Developing your people
Jun 27 2006 By Evening Gazette
In any type of business, training and workforce development is crucial to success, so passing on specific skills or learning new ones is an essential part of effective management.
Staff need structured and relevant training to be able to carry out their jobs properly, but research also suggests that properly developed employees are better motivated and more likely to remain with the business.
What is the purpose of training and how will it benefit the business?
The overall purpose of staff training is to provide each employee with the skills and motivation to perform their work competently and with enthusiasm. An ongoing and thoroughly implemented training regime can provide many benefits such as:
* Multi-skilled staff who can provide cover for periods of holiday, maternity leave or absence.
* Maintained staff interest.
* Increased production capacity through skills development.
* Good internal candidates available for promotion.
* Repeat business from satisfied customers who are loyal to your products and services.
* Reduced customer help desk, maintenance and other trouble-shooting calls.
* Compliance with statutory standards in areas like Health and Safety regulations.
When should I hold training sessions?
Training time has to be taken out of your business's normal productive working time, but in the longer term the benefits arising will more than compensate for this. Training which is critical includes:
* Induction of a new employee.
* Start up of new machinery or processes.
These are all instances where planning can be made in advance to accommodate training as a fundamental part of the process. Without the inclusion of suitable training the objectives of the programme will never be met.
There is also the ongoing training which is designed to bolster your employees' abilities, skills and general job-related knowledge. Which include:
* Sales training.
* Personal development and motivational courses.
* Conferences and team building exercises.
* General business skills, such as telephone technique, IT or management.
* General work skills and qualifications.
How should I structure a training session?
Whether the training session is internal or external, for an individual or a group, the steps to set up the session are broadly the same.
1. You should decide how you will deliver the training and exactly what you need in terms of equipment or any other support material.
2. Compile your presentation in the following format:
* Introduction - describe the topic and the main areas you are going to cover.
* Main body - present your topic in a step-by-step manner that builds towards the objective.
* Wrap up - revise what you have just presented in an abbreviated bullet point style.
3. Always allow a question and answer session at the end of your training session.
What type of training should I use?
In-house training
If you are devising the training programme in-house you can utilise the presentation program found in nearly all office software suites, for example Microsoft PowerPoint. PowerPoint enables you to display charts, diagrams, photographs, scanned images or even video clips, making it very useful for workshop training.
External training
You need to consider:
* Is the course on offer the one most suitable for the needs of your staff and your business?
* Are they the best available? It's often false economy to use anything other than the best.
Induction of new staff
A good induction procedure is crucial and fulfils essential functions by giving them:
* A good understanding of the business and the role of their section.
* The basic ability and background to become fully effective in their new job.
* The ability to establish good working relationships with customers, colleagues and managers.
How do I evaluate the success of a training session?
Carefully structured questionnaires to be completed by the participants will reveal the success, or otherwise, of a training exercise in the following key areas:
* What the participant has learnt from the course.
* What stages of the training, if any, need further attention.
* What gaps in the course are still holding back the participant's on-the-job performance.
Beware of using the trainer to compile the questions as it is easy to skew the questions to yield responses that can be meaningless. Professionally prepared questionnaires are available.
Business Link can help you to develop an understanding of your business's needs and works alongside you to ensure that you manage and develop your employees effectively in order to achieve your business goals.
Call Business Link now on 0845 600 9 006 or email info@tees.businesslink.co.uk to see how you can get the most from your business.
