Before sending your staff on training there are two important factors you must first consider:
1. What training course will be the most appropriate for your employee/s?
2. Do the employees understand the reason for the training?
In order to address both of these questions at once the easiest thing to do is simply include your employees in the planning process.
Helping your employees understand that training is an investment in their future with the company helps them to be more open and responsive to the training itself.
Often when there is a lack of communication with employees about training, bar perhaps a notification to attend, the employee can only speculate as to the reason they've been chosen to be trained.
"Am I bad at my job?" "Am I being punished for something?" "Why is it only me going for training?"
With these questions running through their heads they come to the training, defensive and demotivated instead of excited and ready to learn.
It's for this reason that it's so important to engage with the employee long before the training takes place. Explain the value of training for both the employee and the company, decide together what training would bring about the most benefit, and ensure that your employees understand the process of assessments should you require them.
Remember that you are all on the same team and all have the same goals.
The key to this is of course communication. Without it our employees have only their own assumptions to rely on - and these are often highly negative, demotivating thoughts which are unfounded and unnecessary.
What else should you consider?
- Preparing the learners for the training
- Preparing a training room for the training
- Ensure follow-up and behaviour change after the training
Staff Training is a soft skills training provider offering more than 40 training courses nationwide. Contact info@StaffTraining.co.za or call (021) 839 3021 for more info.