Does this sound familiar? With high expectations, you sent your employees or yourself to a training or personal development program. Six weeks later you're not sure if it was worth the investment. What went wrong?
In an ever-changing business environment, it's important that you and your workforce are prepared to handle whatever happens. Very few people will question that concept - so where's the problem? Why doesn't training seem to work for so many people? Most people are sold on the idea of training but aren't really sure how to make it work for them. Let's take a look at 10 factors that will help you get lasting results from training.
1. Conduct a thorough needs analysis.
Make sure that training is the answer. Conduct a thorough needs analysis first. Often the obvious cause is not the real reason for a deficiency. For example, doing skills-related training when it's not a skill problem won't fix anything long term. It will also harm your credibility with your employees and can lead to lower morale.
2. Don't sign up for the next fad.
OK, you know training is the answer. Get the solution for your needs, not someone else's. Make sure a program will satisfy your specific objectives.
3. Don't sign up for every fad.
Don't change your focus with the seasons. If you didn't get results from the other programs, this year's latest and greatest probably won't work either. Again, analyze what you really need. If the other programs didn't work, ask yourself why. Ask yourself what you would be doing differently starting a new program.
This brings us to...
4. Get support.
If you're looking to change a process or behavior, make sure the ones who count in your organization have signed on for the change. To get lasting results, you need people who will back up the training in their positive words and positive reinforcement of new behaviors or processes.
5. Consider delivery.
Once you decide that training is the appropriate solution, concentrate on how you'll bring it to your organization. Here are some questions you should ask: how it is to be conducted? Lecture, discussion, hands-on? You'll want to make sure training is interactive. People learn by doing. How large will the group be? A larger group makes it difficult for much interaction and can also intimidate people from participating fully. Keep number of participants low, perhaps under 12 -15 people. This way, no one gets lost in the crowd. Everyone can equally benefit.
6. Consider the individual.
If you've decided on an in-house solution and there are will be several sessions, consider mixing people and personalities to create synergy. Remember the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. Participants learn from each other. Give plenty of opportunities for discussion.
7. Set class times for maximum learning.
Avoid scheduling training for outside of business hours if possible. Remember people don't work in a vacuum. They'll get more out of the program and concentrate better if they're not worried about children, parents, spouses, pets, etc. If necessary split the difference. For example, office hours are 9-5 and the training class is 2 hours: start at 8AM. If you must schedule outside the regular shift, give everyone plenty of notice.
And finally...
8. Open your mind.
Prepare for the class. What is it about? What are the objectives? If you are an attendee, arrive early for the session if possible. Turn off the cell phone and ignore the beeper. Focus your thoughts on the session ahead.
9. Practice makes perfect.
New skills must be used immediately for best on the job retention. Making a habit is like breaking one. Help this process along by following up with a short training class 2-3 weeks after initial training. One shot training will not give you the results you desire.
10. Reinforce.
Back on the job; make sure that the environment is conducive to implementing the ideas or behaviors learned. Finally, give support and recognition where due.
Training and development can be powerful agents for change in your organization. Used correctly, training and development ensures a return on investment. Used sloppily or incorrectly, you will waste time and money. You'll also waste something even more important: your potential.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/30947
Friday, July 8, 2011
Training and Development - Who is Responsible?
Training and development (also labelled as "learning and development") is always acknowledged as crucial to the success of any business; both in-house and outsourced; whether training courses, on-line learning or executive coaching. Conversely, it is often the first area to feel the cutbacks when times are hard. As a busy executive, it can be challenging to balance the responsibility for developing your team with reducing budgets and focusing on the bottom line. However, think positive, it may not be your responsibility only.
So how do we define training and development (or T&D for short)? How about: equipping people with new skills, knowledge, attitudes or experience which they are then able to apply to their workplace and careers? That's a nice, broad definition which we can break down into three broad categories:
* what people need to do their job as it is today;
* what people need to do their job was it will be tomorrow; and
* what people need to do the jobs they want in the future.
