People First - March 2008

Maximizing the Benefits of Employee Training

by Mark Keays

Employee training is recognized by most organizations as a critical requirement to stay competitive and profitable. Employee training, if done well, can be an excellent company investment. Unfortunately, in many cases, it ends up as money wasted with no positive impact on the employees’ performance or the organization’s bottom line. Many employees tend to look at a few days of training especially if it is off-site and presented by an outside provider, as a few days off work. The reason that feeling might exist is because management does not communicate to the employee its expectations as to how the training will benefit the employee and the organization.

A good training program should result in employees gaining knowledge or skills that can be utilized to perform more effectively on the job. There are two questions that managers and supervisors should ask to determine if the training meets the organization’s needs. First, is training really the answer? In many cases training does not resolve the employee’s or organization’s need. Many people are sent to training in order to improve their productivity when in reality the employee needs to be better motivated, and in those cases, the organization may end up with a well-trained individual who is still not motivated to perform. Secondly, has the employee been told the results he or she is expected to achieve after attending training session? If an employee is sent to training on- or off-site, he or she should understand his or her responsibility to share new skills or knowledge with fellow employees after completing training.

The challenge is that in many cases managers and supervisors do not communicate to employees their expectations for improved performance as a direct result of the new training they have received. Additionally, managers do not reinforce application of new knowledge or skills. Managers often fail to follow up with employees upon their return which reinforces their belief that the training isn’t expected to pay any real dividend to the organization.

Internal or external training should be reviewed and the stated outcomes analyzed. If the stated outcomes match the organization’s needs, employees who are sent to training should be told that they are expected to come back to the organization to utilize what they have learned, and if appropriate, share those skills with fellow employees. Managers must follow up to ensure that the training delivers the desired outcomes to determine whether or not the programs will be used in the future. Finally, if the training delivers the promised outcomes, managers must ensure reinforcement and support.

Mark Keays
Mark Keays is president of Desert Management Services, a Las Vegas-based management consulting firm, and a faculty member of the University of Phoenix, where he teaches in the areas of organizational change, human resources and management.