Employees are not machines like robots or computers, and thank goodness for that! Machines might be tireless, but they can’t do everything. In fact, whether it’s a robot or an AI model, machines require humans to give the necessary programming commands for it to do the job it has been tasked with.
People are every company's most important asset. They bring new ideas, support each other, and combine their different skills to create success and profit. Every person brings something to the table, and when you combine people into a team, they can take things to the next level. As Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, said:
"No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you're playing a solo game, you'll always lose out to a team."
Training and developing people is one of a business's best investments. But how do you decide what to offer?
Tips for training and development
Opportunity and needs determine training. Opportunity is when staff can learn new skills or insights they might use later—for example, if they go to a vendor's workshop to understand new products and services that their company might use.
Needs appear when people require knowledge in order to continue their work. These needs are often pragmatic: common examples include learning new software or gaining process knowledge to do certain tasks. Training can improve softer skills, such as making people better communicators, dealing with work-related disputes, or introducing different teams to a shared goal and its steps.
The need for training may be obvious or come from foresight. Here are some tips to help discover and develop training best suited to your teams:
Get team input: People often know what they need to reach their goals. Gather their input regularly and compile a list of potential training ideas.
Set out expectations: As the team leader or person arranging the training, be clear on your expectations. Articulating these, even just to yourself, will help guide your training ideas.
Create training goals: Based on your expectations, lay out goals for the training. What should it accomplish, who should receive training, and how will you measure success from your training efforts?
Decide on the training system: Training comes in different forms, such as physical workshops, online seminars, guided learning, or self-training. Decide which is best for both the team and the training goals.
Create an appropriate schedule: Align training with a schedule that makes sense to team members. If possible, send the entire team on training so they can share their experience and support each other.
Assign training KPIs: Measure training progress by assigning progress indicators for the training (some training platforms will do the tracking for you). Also, create ways to submit anonymous feedback about the training, such as via an online form.
These six steps will create a framework for your team's training.
Types of training systems
Thanks to digital technology, there are many more ways for people and teams to learn new skills. Here are some of the most popular systems:
Workshops and Seminars: Workshops and seminars are often attended physically, though there are also online versions. Typically, these will require one or several days of a team's time.
Online courses: Ask your vendors and suppliers if they host online courses related to their products and knowledge. You can also find online courses for business, technical, and interpersonal skills at team-training sites like Linkedin Learning, Coursera, and Skillshare.
Training videos: Online videos are a good way to pick up knowledge. Training videos are usually not part of a lesson plan or another form of structured learning, and work best with self-motivated students.
Mentorship: Mentorship means an experienced person who can provide insight and guidance to employees who want to improve their skills. Mentors can reinforce and support the learning journey, even helping mentees realise what they should focus on.
These tips will help you offer training that will help your teams improve and expand their knowledge. If you're still unsure or need more insight, consider taking a course on training!
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