Five Tips for Training to Transfer to the Workplace

In these financially difficult times more and more companies are starting to look to their training budgets as a possible area for cuts. Stop! This is time to invest even more in training. The secret is smart investments that truly transfer to the workplace.

1. The trainer makes a difference.
It is always tempting to send your managers out, train them, and then have them train your staff. This can take an incredible growth opportunity and turn it into another staff meeting. Stop doing this now! Your trainer makes a difference! A huge difference! Now maybe the time to hire that training manager for your HR department. A training manager is an outstanding resource for a growing business or a business that would like to start growing again. They are the person for training new employees in company policies and procedures, and existing employees with growth opportunities. If you are not ready for training manager bring in a trainer.

2. Present training as part of a consistent message from the organization
Okay, here is my Stephen Covey training rearing up. You need a mission statement for your business. No, not the one that hangs on the boss’s wall that no one remembers. You need a living, breathing mission statement. Your company canoe will get no where unless everyone is rowing in the same direction. Your Mission Statement needs to be that direction. If your Mission Statement has Customer Service and Product Quality as a huge part of it, do not train your employees in Overseas Shipping Methods. Ahhhhhhhhhh! Consistency is a must from the top to the bottom. That means that everyone needs to have some training in your main focus areas. Yes, I said everyone. Parking attendants to the CEO.

3. Ask each individual’s manager, and the manager’s manager, to attend the training session with their staff.
It is impossible to train your employees and give a brief overview to your management. This is a recipe for disaster and will fail the training before it begins. Managers and employees need to hear the information together. They also need time to discuss and plan the use of this new training. Your training will work differently in different departments. Training requires additional time for planning and discussion. Don’t rush it.

4. Provide training in “chunks” that are scheduled over a period of time.
One week of super training is overwhelming and 99 times out 100 useless. I know it is easier for staffing and planning, but it is not how adult education works. Your employees are no longer 7 years old and in 2nd grade. Adult brains take longer to synthesize information. One day of training for 5 weeks is much more useful. It also allows everyone to go back to work and try out the training in small doses and then come back and debrief with management and the trainer.

5. Train people in skills and information that are immediately applicable on the job.
Now that you have 5 days of training in 5 weeks ( good plan by the way) make sure that everyone has something that is immediately applicable on the job. If you are training every Monday. Everyone should be using their new piece of Training Tuesday Morning. This allows everyone to try it out while it is still fresh. Remember to have them write down questions or issues for next week’s training to debrief.

Hmmm, I feel 5 more ideas coming to mind that will help you transfer your training from the classroom to the workplace, but that will have to be in my next blog.