Episode D5.004 Formal Training Programs for Job Demands & Career Development

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​Introduction
Welcome to the first week in August!  We are continuing to journey towards your success.  I am new to the IBGR Network and I am looking forward to getting to know you and helping you achieve the goals that you have for your business.  Small businesses employ 57% of the planet's population and our needs are often overshadowed by the needs of Big Business.  We are here to help improve your ability to succeed by focusing on you and your business.

This week we continue the new programming structure. We use a Balanced Scorecard to format our weekday shows: Finance (Monday) = Operations (Tuesday) + Sales (Customers) + People (Employees) with Fridays dedicated to Owners. Look at the week this way - Monday through Thursday is working IN the Present, Friday is working ON the Future.

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Show Objectives
Today’s show is about Formal Training Programs for Job Demands & Career development.  Every business has some type of training need from onboarding, specific technical competencies, management, leadership, marketing, sales and or communication. Investments in talent development help to job satisfaction, retention by providing a path for personal and career development.  As your company continues to grow or become even more efficient the need for formal training programs will increase.  Training programs help to equip your team with the tools that they need to succeed and provide a foundation for future leaders and managers within your organization.  To remain competitive in this you must continue to invest in your people.

What You Need to Know
EPISODE D5.002 COMPANY PROVIDES A CAREER PATH
EPISODE D5.003 PROMOTIONS BASED ON PERFORMANCE NOT CONNECTIONS
 
Effective training programs are crafted considering the  values of the organization and the actual needs of your employees.  Training for the sake of training will not move you closer to your goals.  Training for the sake of training is like random physical exercise which may be beneficial but not as effective as a well thought out training regime. Signal to your employees that you value them by investing in their development.  Workplace training is an effective way for organizations to increase productivity. Well-trained employees can be more skilled in their jobs and less likely to make mistakes, resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness.
 
Key Issues:
Owner/Manager Perspective

1. How do I determine my company’s training needs?
2. What are the intended outcomes of the training program?  Are there some specific gaps that were revealed during the training needs assessment process?
3. Make sure that your employee development needs are considered. 
4. What feedback have employees given on any knowledge or skills gaps?
5. How are you going to track your training?
6. Training needs should be incorporated into the employee evaluation and performance review process as well.
7. It is important to develop a learning culture within your company.
8. Look at a career development from several viewpoints – technical, organizational, and individual. 
9. Develop people technically first - job of management is developing skill mastery, but do not forget to include the development of soft skills into your training program.
10. Continue to develop their business skills to make competence complete.

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Key Issues - Employee Perspective:

1. Continue to gain skills for my current position and prepare for the next position.
2. Proactively look for opportunities to attend training that enhance technical and if needed soft skills.
3. Show your employer that you value your training by putting your newly learned or enhanced skills into practice.

 
What You Need to Do 

1. Review your existing training programs and processes that you already have in-place.  You must know your starting point.
2. Assess your organizational training needs.
   1. Are there key areas within your organization where you see a clear need for training?
   2. Are their market or technology changes that are driving the training needs?
   3. Is training needed as part of succession or growth planning? Or Developing a “deeper bench.”
3. Assess your employee training needs.
   1. Engage your employees for suggestions on any gaps in technical knowledge or skills that they may be aware of.  Be sure to communicate that you are in the process of developing a formal training program and you want their input.
   2. Do your employees need to further develop their “soft” skills? 
   3. Get feedback from your leadership team on areas of need.
4. Develop your training program based on the needs of the organization and the employees.
5. Determine how best way for the training to be delivered (Group, Individual, remote or in-person.)
6. Clearly define the purpose and goals of the training program and individual training sessions.
7. How will success be measured organizationally as a whole, within each department, and on the individual contributor level.
8. Include training in part of the performance evaluation and promotion process. 
9. Coach your employees and managers on developing training plans for their teams and themselves.
10. Make sure your management team is on board with the training program as they will reinforce the everyday importance of training with their team members. 
11. Develop a learning culture within your organization.

 
Shows
Previous: Episode D5.003 Promotions Based on Performance Not Connections
Next: Episode D5.005 Responsible for Continuous Improvement

Written by James Bryant

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