From this we see that T&D can equip people to do their job, stay abreast of the changing requirements of that job and also help them in their career progression. Therefore, there are clear immediate benefits to the business (the first two categories) and definite future benefits to the individual (their career.) Of course, the individual also benefits from being well-trained in their daily role and the business benefits from developing its own future executives in-house.
At this point, we might want to question this word, "training", which tends to suggest activity geared towards a specific task or role. It also implies a process that is done to the individual rather than being something that they can fully engage with (after all, dogs are 'trained'.) Perhaps the better and more inclusive term would be "learning", which suggests a wider range of options (including mentoring and coaching) and also, perhaps, a wider range of applications.
Returning to the issue of responsibility: if the benefits are shared, shouldn't the responsibility also be shared? Traditionally, a manager might appraise each team member (sometimes in secret), personally decide what they needed by way of improvement and then prescribe the appropriate off-the-shelf training course. This is a Doctor model, where the manager acts as authority, diagnostician and decision-maker. Within limits, it can be efficient and it certainly saves time, but the lack of involvement of the individual can lead to lack of engagement with the training and therefore a lack of benefit.
These days we see more of a Coach model in which the manager and individual discuss the training needs and make decisions together. The coach guides the individual through the process of identifying and meeting their development needs with an emphasis on which solution will suit both them and the business. Those with particular potential, the 'rising stars' may even manage their own development allowance or budget and be free to seek tailored coaching outside the organisation (on the understanding that the results are applied within the organisation.)
Ask yourself how it works in your workplace. Do individuals have development objectives? Are they imposed or agreed? How are development options chosen? Is the criteria solely business efficiency or does it also take into account the individual's learning style? Is there support available to apply the learning to their role? Are they coached through their career development?
So think positive and engage your team in their own learning. The key factors are: involvement; discussion; business needs and personal aspirations; not just "training" but "learning"; and joint decision-making. That can mean joint success for you and your people.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3880776
So how do we define training and development (or T&D for short)? How about: equipping people with new skills, knowledge, attitudes or experience which they are then able to apply to their workplace and careers? That's a nice, broad definition which we can break down into three broad categories:
* what people need to do their job as it is today;
* what people need to do their job was it will be tomorrow; and
* what people need to do the jobs they want in the future.
From this we see that T&D can equip people to do their job, stay abreast of the changing requirements of that job and also help them in their career progression. Therefore, there are clear immediate benefits to the business (the first two categories) and definite future benefits to the individual (their career.) Of course, the individual also benefits from being well-trained in their daily role and the business benefits from developing its own future executives in-house.
At this point, we might want to question this word, "training", which tends to suggest activity geared towards a specific task or role. It also implies a process that is done to the individual rather than being something that they can fully engage with (after all, dogs are 'trained'.) Perhaps the better and more inclusive term would be "learning", which suggests a wider range of options (including mentoring and coaching) and also, perhaps, a wider range of applications.
Returning to the issue of responsibility: if the benefits are shared, shouldn't the responsibility also be shared? Traditionally, a manager might appraise each team member (sometimes in secret), personally decide what they needed by way of improvement and then prescribe the appropriate off-the-shelf training course. This is a Doctor model, where the manager acts as authority, diagnostician and decision-maker. Within limits, it can be efficient and it certainly saves time, but the lack of involvement of the individual can lead to lack of engagement with the training and therefore a lack of benefit.
These days we see more of a Coach model in which the manager and individual discuss the training needs and make decisions together. The coach guides the individual through the process of identifying and meeting their development needs with an emphasis on which solution will suit both them and the business. Those with particular potential, the 'rising stars' may even manage their own development allowance or budget and be free to seek tailored coaching outside the organisation (on the understanding that the results are applied within the organisation.)
Ask yourself how it works in your workplace. Do individuals have development objectives? Are they imposed or agreed? How are development options chosen? Is the criteria solely business efficiency or does it also take into account the individual's learning style? Is there support available to apply the learning to their role? Are they coached through their career development?
