Earlier this year a learner expressed the concern that “her organization, just doesn’t get training.” Others in the class were quick to join in and we spent the next few minutes discussing how some organizations just don’t understand what training can do and – equally important – what it can’t.
Early in my training career, I would get frequent calls for “refresher training.” These courses included topics and tasks that the audience should know, but somehow forgot. So once again, the training department would take on the role of “Train it Again Sam.”
What can we do to help organizations use our training resources more efficiently and effectively? We can start by educating the decision makers who request training. And yes, these people can be our most challenging audience. So, what can we do to help them “get training?”
Let’s look at a couple of key steps:
Performance Analysis
The first, and most important, step to successful training is conducting a Performance Analysis. This is where we will discover the primary cause of poor performance. And remember, training can only resolve performance issues that are caused by the lack of knowledge or skill. Many of my Langevin students will confirm that if they try to provide training without first conducting a Performance Analysis, they end up wasting resources. Time, money, and training credibility can be lost on courses that aren’t really needed. Completing a Performance Needs Analysis is a crucial step in determining if training is even necessary.
Training Goals
Another step that can help the organization “get training” is to incorporate training goals that include measurable results as a part of every employee’s annual performance evaluation. Once an organization realizes that the goal of training is to actually improve job performance, the perception that training is just another event to send employees to, will end. And, once the organization supports a learning environment, training will be encouraged at all levels. As organizations are constantly changing, this element greatly helps with these changes.
As we end this discussion we see that just a couple of basic ideas may affect the perception of training in our organizations. By conducting a Performance Analysis and implementing individual training goals we can become an integral part in improving our organization’s learning climate as we work to gain the help and support of management to make training as efficient and effective as possible within our organizations.
I hope these ideas help you in this process. What ideas do you have? I’d love to hear them.
Langevin Team
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I would love my company to value a needs analysis, but this is, and will be, a long hard slog. Though the benefits realised when we get there are well worth the battle. One problem I encounter often is with Labour Relations and a belief that the more training you can give to a problem employee the more likely the Arbitrator will find in the companies favour when the employee is released. My thinking is that the more targeted and appropriate training we can give an employee; the less likely we are to have problem employees.
Adam
Bang On Adam! Too often organizations believe that training is the remedy to all problems when, in fact, much more cost effective and timely solutions are really what is needed…
I like this topic. Finally, my organization seems to be getting it. Performance need analysis is very crucial to the success of designing a novel idea, or training. The purpose is to analyze and verify the need for training. I often get calls for a new training need just as you stated and at times a refresher course.
I attended a conference on designing learning, and since then my approach to responding to this request has changed. I am now asking for training request in writing, and then I use the request to initiate the first interview. During the interview, I have a general questionnaire that is primarily designed to inquire the needs for training. I usually hand a copy of the questionnaire to the interviewee. At the end of the interview, it is often apparent to both of us whether training is the best solution to the request or not.
In cases where training is the need, then we go in-depth as to what the training content should be, the cost of the training, who should be attending, how much time should be allotted to the training, and how to measure the training effectiveness.