19 Employee Training Programs You Can Deliver Virtually

Regardless of the purpose and objective – whether onboarding new hires or training sales teams on soft skills – employee training addresses several business challenges. And with more and more companies adopting virtual employee training, delivering a powerful experience for trainees is crucial.  

To help you with just that, we’ve put together a list of 19 simple but impactful virtual employee training programs that you can implement to drive results. 

Benefits of Employee Training Programs

Employee training programs not only benefit the employees by upskilling them, but also brings in positive ROI for the organization overall. Some of the biggest benefits of investing in employee training programs, include:

• Increased productivity: Employee training programs empower employees with multiple skills and all the technical know-how they need to excel at their job, which boosts productivity, quality of work, alongside minimizing errors. 

• Improved job satisfaction: Consistent learning leads to steady upskilling of the employees, ensuring job satisfaction and also employee loyalty with time.
• Higher retention rates: When companies invest in employee training, they witness greater retention, as a content workforce is less likely to shop for opportunities outside. Being confident in their organization’s growth culture inspires them to stay. 

• Better adaptability: Regular training can make your company capable of adapting to any sudden change and ensuring seamless business continuity – be it technological, market- related or even internal policies or processes. 

• Stronger company culture: Proper employee training reinforces the core values of your organization and also reflects on the standards of your company.

Now, let’s explore the various types of employee training programs that serve different purposes across the employee lifecycle.

1. Orientation 

Orientation is typically the first touchpoint a new employee has with your company. This short-term program helps them understand the organization’s structure, mission, and work culture. While often overlooked, a good orientation experience can lay a strong foundation for long-term engagement.

Orientation training may include:

• An overview of company history and values
• Introductions to key departments and leadership
• Explanation of HR policies, benefits, and administrative tasks

• Physical or virtual tour of the workplace

Orientation training ensures that new hires feel welcomed, informed, and ready to start their journey with clarity and confidence.

2. Onboarding Training

Unlike orientation, onboarding is a longer-term process focused on role-specific preparation. It typically spans a few weeks to months, helping new employees acclimate to their job responsibilities, team dynamics, and performance expectations.

Effective onboarding often includes:

• Detailed job instruction and shadowing opportunities
• Training on tools and systems relevant to the role
• Check-ins with managers and team members
• Clear performance goals and expectations

Successful onboarding not only speeds up productivity, but also improves employee retention by creating a smoother transition into the company.

3. Compliance Training

Compliance training ensures employees understand laws, regulations, and internal policies related to their work. This type of training is mandatory in many industries and often required by law.

Common compliance training topics:

• Anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies
• Data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA)
• Workplace safety and emergency procedures
• Ethical standards and codes of conduct

Besides protecting the organization from legal risks, compliance training fosters a culture of accountability and respect.

4. Product Training

Product training is designed to familiarize employees—especially those in sales, marketing, and support roles—with your company’s products or services. It ensures employees can confidently communicate product benefits and troubleshoot issues.

Key elements of product training:

• In-depth understanding of features and functionality
• Competitive differentiators and market positioning
• Use-case scenarios and real-world applications
• Demos, manuals, and customer FAQs

Employees who deeply understand your products are more convincing in marketing, persuasive in sales and helpful in customer service.

5. Leadership Training

Leadership training helps cultivate future leaders and enhance the abilities of current managers. It prepares individuals to take on responsibilities beyond their technical roles by building key soft and strategic skills.

Topics often covered in leadership training:

• Team management and delegation
• Conflict resolution and performance feedback
• Decision-making under pressure
• Vision setting and strategic planning

Investing in leadership development builds a strong internal talent pipeline and ensures the organization can thrive through change.

6. Technical Training

Technical training focuses on the hard skills and knowledge employees need to perform specific tasks. It’s especially important in industries like IT, engineering, and healthcare where accuracy and expertise are critical.

Examples of technical training:

• Learning programming languages or operating systems
• Using new machinery or technical tools
• Following protocols for specialized tasks
• Certification programs or licensing prep

Providing regular technical training ensures your team stays current with evolving tools and technologies.

7. Quality Assurance Training

Quality Assurance (QA) training teaches employees how to maintain high standards in delivering products or services. This type of training is common in industries where consistency, safety, and customer satisfaction are vital.

QA training usually covers:

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Internal quality benchmarks and checklists
• Auditing and documentation practices
• Root cause analysis for defect prevention

Good QA training minimizes errors, increases efficiency, and protects your brand’s reputation.

8. Sales Training

Sales training gives employees the tools and techniques they need to close deals, build relationships, and meet targets. It blends product knowledge with customer psychology and sales strategies.

Sales training typically includes:

• Prospecting and lead generation tactics
• Objection handling and negotiation techniques
• CRM tools and data tracking
• Pitching, presentations, and closing strategies

With effective training, sales teams become more confident and capable of adapting to different buyer personas and market shifts.

