Training – Back to Basics
By Dawn Robson
Your company is built on the knowledge and expertise of the people who work for you. Training and development of your team is vital to both your current and continued success. With a commitment to training for your employees, both individually and collectively, you are guaranteed to foster higher levels of engagement leading to greater effectiveness and prosperity for your business.
There are a number of ways to implement training in your workplace. Consider the following opportunities when creating a training program for your business:
Orientation and Onboarding are integral components of the employee experience. Onboarding starts when the offer of employment is made and continues until the employee is fully functioning in their role. Orientation is an important component of this and would normally occur on the first day(s) of employment. Both will shape how the individual feels about the company and the part that they are going to play in its success.
An orientation is often done in a meeting or classroom session, and covers the basics of what the employee needs to know, including the business of the organization (including mission, vision and values), the organization structure and who the players are, as well as the rules or practices within the organization. Also included would be the hours of operation, scheduling and payroll, benefits and introductions to the team. The employee needs to understand company expectations within their new position as well as the resources available to answer any outstanding questions. Checklists are available and should be followed for both onboarding and orientation.
Job Specific Training usually immediately follows the company orientation. Once again, the focus is to help the employee understand what is expected of them – but this time, it dives deeper into the intricacies of the various components of their job. This could include access and familiarization with the specific systems that are used in the position, introduction to the clients and services/products offered. Job specific training should be provided whenever your staff member takes on a new role.
Meetings and/or Stand-ups can be used as training vehicles for staff, proving updates on company activities and challenges as well as promoting understanding and collaboration on projects. The key is to encourage participation and involvement. Within the tech sector, scrums or hack-a-thons are facilitated to provide for creative problem solving.
Buddy or Mentor Programs are often provided by organizations that are committed to employee growth. These programs allow individual support for an employee by matching him/her up with a colleague who may be more knowledgeable or experienced within an identified area. The mentor could be someone within the company, or an external coach who will support their business and/or personal growth.
Leadership Development Training – As key members of your team take on leadership roles you may want to provide supervisory or leadership training. The responsibility of participating in performance reviews, providing feedback to staff or submitting compensation recommendations can be a daunting
challenge for someone who is not used to it. You need to support your staff on all of their new challenges and it may be worthwhile to provide specific training to meet these needs.
Reference Materials and Online Training – Make sure your team has what they need to be successful. There are a number of companies that can provide reference material or online training which you can make available to your staff. Lynda.com, for example, provides computer training so individuals can learn at their own pace based on their current skillset and requirements.
Educational Reimbursement Programs cover the cost of external education for your staff and showcase your commitment to their growth and development.
Provide your employees with the tools and opportunities to encourage their growth and inspire continuous learning. Training and support for your staff are long term commitments that will pay off!
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