So think positive and engage your team in their own learning. The key factors are: involvement; discussion; business needs and personal aspirations; not just "training" but "learning"; and joint decision-making. That can mean joint success for you and your people.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3880776
Training and Development
The Objective
When organizations decided to ditch their premises and take training outdoors, the key objective was to enthuse employees about training. They believed that the more excited an employee gets about the training program, the more receptive he would be. This, in turn, would have a positive impact on engagement and retention.
While the argument sounds logical, what began to happen was that organisations concentrated more on getting their employees excited than on selecting a 'training venue'. So while the venues took care of the entertainment factor, they failed to be conducive for training. Employees would be more excited about hitting the pool, the bowling alley or sight-seeing, and training would just get side-tracked.
The counter-measure to this was taking employees to locales that were close to being ascetic! This obviously created a dread about going outdoors to train. Ironically, it is not that organisations have to choose between going overboard either way. They can select a venue, which, in addition to being conducive to training, takes care of after-training-hours entertainment.
Location, Location, Location
Training locations are selected typically based on popularity. So if a handful of organisations go to a place, the rest will follow invariably. Since the venue is a tried and tested one, organisations that follow have an edge. Moreover, since popular locations are mainly so because of their cost-effective and convenient location, selecting frequently-visited venues has its advantages. But in addition to popularity, a few aspects that are essential to make a location favourable to training include:
Trainer approval: In most cases, seeking trainer approval for the venue is not even part of the agenda! However, getting trainers to give the green becomes important as they are , aware of the kind of space that is required for the program better. Moreover, a trainer knows the type of entertainment his trainees should be exposed to. For instance, the training venue for intellectually stimulating program should not be too distracting in terms of its entertainment facilities. Also, too much or little space can be a constraint in some cases. A trainer, who had planned a grand treasure hunt as part of his team-building program, was caught by surprise when he had to train in a conference room.
Program design: Some training programs, especially sales training ones, are 'breakout intensive'. These programs require venues where trainees can be sent into small meeting rooms for their deliberation sessions and accommodated into larger rooms for their presentations and lectures. Also, as Kristin Kurie, vice president of a management services organization explains, "If you are running a sales training program with role-play sessions you not only need smaller rooms for eight to ten employees to gather, you may also need those rooms to be close together for the sake of efficiency". It does not make sense to waste time getting trainees to move from room to room!
Trainee considerations: Much as trainees are willing to travel to different outdoor locations, only a few are excited about too much travel. Training venues that are at far-flung places become cost-ineffective as well. Another trainee concern is the weather, which is in fact, a valid concern even otherwise. Fair-weather locations should be the obvious choice as an organization would not want to invite health care costs in addition to paying for training. For outdoor training programs, keeping a tab on the weather is imperative. Trainee considerations may also involve pandering to employees' whims depending on which level they represent. Senior executives will not settle for less plush venues.
Smart tips
Selecting the right training venue may not always be a budget-driven decision. However, no organization would mind making use of the following cost-effective suggestions:
For organisations that want to train outdoors only for a change in place, training at their other offices is a good idea. While employees are excited about the change in place, the organization saves on cost and enjoys the benefits of training in one's own location.
Employees who are members of clubs and resorts can be asked to negotiate with the latter.
When feasible, carrying ones own equipment to training venues can save costs.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1086335
When organizations decided to ditch their premises and take training outdoors, the key objective was to enthuse employees about training. They believed that the more excited an employee gets about the training program, the more receptive he would be. This, in turn, would have a positive impact on engagement and retention.
While the argument sounds logical, what began to happen was that organisations concentrated more on getting their employees excited than on selecting a 'training venue'. So while the venues took care of the entertainment factor, they failed to be conducive for training. Employees would be more excited about hitting the pool, the bowling alley or sight-seeing, and training would just get side-tracked.
