. By addressing individual goals and needs, they can help you build stronger career paths, improve employee engagement, and boost retention.
Examples
- BetterUp: Offers personalized coaching and development programs to enhance leadership skills, resilience, and overall employee wellbeing.
- CoachHub: Provides digital coaching solutions that connect employees with professional coaches to develop soft skills and achieve career goals.
- Torch: Combines coaching, mentoring, and learning content to develop leadership skills and drive organizational performance.
Training management software
Training management software organizes and automates the entire training process, from scheduling sessions to tracking employee progress. It can help you handle large training programs more efficiently, reduce administrative workload, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Examples
- Eloomi: An all-in-one platform that combines learning management with performance development, helping employees grow through structured feedback and training.
- Trainual: Simplifies onboarding and training by documenting processes and procedures, ensuring consistency and scalability as teams grow.
- WorkRamp: A training platform designed for customer-facing teams, offering customizable learning paths to improve product knowledge and sales skills.
- Mentimeter: Engages employees during training sessions through interactive presentations, polls, and quizzes, making learning more dynamic and participatory.
Employee training tools selection checklist for HR
With all these options, how do you narrow down the right tools for your organization? Here’s a brief, practical checklist to guide your selection:
- ✔ Assess training needs: Don’t assume—survey teams, check data, talk to managers.
- ✔ Define learning goals: Be specific and include quantifiable goals (e.g., “improve customer satisfaction rates by 10%” instead of “train the team to improve customer service”).
- ✔ Compare features and pricing: Consider integrations, reporting, mobile access, content quality, and long-term upgrade ability.
- ✔ Request demos or trials: Get hands-on before committing to avoid purchasing and implementing a system that does not meet your needs.
- ✔ Involve the team: Include employees and managers in the evaluation process to get early buy-in.
- ✔ Plan the rollout: Map out timelines, determine champions, and plan for internal training and troubleshooting.
- ✔ Measure success: Use reports, surveys, and performance metrics to evaluate impact and make any necessary changes.
To sum up
Employee training tools are more than just tech platforms — they’re the foundation for your company’s learning culture. When thoughtfully selected and implemented, they can help employees grow and stay engaged as the business changes, build supervisory and management pipelines, and streamline your HR processes.
As an HR professional, you are at the center of it all. With the right tools, a clear plan, and buy-in from your team, you can build sustainable training programs that deliver rewarding results for both your workforce and the business.
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