9. Soft Skills Training

Soft skills training involves uplifting the interpersonal abilities of an employee, which can contribute significantly to the growth of a business. Soft skills are essential to maintain a safe and positive work environment, helping teams work better together. It is especially helpful for the leadership alongside individuals in teams like marketing, sales, customer relations, etc.

Essential soft skills covered:

• Verbal and written communication
• Time management and organization
• Emotional intelligence and empathy
• Creative problem-solving and adaptability

Soft skills training improves collaboration, morale, and overall workplace effectiveness.

10. Team Training

Team training aims to improve the collaboration among team members, and boost individual and team productivity. With proper team training, building trust within a company becomes much easier, and communication is improved too.

Examples of team training activities:

• Cross-functional collaboration exercises
• Conflict management workshops
• Agile or SCRUM methodology training
• Communication protocol training (email, meetings, project tools)

When teams function cohesively, they produce higher quality work and resolve issues faster.

11. Diversity Training

Diversity training helps employees recognize and embrace individual differences in the workplace. It supports an inclusive culture where everyone feels respected and valued.

Diversity training may cover:

• Understanding unconscious bias
• Promoting inclusive language and behavior
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Addressing microaggressions and privilege

Beyond compliance, diversity training enhances creativity, empathy, and collaboration among diverse teams.

12. Safety Training

Safety training ensures that employees understand how to identify and mitigate workplace hazards. It’s crucial for protecting both staff and the company from accidents and liabilities.

Topics commonly included:

• Safe equipment handling and personal protective gear
• Emergency evacuation procedures
• Hazardous material protocols
• Ergonomics and injury prevention

Safety training saves lives, prevents injuries, and ensures regulatory compliance.

13. Upskilling Training

Upskilling focuses on advancing an employee’s current skills to keep up with changing job demands. It’s proactive training designed to future-proof the workforce.

Examples of upskilling:

• Moving from basic Excel to advanced data analytics
• Learning digital marketing strategies in traditional marketing roles
• Gaining leadership or project management certifications

Upskilling improves career prospects and boosts morale by keeping employees challenged and valued.

14. Reskilling Training

Reskilling is the process of teaching employees new skills for different roles, especially when current roles become obsolete, due to automation or restructuring.

Common reskilling scenarios:

• Training cashiers for customer service roles in e-commerce
• Transitioning factory workers into equipment maintenance roles
• Teaching in-person trainers how to run virtual training

Reskilling protects employees from redundancy and supports business continuity.

15. Customer Service Training

Customer service training helps employees develop the tools needed to deliver exceptional service across multiple channels. This training is key for brand reputation and customer loyalty.

Key customer service skills:

• Active listening and empathy
• Handling complaints and resolving conflict
• Communicating clearly across phone, email, and chat
• Exceeding customer expectations with proactive support

Great service doesn’t just solve problems—it creates long-lasting relationships.

16. Remote Work Training

As remote and hybrid work become the norm, employees need support to maintain productivity and connection outside the traditional office.

What remote work training includes:

• Best practices for digital communication
• Cybersecurity for home office setups
• Time management and self-discipline tips
• Use of collaboration tools like Zoom, Slack, or Trello

With remote work training, teams stay engaged, efficient, and connected, no matter where they are.

17. Mentorship and Coaching Training

Mentorship and coaching programs pair experienced professionals with developing employees to accelerate learning and growth. This training teaches mentors and coaches how to guide effectively.

Components of effective coaching training:

• Goal setting and tracking progress
• Active listening and questioning techniques
• Delivering constructive feedback
• Building trust and confidentiality

Mentorship builds strong internal networks and nurtures talent from within.

18. Career Development Training

Career development training helps employees identify growth opportunities within the company and prepare for future roles. It’s about long-term success, not just immediate performance.

Common topics:

• Personal branding and career mapping
• Goal setting and performance tracking
• Identifying internal promotion opportunities
• Preparing for interviews and performance reviews

Organizations that support career development are more likely to retain high performers.

19. Data Privacy Training

In an era of increasing data breaches, employees must be trained to handle data responsibly. Data privacy training helps employees understand security protocols and regulatory requirements.

Topics often include:

• Recognizing phishing and social engineering attacks
• Safe data storage and transmission practices
• Password hygiene and access control
• Complying with laws like GDPR or CCPA

A single mistake can lead to costly breaches—training ensures every employee is part of the defense.

Conclusion

As mentioned, employee training should be a consistent component and not a one time effort. The more you invest in your employees, the better your overall company performance. The aforementioned training types have their own benefits, and are important in enhancing the readiness of the employees, and making them acquainted with the new technologies.

Investing in well-planned training programs for your employees will lead to a culture of growth, resilience, and long-term success.