The counter-measure to this was taking employees to locales that were close to being ascetic! This obviously created a dread about going outdoors to train. Ironically, it is not that organisations have to choose between going overboard either way. They can select a venue, which, in addition to being conducive to training, takes care of after-training-hours entertainment.
Location, Location, Location
Training locations are selected typically based on popularity. So if a handful of organisations go to a place, the rest will follow invariably. Since the venue is a tried and tested one, organisations that follow have an edge. Moreover, since popular locations are mainly so because of their cost-effective and convenient location, selecting frequently-visited venues has its advantages. But in addition to popularity, a few aspects that are essential to make a location favourable to training include:
Trainer approval: In most cases, seeking trainer approval for the venue is not even part of the agenda! However, getting trainers to give the green becomes important as they are , aware of the kind of space that is required for the program better. Moreover, a trainer knows the type of entertainment his trainees should be exposed to. For instance, the training venue for intellectually stimulating program should not be too distracting in terms of its entertainment facilities. Also, too much or little space can be a constraint in some cases. A trainer, who had planned a grand treasure hunt as part of his team-building program, was caught by surprise when he had to train in a conference room.
Program design: Some training programs, especially sales training ones, are 'breakout intensive'. These programs require venues where trainees can be sent into small meeting rooms for their deliberation sessions and accommodated into larger rooms for their presentations and lectures. Also, as Kristin Kurie, vice president of a management services organization explains, "If you are running a sales training program with role-play sessions you not only need smaller rooms for eight to ten employees to gather, you may also need those rooms to be close together for the sake of efficiency". It does not make sense to waste time getting trainees to move from room to room!
Trainee considerations: Much as trainees are willing to travel to different outdoor locations, only a few are excited about too much travel. Training venues that are at far-flung places become cost-ineffective as well. Another trainee concern is the weather, which is in fact, a valid concern even otherwise. Fair-weather locations should be the obvious choice as an organization would not want to invite health care costs in addition to paying for training. For outdoor training programs, keeping a tab on the weather is imperative. Trainee considerations may also involve pandering to employees' whims depending on which level they represent. Senior executives will not settle for less plush venues.
Smart tips
Selecting the right training venue may not always be a budget-driven decision. However, no organization would mind making use of the following cost-effective suggestions:
For organisations that want to train outdoors only for a change in place, training at their other offices is a good idea. While employees are excited about the change in place, the organization saves on cost and enjoys the benefits of training in one's own location.
Employees who are members of clubs and resorts can be asked to negotiate with the latter.
When feasible, carrying ones own equipment to training venues can save costs.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1086335
Excellent Software Training and Development
Software training always demands quality maintenance and excellent development schemes to improve your analytical thinking skills and reasoning power. To understand efficient software training and development patterns, go through some of the software training and development packages or software development themes followed by the relevant companies that you are supposed to follow. In such a way you will realize whether the company is using modern trends and technologies associated with that particular software development language or technology.
Training and development in any field or environment requires innovation and eager to find out new trends and technologies associated with that particular branch. If you want to achieve good proficiency in any software development language such as C, Pearl, php, Java or in any content management system like Drupal, Joomla!, Zikula, Habari etc, you should have undergo a super and excellent training for each software language from the basic level onwards corresponding to each language.
If you want a perfect software development training business opportunity, with intensive orientation and class room facilities, you can approach any effective software development training centers, which is delivering quality training manuals, accounting software, one-on-one consulting, marketing publications, and barter website solutions. Growing companies will be evaluating whether the software package is scalable. Verifying different cms (content management system) packages which is designed for Microsoft SQL server or oracle isn't enough. We must look at the software company or organization for the type of architecture used. Any content management system requires a significant investment of time and money. It should be changed per year to optimize productivity. Thus the software development companies should practice and evaluate vendor's development projects in such a way that it must confirm efficient functioning of what they're developing not only for today but also for tomorrow.
