Onboarding new employees in a Saas company requires that they are given the best training needed to fit right into the team.
This training determines the success or otherwise of a new employee, considering that the success of the employee is measured by the knowledge of the company's vision, policy, and mission.
Research shows that when an employee onboarding process is done accurately, there is a 70% productivity increase in the company’s output. This will lead us to explore the employee training manual: its components, the effects, and how to create it for Saas in 2025.
- Well-structured user guides & API docs
- Custom graphics for better understanding
- Video tutorials & knowledge base setup
What Is an Employee Training Manual?
An employee training manual is a document, course, or video presentation that is involved in the learning and onboarding process.
This training guide is an explanatory document that informs your employees of the training plans and the courses available to them. It’s much like technical documentation, but for the internal team.
This helps them to grow and, at the same time, enables the growth of the company.
The sole purpose of training an employee is to expose them to your company’s day-to-day learning program and, for old timers, update their knowledge.
At the core of every employee's desires is growth, and a company that invests rigorously in their employees' stable workforce, heightened productivity, and a competitive advantage. The employee training manual can be found in the employee handbook or a separate document.
What then should be in your software training manual?
Components of an Employee Training Manual
To achieve the desired result in the employee training guide, you must add the following:
1. The Introduction Segment
This introduces the company and provides a brief overview of the company’s history and previous milestones. You should add what should is expected in the preceding part of the training manual.
2. A Quick Overview of Each Training Section
An overview of the entire training process should be provided at the end or beginning of each training session for clarity. It should inform employees of the company’s objective and what they should strive for.
3. Outline of an Employee Training Manual
Are you wondering why employees do not take training? Here is the reason: the training guide fails to incorporate a concise outline or none at all. Your employee training guide should outline the courses available so participants can skim through and find their desired guide.
4. The Goal of the Training
When drafting a manual for software developers, it should be stated that this “guide is prepared for developers” alone, so an architect does not pick up the manual and feel disappointed.
The goal of each training manual should be stated expressly so that expectations are met.
5. Q&A Section
A question-and-answer segment must be conducted throughout the manual to ensure trainees are learning and improving.
It’s not just about taking the course, it will guarantee attention and note-taking.
The component of an employee training manual for Saas companies should not be limited to what we have here, you can implement others that are peculiar to your company and its vision.
Steps to Create an Employee Training Manual for SaaS
You have seen the components of an employee training manual, now it’s time to create your magic for Saas companies.
Let’s see how to create a software training manual in the preceding part of this blog.
1. Review Your Company’s Demand
For companies without a training manual, before writing your guide, you should ask questions like:
- What is the size of my Saas company?
- What is the length of each manual?
- How do I update the manual content?
- How many departments do you have?
- What is the goal of this manual?
Answering these questions will determine how the training guide looks and how long it will take to complete the manual.
For companies that have one, you should consider checking for inefficiencies and asking employees questions about their productivity and where updates need to be made on the previous employee training manual.
After careful review has been done, you can then proceed to organize the structure of the training.
2. Draw Out the Structure of the Guide
Setting the tone straight will enhance clarity, and every area that needs to be touched will be thoroughly accounted for.
A structured employee guide will include how it should be approached to make sure all loose ends are taken care of. When designing the template, ensure the UI/UX is top-notch, the wording is simple, and the outline is included.
3. Develop the Content
Content development is a crucial part of the guide; if the content lacks vitality, the entire guide will become redundant, but if the structure is followed, the content will improve the company’s financial health.
This is where collaboration comes in. Here are the professionals who must be involved in the manual development stage:
- Technical writers
- Instructors and field experts
- Human resource personnel
These categories of people ensure that the training guide is well-written from draft to final copy, with the subject matter expert providing detailed knowledge to verify the authenticity of what has been written.
Also, the human resource department of your company should assist with an interpersonal relationship guide on how employees behave under certain conditions. With efforts from all parties involved, the quality of the training guide will yield results.
4. Improve the Design and Outlook
While content is crucial, do not forget that the look of the manual is germane and will determine the success of the learning process.
The design must be aesthetically pleasing with the use of interactive features like charts, infographics, video presentations, PPT for readability, and screenshots for steps and guides. It has been proven that learning exercise is more productive when graphic elements are added – this enhances retention in the readers' subconscious minds.
You should also consider bullet points and cut down unnecessary words.
5. Share the Manual for Feedback
After the employee training guide has been written and edited, share it with your team for feedback, or better still, send it to experts in the field.
The feedback obtained will determine if the guide meets the demand of your saas company but to get enough reviews of the content, design, layout, branding, and cover, you should use a Google form so that feedback can capture the entire manual.
6. Update the Training Manual
After feedback has been submitted, update the manual based on the responses and state when the manual will be updated.
When there is new development or your company is expanding and hiring more employees, you need to update it so it meets the present demand.
These six steps have captured how to create training manuals for SaaS and other companies. Follow these steps and be guaranteed an efficient manual.
Effect of Employee Training Manual for Saas in 2025
Building a sustainable company and a formidable team is something every Saas company wants but this is only achieved by providing growth opportunities.
One of the effects of an employee training manual is that it builds capacity to perform albeit, you must ensure it is a part of your company’s long-term strategy.
Let’s look at the effect of an employee training manual in 2025.
1. Encourages a Culture of Lifelong Learning
Top on our list is that an employee training guide encourages a lifelong learning culture among employees and builds a forward-thinking team.
Imagine Jane works at a Saas company, and there is an urgent need for a data analyst. Fortunately, the company has a data analysis course as part of its onboarding training, but Jane took the training while others ignored it.
In this scenario, Jane is preferred to fill this role, and other teammates will have no choice but to update their knowledge of the company’s training guide.
2. Reduce Training Cost
Investing in a one-time manual compilation will save your company a lot of expenses and reduce the time needed to complete the manual guide individually.
If the manual is taken individually, the time spent would have been utilized for other things but with a ready-made employee training manual, each employee can learn anytime, saving cost and time.
3. Expose Employees to Policies and Advanced Training
In a company where the policy entails that special training be held every six months on data protection, this does not only help the company, it expands the knowledge base of its employees.
The manual should incorporate compulsory courses and training that can be taken at will.
These effects and many more are the results obtained from a well-written employee training manual, and to maintain this, you must constantly update the manual for consistent development.
Kickstart Your Writing Process
According to Devlinpeck, the majority of employees learn 70% of their skills on the job, and just a little below 11% in formal learning. Consequently, drafting your first or updating your employee training manual should be a priority if you want sporadic changes in your company’s performance.
Fortune 500 companies remain competitive with consistent productivity because they demonstrate a growth mindset and adopt learning management systems to sustain their competitive edge.
If you’re just starting as a company, encourage your employees to develop their skills to meet growing demands.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should an employee training manual include infographics?
Yes, to improve readability and engagement, infographics should be added.
2. How often should the manual be updated?
The manual should be updated quarterly or, preferably, once a year, so it can remain relevant.
3. Where can you hire technical writers for a training manual?
StanzaGo is a dedicated technical writing platform offering various technical writing services. You can hire them for your employee training manual at an affordable cost with money back guarantee.
- Well-structured user guides & API docs
- Custom graphics for better understanding
- Video tutorials & knowledge base setup
