We are looking to improve our new teller training process and I need some suggestions on how others handle this. I've been hesitant to tell a new hire that their first XX weeks will have them confined to a computer, watching videos and webinars and taking tests. I know a new hire is excited to jump in and do hands on learning. Can some of you let me know how you balance the "boring" part of training with reading procedures, regulations, policies, etc. and the actual how to process transactions and handle customers? We usually hire because we have a vacancy that needed staffed yesterday so we try to get them waiting on customers as soon as possible. I just need to know how long you train and what type of training program you do. Thanks.

First week in various training classes and processing fake transactions. Second week in live window with a trainer.

Ditto osucpa

Our training Agenda is for one week. First 2 days are spent in the "manual", which also consists of homework, and in class exercises. The next 2 are devoted to fake transaction processing. The 5th day is "examination" day. Then they report to their location to work with a mentor on an as-needed basis.

This "week of training" or the days spent in the manual----is this all done online and self paced or with a live instructor or a mixture?

a mixture. It's a fast paced week. The attendees have homework assignments for example, reading the manual one evening, completing reviews for certain sections. The next morning we discuss the reviews, and take a quiz over those sections. Same holds true for the 3rd morning...review/quiz...we have several "in-class" exercises we go over depending on our subject matter(cashing check exercises/BSA Exercises/Hold Exercises)...so it's a mixture of "lecture" and "hands-on"...

The first time I went through teller training, they mixed it up... we would do "classwork" throughout the morning but then run practice transactions for a good portion of the afternoon. Web-based training was left for on-the-job training downtime. Training took 2 weeks in total between classroom/practice teller line/on the job training.

The most recent teller training I did at another bank was 2 weeks of sitting in a classroom looking at power points followed by a week of practice teller, and a week of on the job training. Longest 4 weeks of my life. I didn't stay with that institution long.

I like how my first bank did it. Mixed it up, kept it interesting. Gave you something to look forward to towards the end of the day (getting to play with the fake money).

Our training program is fairly short. 1 week of official training. first 2 days, policies, procedures reviewed with new employee(s) and certified by teller supervisor. then the new employee is given a mentor. the new employee works out of the mentor's drawer with close, close, close supervision by the mentor for the rest of the week. then the new employee is issued their own drawer next to the mentor's window. Throughout the training period the mentor is reinforcing the policies and procedures learned in the first 2 days. Mentors are chosen based on experience and given instruction on training.

I remember the days of being a teller... With no experience whatsoever I was given a day and a half of shadowing before they handed me a drawer and told me to have at it.

These days we require the newbie to shadow our lead teller at our busiest branch for a week (it helps that we only have four branches within a relatively small area). She goes through a learning packet with them, and other employees add their own training if they are feeling so inclined. If they are then deemed worthy they are sent back to their own branch to operate under supervision.

Whatever you do, make it interesting. Not everyone learns the same way, so if you can adapt your program to different learning styles you're going to get better results. What I mean is, for some people, letting them watch videos and slide shows may be the way to go, but others can get the same information by watching your more experienced staff sooner rather than later (this way they can ask questions right away, too).

Where I am at now I had two days of "training" First day was endless reading of banking policies, second day was shadowing the senior teller. Day three I had a drawer and was on my own. Luckily I am a smart cookie and pick up on new systems quickly...however the lady who started with me had endless trouble and didn't last long. Previous bank was the opposite. Two weeks in an office alone going through powerpoint-like presentations. Whatever you decide, find a happy medium. If you don't break up the policies with some hands on then you lose focus and don't truly learn anything!

Our training basically consisted of having the new teller dive right in. Though when I trained, I started with explaining things & having them take notes to understand how things works. I had a binder of assorted items to help out the new teller. Then, to incorporate the cash drawer, I usually asked the new teller if they preferred to watch or dive right in. If they wanted to dive in, I stood right next to them & kept an eye on every transaction (the new teller worked off my Head Teller drawer). All of my tellers were on their own drawer in under two weeks.

We recently took on part-time tellers who were trained at our main office. If an office needed a full time teller, we've had the part-timers take those positions & no training was required on my behalf, so it has been at least probably 2 years since I've done training.