Author: Karen Hyder
How ironic! It surprised me to read that now even training companies are putting a freeze on training for internal staff. What message does that send to clients and prospects? That the argument long cited by balky clients -that training is dispensable - is valid after all?
Suspending training expenditures is a common belt-tightening strategy, often undertaken to minimize the need for layoffs. It's easy to understand why employers prefer freezing training budgets to reducing headcount, because it appears painless.
But what happens inside a company when formal training is scrapped? It means that employees who survived the layoffs now must take on new responsibilities without the benefit of training to learn both business and software processes. The decision-makers are banking on the idea that a smaller number of employees who don't know how to do their jobs and can't get appropriate training will somehow put the company in a better position than it was when it employed more people who did know how to do their jobs.
The truth is that training happens, regardless of formality or funding. Just as a child learns to walk whether or not someone helps him, employees determined to meet their performance objectives will find ways to get the information they most require. It may not happen smoothly or efficiently, but learning does go on. So how is the training gap being filled?
Some employers will point to their e-learning solution as an adequate substitute, and for some, it's an excellent option. A vast majority of learners prefer to learn in social situations and aren't prepared for self-propelled learning. "We all agree that the most powerful learning happens in synchronous mode, or real-time learning,” says Thomas Koulopoulos, author of “The X-Economy” and president and founder of Boston-based research consultancy The Delphi Group. “For example, when your father or mother taught you to drive, they didn't send you off with a tape recorder."
Because human beings inherently seek to combine learning with socializing, employees without access to formal trainers come to rely on the over-the-cubicle-wall learning sessions, as we did in some places I've worked. I admit, these can be very effective methods: just in time and customized down to the transaction.
But who's doing the teaching? Is the informal trainer qualified? Does she have the time? Might he be spreading misinformation or bad habits?
The informal trainer could be the Help Desk manager. She used to answer employees' applications questions, but since the layoffs took half her team she's been tied up answering customer service calls. The new guy in marketing talks a good game, but he won't admit what he doesn't know and ends up providing misinformation. The web designer provides deskside coaching, but his skill level is so much higher than the average user's that those sessions usually end in mutual frustration. The database developer is delighted to help anyone who asks -- at the cost of $175 an hour.
How might an organization support the inevitable tendency toward over-the-cube-wall training?
Most important, ensure that the members of the team who become trainers by default actually have training skills. If your organization is blessed with IT staffers who understand your businessprocess and can answer all kinds of user questions effectively and promptly, do everything you can to keep them.
If you aren't so lucky, you can grow some from within the ranks, by making a small investment in the training skills of a handful of employees who are in the know. Ask them to offer instruction and track time spent and questions asked and answered. This will improve the quality of instruction and provide data on where more formalized training may be needed.
You can encourage employees to continue to LEARN to survive economic downturns by:
Make no mistake: When budgets are tight, cost-cutters will continue to view training as expendable. But eliminating training altogether will weaken the company's competitive position and further strain its lean staff.
Instead, by using a few creative techniques, you can boost morale inside your company at a time when you most need it.
If you don't believe me, put that formula into an Excel spreadsheet and see what displays.
Don't know Excel? Then reread this article.
© Copyright 2004 Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting. All rights reserved. Contact us for permission to reprint this article.
Karen Hyder is managing director and Trainer of Trainers at Palmyra-based Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting, and has been teaching people how to create effective adult learning relationships since 1994. Hyder is a board member of the CompTIA Cornerstone Committee, the decision-making body for the Certified Technical Trainer (CTT+) certification program.
Kaleidoscope provides technical presentation, communication and training skills through public and custom courses and individualized coaching programs. Kaleidoscope also offers software skills training, courseware development and more for clients including Eastman Kodak Co., Microsoft Corp., CIGNA, Ericsson, Morgan Stanley, Northeastern Illinois University, Unisys Corp., Diagnostica Stago Inc. and Pactiv Corp.
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