Does Your Training Deliver Bottom Line Results?

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:32:00 GMT

Whilst there will always be the need to provide training within any particular assignment to support the investment there are some questions we need to answer before just booking a few days of our staff’s time.

Whether it’s a downturn, recession or just because management are looking to cut the costs of our new IT investment, something has to go. But from where? The training budget - no short term effect except cutting our costs - good idea !? But will we fall into the same old trap again of not ensuring the training is right for the job AND the person and thus not get the right return on our investment.

Nobody votes against training. Managers face a torrent of abuse from staff and HR people collectively at the slightest thought of cancelling a course or taking people off it. However a lot of the training we do does not necessarily have the positive approach management are looking for.

Training is required for three basic reasons

To give people the necessary skills to do the job.
To give people the skills to improve the processes they work in and thus improve the business through lower costs and improved service.
To develop the people to enhance their employability, enrich their jobs and to provide a backbone for promotion.

The first is a given. That means that numbers 2 and 3 are all about giving the organisation some return for their investment. On any journey to improvement there MUST be a combination of both of these. Yet many organisations don't seem capable of bringing these two together.

The core to getting this right is four fold.

Understand the skills required to use the new technology
Define the individuals’ requirement for their own development plans (do they understand the technology, do they understand the new process, do they understand how they can improve things – what flexibility they have?)
Ensuring that the above two are cascaded out of the business strategy
Last, but probably the most important aspect, is that of ensuring that training is done at the most appropriate time. Just-In-Time training. Not the Toyota Manufacturing based concept, but giving people training that they can use immediately.

Certainly invest in your future from a business and people aspect, but do make sure that there is some common link and that there is a defined link to your strategy and your ability for the attendees to use the output.

When was the last time you had an analysis of your Skills Requirements and Development Needs matching into your strategy. Is the right time now? What’s the point in investing in the integrated business system if you don’t invest in the most flexible and advanced computer available – the human brain.

Philip Stride

Does Your Training Deliver Bottom Line Results?