| STRATEGIC ANALYSIS |
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| How do we know if a training program is worth its money? |
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A question we are often asked by those who buy or attend training programs is "How can I find out if this session is good money?" The real answer to this question depends on the person who you address it to.
I tried to analyze the criteria through which the people I have worked with judged the various training programs they attended. Because, in one way or another, these programs depended on their beliefs no matter what their role was in those sessions.
In some cases you are dealing with acquisition departments, in other cases you have managers, CEOs or HRs, that send their employees to a course, while others were simple participants. The conclusion is that each and every one of these people would most likely have a different answer, but all of them have an important part in assessing the investment.
1. Acquisition departments usually have a set of criteria that they use when deciding whether a training program is worth the investment or not. They have their own budget and relatively stiff criteria. Depending on the company they also consult with HR departments. For these departments a program is worth it if it succeeds in working with the various constraints and expectations of the particular context.
2. In the case of managers that send their employees things are a bit different. They expect immediate results consisting in a higher knowledge level, better abilities or highly visible performances. They also expect the training to have a contribution to one of the objectives on their personal agendas, whether it has been agreed in advance with the trainer or not.
3. What the participants look for is the level of applicability when it comes to the techniques they learn during the course. They also look for a trainer who is attentive and listens to the personal problems they have at work, and keeps a balance between discussing these problems and offering different solutions for them.
4. From the HR manager’s point of view my experience shows me that they are very interested in the trainer’s brand, his/her reputation and the clarity of the instruments he/she works with. The supplier must also be flexible and proactive while preparing the training and also in the follow-up, use high quality materials in the session, and receive good feedback from the participants.
5. Top management and CEOs always compare the efficiency of the financial investments made in training programs with that of other investments. This is based on specific indicators such as: retention and turn-over, personal satisfaction and productivity indicators, contribution to corporate culture or endorsing initiatives and strategic priorities already present within the company. There are also companies that have made a priority out of training and developing their personnel, this being part of their corporate culture. In such a situation there are fewer rigors in assessing training investment.
It is obvious that in such a context of diverse expectations a training program will be viewed as being profitable depending on the person you ask, its specific needs and objectives. I would like to suggest to both buyers and consumers of training programs some tips that they need to keep in mind when it comes to acquiring such programs:
1. Do your homework: make sure your needs and objectives are clearly identified in order to ensure that the training you choose is the best solution for you (most of the times it isn’t).
2. If you don’t have all the information regarding the training program you wish to buy or participate in, check in detail HOW it will help you achieve your goals and satisfy your needs.
3. Look for simple programs that have proved their value and usefulness in time: avoid improvisations or "custom programs". In many cases these are superficial and untested in the day to day business environment. Search for programs that are consistent solutions and have an impact on the entire company.
4. Make sure the people present want to attend the session and are interested in it. They have to agree in advance with their manager that this will help them enhance their performance. This helps avoid absentees and the lack of preoccupation when it comes to applying what they have learnt.
5. If the trainer is not a well-known person in the field or if the program isn’t that famous have an interview before and check it out. Ask the trainer about his/her expertise in the field, what examples he/she uses, how he/she connects the information with the business life of the participants and why he/she choose this session and not something else.
6. Check if the participant’s managers are updated with the content of the session, and that they encourage and supervise their employees when it’s time to put the information learned into real life.
7. Check that there are simple and practical instruments in the program to assist and help the participants in practicing what they have learned after the course is over.
8. The programs must focus on one or two key concepts (ones that are easy to link) in order to achieve the highest impact possible. Avoid a large variety of subjects and themes packed into one single program.
9. Due to today’s hectic business environment you should ensure a continuous and clear internal communication. Talk about the goals and purposes of the program, what strategic priorities it supports and assist the managers who implement it in having an open attitude.
10. You must develop a strong shared responsibility between top management, the HR department, your training supplier, participants and their managers. If any of these elements lacks in commitment it will lead to a partial loss of the resources invested whether we are talking about money, energy, time or credibility.
I hope these observations will help you in choosing the best type of program you want to implement and in ensuring a high value investment!
Viorel Panaite
Partner |
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Human Invest is a Premier League company in the arena of training and
organizational development consultancy services, present on the Romanian market since 1998.
We are recognized for conceiving and implementing programs which offer managers an authentic experience towards improving their leadership
performances, and thus we support companies in becoming more and more engaged in delivering excellent services for their clients.
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