| It is incorrigible to find so many firms with worker | | | | "different strokes for different folks" is relevant. |
| inefficiencies and dissatisfaction. 58.5 billion dollars per | | | | Solution: Create learning according to age and style |
| annum is spent globally on training. This daunting figure | | | | preference. Many millennial learners admire the iPod |
| sends a different message when broken down. 70% | | | | and iTunes approach. They enjoy audio and can listen |
| of most firms do not conduct training that helps them | | | | at their leisure. Generation X and Baby Boomers |
| remain competitive. Typically during economic volatility | | | | appreciate a classroom approach but desire more |
| the first line item cut is training. However, the most vital | | | | interaction rather than lecture. These learners crave |
| resource for all organizations is training. | | | | "real time" practicum to enhance their learning. The |
| Customer Service and sales are critically important to | | | | concept of blended learner carries importance. |
| all organizations. The frequent pace of product | | | | Providing mixed modalities of learning creates new |
| development, client topography and product updates | | | | learning pathways and involves all in the process. |
| necessitate continual training. However, the size, cost | | | | Additionally, blended learner has a higher return on the |
| and geographies of delivering training become | | | | training investment. |
| cumbersome. Ironic, given our knowledge-required | | | | Concern on Productivity Decrease |
| economy. | | | | Time constraints constantly infringe on learning. One |
| In recent research for this article our firm discovered | | | | day or even a full week of learning takes much |
| that 90% of training programs conducted for | | | | productivity away from the work-team. The most |
| corporations result only in a 90-120 day increase in | | | | imperative areas such as sales and customer service |
| productivity and, as a result, fewer than 20% of | | | | find it increasingly difficult to partake in a day or more |
| companies realize any sustainable productivity gain that | | | | of training. And, if training does occur, managers feel |
| lasts beyond 12 months. The rationale- training is | | | | more pressure to make up for lost time. |
| treated as an event not as a process. To obtain | | | | Solution: The simple solution for all is to divide training |
| long-range results and consistent progress, training | | | | into smaller segments of two to four hour increments. |
| must be conducted frequently. Additionally, our | | | | Many facilitators will balk at this concept for monetary |
| research with over 300 leading organizations denoted | | | | issues however, this is the best approach for |
| seven factors that infringe proper training. | | | | productivity gains. Less time is used during the day and |
| Habits are not like Cigarettes - One cannot do Cold | | | | learners coming straight from a course instantly apply |
| Turkey | | | | relevant materials. This approach is more conducive |
| A chronic misunderstanding about training is the issue | | | | for today's competitive pressures. |
| of changing habits. Habits are formed from years of | | | | Real world practicum |
| influences and behaviors. These behaviors have | | | | Too many courses and too many facilitators pull |
| cultivated through many years of constant repetition. | | | | content "off the shelf". This is especially true in public |
| Enculturation is manifestation of behaviors both | | | | seminars when participants come from a myriad of |
| personally and professionally. Through years of | | | | organizations. Participants today desire real world |
| progression the behaviors become our daily routine, or | | | | practicum to apply to "their" business or department. |
| habits. It is weariful to believe that habits will change | | | | They want immediate replies for today's pressing |
| during a one or multi day training session. | | | | needs. |
| Statistics prove that cigarette smoking through cold | | | | Solution: Facilitators must be encouraged to survey |
| turkey miserably fails. So why think that training is any | | | | participants to better understand learner objectives. |
| different. It is inconceivable to change behaviors and | | | | The more personal the approach, the more value |
| attitudes in a day. You can draw attention to the | | | | client's gain from the satisfaction of meeting objectives. |
| issues simply not change them. | | | | Additionally it is imperative to set aside education time |
| Solution: The best methodology for changing behaviors | | | | to work on real issues. Establish actors or have |
| is to influence them. First, use one day to draw | | | | learners establish roles to work on true issues that |
| attention to issues. Create awareness and provide | | | | require interaction and processing. |
| some simple measures that allow workers to be | | | | And on the first day... there was Hiring and Orientation |
| mindful of the issues. Utilize technologies that continually | | | | Over 25 years of research and development in this |
| enforce learning to make it stick. Then create | | | | field points to the issue of proper hiring. Far too many |
| opportunities for continued development. These include | | | | capital expenditures are allocated repairing issues. |
| focus groups, shadowing, interviewing clients and | | | | Productivity decrease, morale, turnover, sales attrition |
| suppliers. Finally, continual classroom training is | | | | are issues that all begin with worker attitude. Vast |
| pragmatic. Today's employee craves new learning | | | | amounts of training dollars are spent trying to redirect |
| opportunities and monthly or quarterly learning | | | | attitude and behavior. Mentioned previously, this does |
| especially in a knowledge economy is paramount to | | | | not redeem itself in one training program. Further, |
| organizational success. | | | | employees do not change if ills exist within |
| Learn Me or Else | | | | organizational culture. |
| Many learners attend seminars and corporate events | | | | Solution: Hire correctly the first time. Create Talent |
| under incorrect pretext. A recent survey illustrates that | | | | Acquisition Profiles to understand generational mix and |
| 65% of most participants believe, training is punishment | | | | attitudes. Conduct an analysis of your best people and |
| for past experience. Typically training participants | | | | hire those that emulate these behaviors. Hiring if |
| believe they are wasting time, are an example and do | | | | conducted correctly is a proactive process rather than |
| not want to attend. Learners walk into a session and | | | | reactive. |
| proclaim, "Learn Me". Facilitators are in a quandary to | | | | Accountability |
| prove their worth and tend to focus on proving learning | | | | The worst travesty for any training program is a sheer |
| to these participants. This environment is not | | | | lack of accountability. There are countless anecdotes |
| advantageous for learning. It represents hostility. Illicit | | | | of participants sent into training for hours and days at |
| learners create a poor learning environment. | | | | a time, returning to work no better than before training. |
| Solution: Communication is the exemplar to promote a | | | | Workers return to past habits having forgotten |
| positive learning experience. Participants must | | | | educational practicum. This illustrates a complete |
| understand the rationale for learning. Each participant | | | | disregard for the return on investment. |
| must work with management to determine personal | | | | Solution: Stop the narcissism. Hold individuals |
| and organizational learning objectives and ensure | | | | accountable to ALL training program essentials. If there |
| congruency with both. The method of success begins | | | | is a new methodology have participants repeat it daily, |
| with a positive- ensure follow up with participants after | | | | if a new workflow have them use it, if a new moniker |
| each session. Training must never be seen as a | | | | have them state it. The only mechanism for success is |
| penalty for performance. | | | | the establishment of new habits. What gets |
| Modalities of Learning | | | | remembered gets repeated and it is imperative for |
| We work in a multigenerational, multi-gendered and | | | | individuals to constantly repeat new processes to |
| multicultural workforce. There is more integration of | | | | change old habits. |
| personalities and styles then ever before. This | | | | The road to success begins with change. Training |
| potpourri of talent requires changes in learning | | | | reduces productivity and increases cost, yet the true |
| accommodation. Today's learner desires 1) to be | | | | measurement is the degree of change. If participants |
| involved in the learning process, they like interaction and | | | | are held to accountable and proper measurements |
| adverse to simple lecture and 2) desire different | | | | applied, organizations can justify the value and return |
| modalities of learning. The proliferation of consumer | | | | on training investment. However, if some of the issues |
| electronics, the Internet and personal computing allows | | | | mentioned above are taken for granted then training is |
| learners to devour content wherever, however and | | | | no more then triage for ongoing issues that forever |
| whenever they desire. As such the cliché' | | | | exist creating productivity decrease and expense. |