Organizing An Effective Training

Organizing an effective training program for your employees is important to ensure a more productive work environment. But how do you exactly do that?
Treat your training program as a project. A project, as we all know, always starts with the planning phase. As training costs both time and money, carefully plan it from the start, and establish clear and realistic goals. I.E. A set of desired outcomes –
There are actually many things to consider before starting a training program. The first thing to ask would be “what is the goal of the training?” Training programs are mostly geared towards: upgrading technical skills, improving soft skills, improving employee behavior, or developing leadership skills. Whatever the goal may be, it is important to identify at least one. The next question is “who will participate in the training?” The contents and delivery of the program should be tailored fit to its participants. And then, “how much is the budget and how much time can we allocate?” Lastly, “do I have access to enough training material and knowledge resource?” Putting the above questions in mind, carefully plan a training program that will be effective, and beneficial to both the company and the participating employees.
What comes next to planning? Implementation. The delivery of the training program is a big factor in its success. Here are 5 ways to help you achieve the goals of your training program.

1. Pick the right method. The traditional classroom-type still works but there are other options: hands-on training, problem-based learning, computer-based, demonstrations, coaching, etc. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Again, who will be the participants? That itself is a factor in choosing the right method. A blended learning approach works too.

2. Employ training experts. If the participants know that the trainer is an expert in the field, they will be more eager to learn and participate. Having a trainer that doesn’t inspire might make it hard to relay the knowledge and skills.

3. Don’t over-do. When necessary, break the training into smaller schedules, giving the participants ample time to take in what they learned and to relax, to be ready for more learning.

4. Let them apply their learning/skills. By giving them this chance, they will not forget the newly acquired skills and will also feel that joining the training was actually a good personal investment.

5. Be open to feedback and discussion – before, during and after the training. Communication is important and the program should be flexible to make some improvements based on feedback.

By orchestrating an effective training using the tips above, not only have you created a better working environment for your company, but have also helped the participants become better individuals.