How to Make Training & Development a Success

As companies around the globe streamline their business models, they want to obtain maximum results from their training and development programs. It is important to have effective training programs for employees and to ensure that information flows seamlessly and results are proven. It is often difficult to immediately track training results; therefore, it is imperative to create solid, effective training and development and to make sure that this content is facilitated properly and is well-received by employees.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Perform an analysis before the training session to determine if there is actually a need for this type of training. If there is a specific need that you have been asked to address, make sure it is actually a training issue as opposed to a human resources or a behavior change issue.

2. Know your audience. This is a must if you want training to be effective. What are the ages and demographics of your audience? Training for retail associates will be different than leadership training for retail managers. Research ways to develop training content so the audience will be receptive and will retain the information.

3. Make sure the link between training and performance are clearly communicated to employees. Prior to the training session, make sure that employees understand how the training will help them succeed in their current jobs and possibly how they develop and move up in the organization. This will be a great motivating process for employees. Employees may not respond to training that they feel is a waste of their time. Reiterate the fact that the learning is the employees responsibility, and they are responsible for ensuring they understand what is being communicated to them during the training session.

4. Use workbooks. Workbooks are a definite asset to any training. This gives the employee something to follow along and to make notes in. Employees can take workbooks home, and this is a great place to have homework assignments. Communicate homework assignments clearly and take time to review them during the next training session. People do not want to invest time into working on homework that is not going to be reviewed in the future. If the training is going to be delivered online, have a notes page available that the employee can download and save for future reference.

5. Call on subject matter experts (SME) as you develop the program. SMEs have valuable insight in their respective areas and can help you develop an outline for the training that will be complete and informative.

6. Measure objectives. It is important to communicate what the training objectives are to employees, but it's equally important to determine how to measure objectives. For example, if you put together a basic computer training course, attach an exam to the end of the course and set a passing grade in advance (i.e., a grade of 75 percent is passing; a lower grade means the employee must retake the exam). Once the employee takes the course and passes the exam, present them with a certificate of completion or some other recognition. People generally like to receive something that shows their hard work was noticed.

7. Follow up with online surveys or evaluations of the training program. This is the best way to obtain feedback from the audience's perspective. If the surveys are anonymous, you have a better chance of receiving honest feedback. Sites like Zoomerang.com allow you to easily create online surveys so you can receive feedback, which will help you expand or improve upon upcoming training sessions (see Resources).

Resources

• Online surveys by Zoomerang