Beyond Training

The scene plays out in organizations across the world every day. Managers want to improve the skills of one (or more) of their employees, so they identify workshop to send them to. Or, perhaps at least as often, a class is made available, and managers are asked to "Send some of your folks to this session."

Either way, once their employee's are registered, most managers smile a satisfied smile feeling they are doing the right thing - supporting people's growth and development.

Too often though, as soon as this task is crossed of the list, managers forget about that staff development - as if training alone will address any performance issues.

It won't.

A recent benchmark study in the U.K. by KnowledgePool found that "A quarter of all training is wasted because delegates do not get the chance to apply their learning, and they are not adequately supported by their line manager." (Click here to read more about this study and what it found.)

Which shows that sending people to training isn't enough.

Some people will attend a workshop, build a plan and find ways to apply what they've learned. Some will succeed in spite of the manager. But for most, barriers will surface - barriers that in many cases managers can eliminate.

Training provides an opportunity for ideas to be shared, techniques and approaches to be discussed and for the light bulb to go on. But training isn't magic. For real learning to occur - which implies people are doing something with what they learned - people must apply the lessons training provides.

For a variety of reasons people often need help - help that is best (or perhaps only) provided by a manager or supervisor. Managers can increase the return on their training investment by supporting the lessons learned in training and expecting new approaches, techniques and skills upon the return to work.

So managers, when you cross training off your list when people have registered, add a new item to your list upon their return to work. Sit down with them and see how you can support their development and success.

When you do that you'll significantly increase the return on your training investment and increase employee loyalty and satisfaction at the same time.

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati