We all intuitively know that corporate learning and development is “supposed to” make a difference. After all, investing in proper employee training means investing in your employees and most importantly, investing in your company’s future success. However, the only way to get there is to commit to employee training and make it a top priority in your workplace. Yet, far too often in-house (or do-it-yourself) employee training programmes, and not the employees themselves, fail.
The most prevalent reasons for this failure are linked to (i) implementation, (ii) a lack of any type of monitoring and accountability, (iii) poor project management, (iv) plummeting interest and effectiveness and (v) the “what now” effect. Our blog this week focuses on implementation, a lack of accountability and the “what now” effect.
1. Poor implementation
Often, in the rush and excitement of rolling out a new training programme, human resources departments create comprehensive training programmes that no-one ever seems to complete. It’s not enough to only create learning paths (and often DIY training programmes lack those too), corporate trainers (or the designated programme manager from HR) need to ensure that employees follow-up to completion. Far too often we see employees take the introductory module to a new training programme and get too busy to complete the balance of the programme.
2. The “what now” effect
Closely linked to poor implementation is the “what now” effect. Programme managers often experience the “what now” effect in their approach to corporate training. They know the employees need the training programme, but they lack the necessary insight to elevate the programme to develop deeper and more meaningful skills in various areas. Ideally, all training programmes should be completely aligned with the corporate objective.
3. A lack of accountability
A lack of accountability is a major reason for the long-term ineffectiveness of corporate training. Accountability has been shown to have a substantial impact on learning and business outcomes. Consistent with research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, an increased level of shared accountability in the workplace is a necessary condition to translate the empowerment of employees into improved organisational performance.
Finding a solution to your training dilemma means you first have to understand what problem you’re trying to solve and what knowledge gap you’re trying to close. These gaps are often what is standing in the way of the organisation achieving its goals. DIY training programmes are usually not best equipped to address this.
Don’t fall into the trap of creating comprehensive training programmes with the latest eye-catching technology that still leaves you wondering why did the training fail? Remember, having a trained workforce will ultimately benefit the business which his why investing in professional learning design and corporate training professionals mean your employees will learn from, retain and act on the information they receive so that they become part of dynamic teams that ensure businesses succeed.
Read more:
Mind the gap: How to get your training message past the brain’s gatekeeper
Corporate training evaluation: 5 KPIs you should be tracking
WHITE PAPER: 7 Ways learning maps will increase employee effectiveness
