There is no denying that employee training is integral to any business. Keeping your employees up to date and knowledgeable is of utmost importance, especially in such a fast changing economy that is dominated with technological advancements.
However, setting up a truly effective training program is easier said than done. A considerable amount of money is invested into employee training and development, but results are not always that tangible. Real employee behavioral improvements resulting from the training content is not easily measured or ascertained. The training manager’s aim is to see positive results from training and this is where the challenge arises. How can the training manager guarantee this? What can be done to get better results? Let us discuss 2 small training changes that will have big results. #1 – Prepare Well in Advance by Evaluating Employees’ Training Needs:
You need to start off by evaluating your current employee training needs. This is the first step to set up a truly effective training program that will deliver results. In order to evaluate employee training needs you need to make sure to involve the employees. They will be able to give you their insight about matters that you may have not given attention to. Such considerations may help you devise a more effective training program that the employees will find interesting and valuable. The training needs to be relevant to one or more skills that you want the employees to learn. The employee needs to expand his/her work horizons by being taught relevant skills or given interesting information. It is imperative that the employees see a link between the content and the goals of the training program, and what they do in their tasks. The more the employees find the course relevant to what they do in their job, the better the results. Moreover, if the employee couples this with the company’s goals and mission, the results will be even better. So, as a training manager, you need to try and find training methods that will combine all these factors. This is a good way of succeeding and getting great results from the training. #2 – Set Measurable Objectives:
Make sure that the content of the program is connected to measurable objectives. So set goals that are attainable and inspiring. Such goals should be in line with the company’s overall objectives, and the needs of the employees. In the previous step we discussed the need to involve the employees in the decision making process of the training program. Now, you need to take their suggestions into consideration as they will surely have a number of areas that they would like to develop in or improve upon.
The employees need to be informed of such goals, and it is important to explain goals clearly so that they will be able to relate to them and appreciate their importance. The employees need to be aware that you will be assessing the impact that the training program will have on them as individuals, and on their respective job skills. Usually it is best to assess their performance on a long term basis, such as over six months or one year. If you take these training tips into consideration you will be amazed at the changes that you will start to notice after training. There is a lot to be gained, and it is certainly worth putting these tips into practice so that everyone benefits.
