How to maximize employee training

Copyright (c) 2008 Drew Stevens PhD

It is incorrigible to find so many firms with worker inefficiencies and dissatisfaction. 58.5 billion dollars per annum is spent globally on training. This daunting figure sends a different message when broken down. 70% of most firms do not conduct training that helps them remain competitive. Typically during economic volatility the first line item cut is training. However, the most vital resource for all organizations is training.

Customer Service and sales are critically important to all organizations. The frequent pace of product development, client topography and product updates necessitate continual training. However, the size, cost and geographies of delivering training become cumbersome. Ironic, given our knowledge-required economy.

In recent research for this article our firm discovered that 90% of training programs conducted for corporations result only in a 90-120 day increase in productivity and, as a result, fewer than 20% of companies realize any sustainable productivity gain that lasts beyond 12 months. The rationale- training is treated as an event not as a process. To obtain long-range results and consistent progress, training must be conducted frequently. Additionally, our research with over 300 leading organizations denoted seven factors that infringe proper training.

Habits are not like Cigarettes - One cannot do Cold Turkey

A chronic misunderstanding about training is the issue of changing habits. Habits are formed from years of influences and behaviors. These behaviors have cultivated through many years of constant repetition. Enculturation is manifestation of behaviors both personally and professionally. Through years of progression the behaviors become our daily routine, or habits. It is weariful to believe that habits will change during a one or multi day training session.

Statistics prove that cigarette smoking through cold turkey miserably fails. So why think that training is any different. It is inconceivable to change behaviors and attitudes in a day. You can draw attention to the issues simply not change them.

Solution: The best methodology for changing behaviors is to influence them. First, use one day to draw attention to issues. Create awareness and provide some simple measures that allow workers to be mindful of the issues. Utilize technologies that continually enforce learning to make it stick. Then create opportunities for continued development. These include focus groups, shadowing, interviewing clients and suppliers. Finally, continual classroom training is pragmatic. Today's employee craves new learning opportunities and monthly or quarterly learning especially in a knowledge economy is paramount to organizational success.

Learn Me or Else

Many learners attend seminars and corporate events under incorrect pretext. A recent survey illustrates that 65% of most participants believe, training is punishment for past experience. Typically training participants believe they are wasting time, are an example and do not want to attend. Learners walk into a session and proclaim, "Learn Me". Facilitators are in a quandary to prove their worth and tend to focus on proving learning to these participants. This environment is not advantageous for learning. It represents hostility. Illicit learners create a poor learning environment.

Solution: Communication is the exemplar to promote a positive learning experience. Participants must understand the rationale for learning. Each participant must work with management to determine personal and organizational learning objectives and ensure congruency with both. The method of success begins with a positive- ensure follow up with participants after each session. Training must never be seen as a penalty for performance.

Modalities of Learning

We work in a multigenerational, multi-gendered and multicultural workforce. There is more integration of personalities and styles then ever before. This potpourri of talent requires changes in learning accommodation. Today's learner desires 1) to be involved in the learning process, they like interaction and adverse to simple lecture and 2) desire different modalities of learning. The proliferation of consumer electronics, the Internet and personal computing allows learners to devour content wherever, however and whenever they desire. As such the cliché' "different strokes for different folks" is relevant.

Solution: Create learning according to age and style preference. Many millennial learners admire the iPod and iTunes approach. They enjoy audio and can listen at their leisure. Generation X and Baby Boomers appreciate a classroom approach but desire more interaction rather than lecture. These learners crave "real time" practicum to enhance their learning. The concept of blended learner carries importance. Providing mixed modalities of learning creates new learning pathways and involves all in the process. Additionally, blended learner has a higher return on the training investment.

Concern on Productivity Decrease

Time constraints constantly infringe on learning. One day or even a full week of learning takes much productivity away from the work-team. The most imperative areas such as sales and customer service find it increasingly difficult to partake in a day or more of training. And, if training does occur, managers feel more pressure to make up for lost time.

Solution: The simple solution for all is to divide training into smaller segments of two to four hour increments. Many facilitators will balk at this concept for monetary issues however, this is the best approach for productivity gains. Less time is used during the day and learners coming straight from a course instantly apply relevant materials. This approach is more conducive for today's competitive pressures.

Real world practicum

Too many courses and too many facilitators pull content "off the shelf". This is especially true in public seminars when participants come from a myriad of organizations. Participants today desire real world practicum to apply to "their" business or department. They want immediate replies for today's pressing needs.

Solution: Facilitators must be encouraged to survey participants to better understand learner objectives. The more personal the approach, the more value client's gain from the satisfaction of meeting objectives. Additionally it is imperative to set aside education time to work on real issues. Establish actors or have learners establish roles to work on true issues that require interaction and processing.

And on the first day... there was Hiring and Orientation Over 25 years of research and development in this field points to the issue of proper hiring. Far too many capital expenditures are allocated repairing issues. Productivity decrease, morale, turnover, sales attrition are issues that all begin with worker attitude. Vast amounts of training dollars are spent trying to redirect attitude and behavior. Mentioned previously, this does not redeem itself in one training program. Further, employees do not change if ills exist within organizational culture.

Solution: Hire correctly the first time. Create Talent Acquisition Profiles to understand generational mix and attitudes. Conduct an analysis of your best people and hire those that emulate these behaviors. Hiring if conducted correctly is a proactive process rather than reactive.

Accountability

The worst travesty for any training program is a sheer lack of accountability. There are countless anecdotes of participants sent into training for hours and days at a time, returning to work no better than before training. Workers return to past habits having forgotten educational practicum. This illustrates a complete disregard for the return on investment.

Solution: Stop the narcissism. Hold individuals accountable to ALL training program essentials. If there is a new methodology have participants repeat it daily, if a new workflow have them use it, if a new moniker have them state it. The only mechanism for success is the establishment of new habits. What gets remembered gets repeated and it is imperative for individuals to constantly repeat new processes to change old habits.

The road to success begins with change. Training reduces productivity and increases cost, yet the true measurement is the degree of change. If participants are held to accountable and proper measurements applied, organizations can justify the value and return on training investment. However, if some of the issues mentioned above are taken for granted then training is no more then triage for ongoing issues that forever exist creating productivity decrease and expense.