Assessing new architecture technologies and patterns is the keystone behind the success of any technological developments or achievements associated with any software training and development solution. Any efficient software program has three layers of applications such as client tier, middle tier and data store. Client tier is responsible for interactions and applications with the user interface. Middle tier is also known as business logic layer where data is interpreting and applying all the business rules. The data store includes data storage and retrieval from the data base. The important tips behind any successful software development project can be verified by checking its productivity measurement, project and capital justification, financial performance analysis of a project, customer satisfaction and quality & regulatory issues.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5049429
Training and development in any field or environment requires innovation and eager to find out new trends and technologies associated with that particular branch. If you want to achieve good proficiency in any software development language such as C, Pearl, php, Java or in any content management system like Drupal, Joomla!, Zikula, Habari etc, you should have undergo a super and excellent training for each software language from the basic level onwards corresponding to each language.
If you want a perfect software development training business opportunity, with intensive orientation and class room facilities, you can approach any effective software development training centers, which is delivering quality training manuals, accounting software, one-on-one consulting, marketing publications, and barter website solutions. Growing companies will be evaluating whether the software package is scalable. Verifying different cms (content management system) packages which is designed for Microsoft SQL server or oracle isn't enough. We must look at the software company or organization for the type of architecture used. Any content management system requires a significant investment of time and money. It should be changed per year to optimize productivity. Thus the software development companies should practice and evaluate vendor's development projects in such a way that it must confirm efficient functioning of what they're developing not only for today but also for tomorrow.
Assessing new architecture technologies and patterns is the keystone behind the success of any technological developments or achievements associated with any software training and development solution. Any efficient software program has three layers of applications such as client tier, middle tier and data store. Client tier is responsible for interactions and applications with the user interface. Middle tier is also known as business logic layer where data is interpreting and applying all the business rules. The data store includes data storage and retrieval from the data base. The important tips behind any successful software development project can be verified by checking its productivity measurement, project and capital justification, financial performance analysis of a project, customer satisfaction and quality & regulatory issues.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5049429
Relevance of Learning Versus Relevance of Training and Development
In today's environment, training organizations are struggling to prove their worth. They are also struggling to keep programs going on smaller budgets with smaller staffs. One way to get ahead of this fray is to know the difference between learning and training and development - and to understand the relevance of each in terms of your organization's environment and the overall environment.
First, training managers should understand the difference between learning and "training and development". Learning, in general, is the absorption of base knowledge about a particular subject, such as an industry. This knowledge will give an individual an understanding of the world around them and how the organization (and the individual) fit together. Training and development, on the other hand, is the act of teaching someone how to do something, such as a job, or teaching them the skills and attitudes that will have a direct impact on job performance, such as operations, human resources policies, or management and leadership. Let's look at some examples of each before we discuss their relevance.
Learning in many organizations is no longer a formal structure. For example, workers in financial services may need to learn about the general things that move their industry, such as the Federal Reserve, the banking system, and the world of investments. But what if those workers are line associates in a bank, processing the items that come in from branches, such as deposits and checks? Do they need the general understanding of the Fed and investment banking to do their jobs properly? In general, we can probably say no. But some organizations want to provide that general knowledge to line workers so that they understand how they fit with the rest of the world. This may, in fact, assist in retention when workers understand how they can progress and what opportunities are available.
Training and development is the usual formal structure. Financial advisors must go through mandatory training for licensing and certification. They must also go through company-specific training on the computer system, customer management, and customer handling. Does the financial advisor need to go through a learning process about the bank's item processing? Again, we can probably say no. If the advisor gets the requisite licenses and can prove that they understand how to service their customers within the law and within an ethical scope, then their training is effective.
But what is the relevance of each type of intervention in today's environment? It can be argued that "learning" is now best left to on-the-job or self-discovery. The bank's item processors may have an interest in how the system works and may find, on their own, the Federal Reserve's website to explain the "how". On the other hand, a financial advisor may already have an understanding of that system, and, if not, he or she may be compelled to find out about on an individual basis. With tight budgets and small staffs, organizations are being forced to "weed out" learning and stick to training and development, that is, those programs that can have a direct impact on job performance and the organization's bottom line. In this sense, training and development is far more relevant than learning.
