Employee Training - Articles - Andrew Schwartz

Products - Articles

ReadySetPresent Articles can be purchased for $15.00 and are reproducible for a $1.00 royalty fee per copy. Once purchased, download instructions will be sent to you via email. (PC and MAC Compatible). You can purchase all additional royalty copies by clicking here or visiting the reprints page.

Employee Training
by Andrew E. Schwartz

Trainees must see training as fully relevant to their future, and must believe it will provide them with new skills or knowledge needed to perform their job. Trainees need immediate feedback. They can not be expected to continue to learn if they do not recognize the positive effects training is having on them.

How is Training Done? Technically, training is the deliberate transmission of skills from one person to another on a one-to-one basis or through a group process. On the personal level, this is done by creating a climate in which individuals can learn. Learning is internal to the individual; the trainer must take into account the differences in individuals’ knowledge, motivation and learning rates.

Training is a gradual progress. All trainees will progress at different rates and in different ways. It is not always possible for the trainer to respond to these individual differences, but the trainer who does not recognize these differences is likely to fail.

How to Train: There are some requirements that must be met and steps which much be taken before setting up in-house training programs. The following suggestions must be regarded as just that - suggestions. They can be changed or modified in order to meet the individual needs of your organization.

You must begin by identifying the focus of needed training and the present skill levels of your team. This can be done through a needs assessment of the group which will identify the individuals requiring training and the level of training that will be required.

First, identify the issues and topics in which your team needs training, and then prioritize the training issues and topics. After this, identify precisely who among your group is going to receive this training (i.e., support, supervisory and new recruits, etc).

Setting the time frame for training is critical. Trainees want to know the essentials of when and where, but more importantly, they will be more concerned with how long training will take. Tell the trainees what day(s) and times the training will be conducted, and be able to list the length of all sessions.

Things to Know About Training: You have to set high, but attainable goals. Motivate the trainees by engaging in two-way communication - the person running the training session must be aware of trainee attitudes and behavior. One purpose of training is to change behavior patterns — that is, to increase the capabilities of your group. Most trainees seek out training because of some job-related deficiencies in their skills or educational background, or their desire for promotion, or skill development.

The selection of a training site is also very important. Before training can occur, you must identify the location for trainees; by street, building, room and floor. All equipment, materials, and supplies to be used must be ready at least two days prior to the training session.

Once target groups and location have been established, there are several training methods to choose from: lecture with handouts, discussion with feedback from trainees, directed study, outside reading, questioning, illustration, simulation, demonstration, practice, drill, and directed activity. I do not recommend any one of these methods exclusively. However, some combination of these methods, along with use of audio/visual material, often works well.

Compile material for training sessions at least two days prior to training. Check handouts,narratives, and audio/visual equipment before each training.

Evaluate all training programs both formally and informally from the viewpoint of both trainer and trainee. There must be a way to evaluate your training sessions. Question every detail of the training — why is the training necessary? Where it is held and when? What is the purpose of the training? What is the best way to train? Who is the best one to do the training, etc.

Employee Training Guide: Preliminary Steps: The trainees must be identified; the trainer identified, resources and resource people identified. The resource person and trainer can be the same person, but must be someone familiar with the training material to be covered. He/she could be a local community or business leader, a board member, a person “borrowed” from another agency, or someone from within the agency who is a skilled discussion leader. The trainer or resource person must be someone familiar with training and some of the technical issues needed. The trainer must:

Meet with the resource people to discuss the training and aspects of the training plans. This must include what is expected of the trainee, what they are to get out of the training session, and what role the resource people must play.
Tell the trainees what they must expect to accomplish, and just what they are expected to get out of the training session.
Use example, and make comparisons. Trainees must be encouraged to do the same at all training sessions.
Make all assignments crystal clear during the first session. Inform trainees that all training assignments given during a training session must be completed even if trainees have to take extra time to do so.
Lead all discussions and control their direction by highlighting key points. Do not let the group wander too far through tangenital discussion.
Constantly reinforce the need to follow through on all assignments. Trainees must know that all assigned material will be reviewed during the next training session. Open every session with a discussion of the material that was assigned. Throughout the training, encourage trainees to cite examples from their own organization, agency or department.
Ask for remarks from trainees on the material, and make sure that trainees understand the material.
Continually refer to the reference material, narrative outlines, and all handouts.
Review material by questioning trainees. Encourage trainees to give feedback, making sure all trainees understand the materials.
Review the previous session’s material with trainees through a large group question and answer period to make sure all trainees understand the materials, and to encourage trainees to participate. The trainer must ask questions of those trainees who don’t contribute to group discussions. The trainer must always be aware of the group’s questions and answers; inquiries will indicate how much the trainees are learning from the material. If the trainer feels that the trainees don’t have a clear understanding of the material, they must go over it again.

Andrew E. Schwartz, CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates of Boston, MA a comprehensive management training and professional development organization offering over 40 skills specific programs and practical solutions to today's business challenges.

When ordering, if you need an extraction program to unzip the file please visit one of these sites below.
These programs all have free trials that can be used to unzip our files. Make sure you have your pop-up blockers disabled.

Winzip - http://download.winzip.com/winzip120.exe
Winrar - http://www.rarlab.com/rar/wrar380.exe

Purchase this article for $15.00.
Articles are Reproducible for a $1.00 royalty fee per copy.