How to Teach Teams Effectively: Why Learning Styles Matter in Workplace Training
Teaching new information and skills to groups of people isn’t as easy as it looks. Why? Because each person brings a unique set of experiences, skills, and knowledge to the learning situation. And, importantly, workplace learning styles vary widely.
You may have heard of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. But beyond those categories, there are deeper factors that influence how people absorb new information and implement it in the workplace.
A Psychologist’s Perspective on How Adults Learn Best
As a psychologist with over 30 years of experience in identifying learning differences across all ages, I’ve seen firsthand how people grasp information differently. This insight has driven the way we design our Appreciation at Work™ training resources for every learning style and team setup.
Our goal: make sure training is accessible, effective, and easy for every kind of learner—not just the traditional ones.
A Cultural Challenge: Many Don’t Learn Well Through Reading or Lectures
Did you know that dyslexic students (who make up about 20% of the population) and ADHD students (around 10%) grow up to become dyslexic and ADHD adults in the workforce? While many develop coping strategies or receive support, certain learning methods—like dense reading materials or long verbal presentations—still pose challenges.
Unfortunately, most corporate training programs are designed based on how the majority learns or how the instructor prefers to teach. This means those who need more hands-on or visual instruction are often left behind. While this may be acceptable for the 50%+ majority of the population, it leaves a bunch of others at a disadvantage. This includes those who learn by being shown what to do and those who learn by doing (versus talking about it).
The Solution: Multi-method Employee Training Methods That Work
That’s why we’ve designed our training processes to include a broad range of employee training methods, reaching all learning styles. We incorporate:
- Verbal (oral) instruction
- Written materials and summaries
- Real-life stories and workplace examples
- Visual symbols
- Role-playing and practice
- Personal interactions (one-on-one or small group)
- Interactive group discussions
- Daily life application with follow-up
- Humor and gamification to lower anxiety
- Practicing new skills
These methods support workplace learning styles ranging from extroverts who process aloud to introverts who prefer reflection or one-on-one discussions to kinesthetic learners who need real-time practice and feedback.
Training Tools for Every Team Structure
Often, people first hear about the 5 languages of appreciation via a webinar, podcast, or conference session. Or they read our book, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. These are excellent introductions—but learning isn’t the same as applying.
Here’s how organizations move from interest to implementation using our Appreciation at Work™ training resources:
Step 1: Informal Small Group Book Discussions
Many teams begin with an informal book study. Colleagues read the book together, use the discussion questions, and start applying the languages of appreciation on their own. When momentum builds, they often move to more formal training.
Step 2: Overview Session by Dr. White
To support leadership buy-in, Dr. White often presents a “big picture” session—either virtually or in person. This introduces the difference between appreciation vs. recognition, addresses common myths, and helps teams speak a common language.
Step 3: Formal Training Through Multiple Formats
Depending on your organization’s structure, we offer multiple ways to implement the full training:
- Internal Trainers: Have a team member become a Certified Facilitator to run sessions throughout the organization.
- External Facilitators: Bring in an Affiliated Certified Facilitator to lead a team-specific session.
- Leadership Launch: Have Dr. White train leaders directly, then support internal facilitators in a broader rollout.
- Virtual Teams: Use our Virtual Appreciation at Work™ Kit for remote and hybrid teams. It’s designed for video-based implementation across time zones and locations.
Whether you’re training a small group or an enterprise-wide team, our corporate training programs support any learning style and setup.
One Approach Doesn’t Fit All
For over a decade, we’ve built and refined training that speaks to the realities of how people learn—and how workplaces grow. When training honors individual learning styles, transformation becomes possible.
Join the many companies and organizations who’ve discovered how effective it is to train in a way that feels natural to every learner. The reward? A culture where team members feel truly seen, heard, and appreciated.
One of the core strengths for the Appreciation at Work process is that it is easily implemented. The resources are adaptable to different settings and roles, being able to be used by front-line employees, supervisors, and managers immediately. We now are offering practical skills that impact our leaders. In fact, those leaders who embrace authentic appreciation and become champions in implementing it become higher potential leaders.
Andy Bailey, Certified Recognition Professional, Employee Recognition, Events, & Corporate Citizenship Manager, DIRECTV, LLC
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Categories 5 Languages of Appreciation, Managing By Appreciation, Workplace Culture