But is learning over? This is also a point where we can say no. A general, underlying knowledge of one's industry or place in that industry can only be helpful. But can training organizations prove worth with general courses, when budgets are still being considered? Probably not, if you have to pull people away from the job for long periods of time or pay staff to deliver these programs. So how can you provide learning without losing value? One way is to manage learning online. There is cost involved with developing or purchasing courses, but typically costs decline after that. And with online learning, participants do not have to be pulled away for long periods of time. You can also consider obtaining organizational volunteers who are subject matter experts and have them deliver "brown bag" lunch sessions or half-hour programs at the end of the day. Using a volunteer is a great way to impart learning without stressing a financial resource. You can also look for online resources for your industry or organization. As we discussed earlier, some regulatory and oversight agencies such as the Federal Reserve offer interesting online information and even courses that are free to anyone who wants to take them.
We can definitely say that training and development is currently more relevant than learning. But we can also say that learning is not finished. Find creative and cost effective ways to integrate learning into training and development and develop that base of knowledge.
First, training managers should understand the difference between learning and "training and development". Learning, in general, is the absorption of base knowledge about a particular subject, such as an industry. This knowledge will give an individual an understanding of the world around them and how the organization (and the individual) fit together. Training and development, on the other hand, is the act of teaching someone how to do something, such as a job, or teaching them the skills and attitudes that will have a direct impact on job performance, such as operations, human resources policies, or management and leadership. Let's look at some examples of each before we discuss their relevance.
Learning in many organizations is no longer a formal structure. For example, workers in financial services may need to learn about the general things that move their industry, such as the Federal Reserve, the banking system, and the world of investments. But what if those workers are line associates in a bank, processing the items that come in from branches, such as deposits and checks? Do they need the general understanding of the Fed and investment banking to do their jobs properly? In general, we can probably say no. But some organizations want to provide that general knowledge to line workers so that they understand how they fit with the rest of the world. This may, in fact, assist in retention when workers understand how they can progress and what opportunities are available.
Training and development is the usual formal structure. Financial advisors must go through mandatory training for licensing and certification. They must also go through company-specific training on the computer system, customer management, and customer handling. Does the financial advisor need to go through a learning process about the bank's item processing? Again, we can probably say no. If the advisor gets the requisite licenses and can prove that they understand how to service their customers within the law and within an ethical scope, then their training is effective.
But what is the relevance of each type of intervention in today's environment? It can be argued that "learning" is now best left to on-the-job or self-discovery. The bank's item processors may have an interest in how the system works and may find, on their own, the Federal Reserve's website to explain the "how". On the other hand, a financial advisor may already have an understanding of that system, and, if not, he or she may be compelled to find out about on an individual basis. With tight budgets and small staffs, organizations are being forced to "weed out" learning and stick to training and development, that is, those programs that can have a direct impact on job performance and the organization's bottom line. In this sense, training and development is far more relevant than learning.
But is learning over? This is also a point where we can say no. A general, underlying knowledge of one's industry or place in that industry can only be helpful. But can training organizations prove worth with general courses, when budgets are still being considered? Probably not, if you have to pull people away from the job for long periods of time or pay staff to deliver these programs. So how can you provide learning without losing value? One way is to manage learning online. There is cost involved with developing or purchasing courses, but typically costs decline after that. And with online learning, participants do not have to be pulled away for long periods of time. You can also consider obtaining organizational volunteers who are subject matter experts and have them deliver "brown bag" lunch sessions or half-hour programs at the end of the day. Using a volunteer is a great way to impart learning without stressing a financial resource. You can also look for online resources for your industry or organization. As we discussed earlier, some regulatory and oversight agencies such as the Federal Reserve offer interesting online information and even courses that are free to anyone who wants to take them.
We can definitely say that training and development is currently more relevant than learning. But we can also say that learning is not finished. Find creative and cost effective ways to integrate learning into training and development and develop that base of knowledge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)