Training can make a difference

Can you expect improved performance at work by participants who recently attended training? Can you turn training participants into a learning sponge who cannot wait to attend their next training opportunity? Can you expect a financial return as a result of the time, energy, and money you invest in training?

Yes, of course! You just need to consider a few things before setting out. For example, you need to pay attention to who presents the training, how the training is presented, whether the training content is useful to the participants, the role you expect from participants.

What participants do during the training session makes all the difference. You can use the following ideas to address complaints about training (I don't have time; it's a waste of time; I cannot try out what I learn anyway throughout my working day) and spark improved performance in your workplace.

Training transfer- a few tips

The trainer makes a difference. One of the most effective training sessions ever attended was at one of the local manufacturing companies. As part of a company-wide culture change process, all employees attended a learning session.

The key ingredient was the trainer. He was a company executive and expected each individual attending the session, in turn, to instruct the people who reported to them.

The ability to train others is one of the most important indicators of training retention. (The training department assisted with the sessions as well, since not every manager was confident of his ability to train.)

Alternatively, parti-cipants react more favourably to trainers who have experience in their industry. They appreciate facilitators who have experienced and addressed the issues and situations highlighted in the training. The more closely the instructor can link the training to participants' real-life experience, the better for application of the information later on the job.

Find out what your employees need to improve on. Carry out an analysis to discover the training needs of your chosen group. When participants attend training which does not consist of the content needed to improve their performance, the training cannot be a success. The analysis can be done with the participants themselves prior to training and also their managers should be involved.

Present training as part of a consistent message from the organisation. Sessions must build on each other and reinforce the content learned in earlier sessions. Too many organisations approach training as a pot-pourri or menu of available classes and sessions. When there is no interconnection between sessions and the information provided in the sessions, organisations lose a great opportunity to reinforce basic shared skills, approaches, and values.

Training must reference earlier sessions, draw parallels, and reinforce content. As an example, one university supervisory development programme introduces an effective feedback process in a communication class. This feedback model is then reinforced and emphasised in the conflict resolution session, the performance management session, and the motivation session. Participants receive a consistent approach, emphasised across sessions, to ensure transfer to the workplace.

Provide training in 'chunks' that are scheduled over a period of time. People learn more in training sessions that provide chunks, small amounts of content, based on a few well-defined objectives. Participants attend these sessions, perhaps two or three hours per week, until the subject is learned. This allows for practice of the concepts in between the sessions.

Content and application of concepts are reinforced at each successive session. This also allows people to discuss their successes and difficulties in applying the training in their actual work session. The instructor can help participants practise the training content by giving coursework that are debriefed at the next training session.

Training skills and information that are immediately applicable on the job. "Use it or lose it" is a common saying about training. This is a true statement. Even with strategic skills such as listening, providing performance feedback, and team-building, set up situations in which practice is immediate and frequent, to help participants maintain the new learning.

In application-oriented training such as software training, don't bother with the training unless participants have the software. In fact, training is often more effective if they experiment with the programme first, before attending the session.

The trainer can set a positive, productive tone for the session and the later application of learning with a positive, informative, honest opening that stresses behaviourally oriented objectives. How the instructor opens the training session begins the process of managing participant expectations: "You will be able to do the following as a result of attending this session".

Participants need to know what expectations they can have of the session so the objectives must be realistic and not 'over-promise'. At the same time, the opening should stress "what's in it for me" - what participants will experience as a result of their wholehearted participation in the session. Emphasise "what's in it for the trainee", the value of session and the information provided during the entire session.

During the training session, practise active learning principles; honour a variety of learning styles. Recognise that a range of activities and information applications will appeal to participants' varied learning styles. Use real life examples, case studies, small group discussion, presentation, and experiential exercises. Provide visual support materials such as films and transparencies for people who learn visually.

Activities will appeal to your hands-on crowd. Ask participants to provide examples of the concept you are training from their experience. By keeping the training varied, exciting and stimulating, you help people retain the content.

By appealing to the variety of learning styles in your group, you enhance participant learning. Examples and application exercises ensure people can connect new material to their current practice and what they already believe. This, in turn, ensures transfer and application on the job.

Increase trainee involvement in the session by engaging them in tasks requiring action. Provide easy ways for participants to take notes. Ask them to share these ideas in a small group. Ask people to underline the most important concept on a page; circle the ideas that most apply to their circumstances. Request that participants identify how their supervisor can help them apply the training. Make action planning an ongoing activity during the session, instead of a too often time-crunched activity at the end of the session.

During the session, discuss how to address real life scenarios, and barriers participants believe they will encounter when they apply the training. Too often, training professionals don't prepare participants for the real world in which they will attempt to use what they learned in class.

Trainers should work on performance barriers in the domain they can control, their training rooms. They can share information from the needs assessment and offer ways to overcome them. Trainers can also discuss with participants their managers' or co-workers' possible objections. The participants can practise their responses.

In other words, trainers can immunise participants against the thoughts, words, and actions of resistance. They can share suggestions from participants who were able to transfer what they learned in training and who came up with successful approaches to get more computer resources, supervisory support, and so forth.

Select a training partner. Training sessions can prove to be more effective when a training partner assists the trainer. The role of training partner should be well defined and agreed upon by participants. The partner should be the link between the group and the trainer following the training. This is useful for assisting with training transfer challenges.

Whether you facilitate training sessions or select them for others, these tips should help you to become more conscious of factors that make training work. The training material, from sessions that apply these ideas, is absorbed by participants and actually used to improve performance back on the job. That is the goal of training.

CSB Employment Agency has been supporting the local business community with its services since 1987. For further information write to them at Vincenti Buildings, 14/19 Strait Street, Valletta VLT 08, or call 2122-5800 or 2124-6543, fax: 2123-0520, e-mail jobs@vacancycentre.com, or visit www.VacancyCentre.com.