5 Solutions to Post Training Implementation Challenge

Out of many challenges faced by an L&D professionals, Post training implementation is heavy challenge in terms of its impact on training outcomes. I too face such challenge and have worked on ideas and solutions over a period of time to win over this challenge. Through this article, I am expressing my ideas and solutions to address this important challenge.

1.      Commitment of participants- the most important factor to post training implementation or changing the behavior on the job is commitment of participants. There is no substitute for participants’ commitment for implementation of learning. Commitment is a driving force for implementation or change in behavior. Many times participants are not committed for the programs for variety of reasons such as but not limited to they don’t see value in training, they have not much clarity about organisational and managerial expectations from them, and they are unable to visualize benefits from training. It will be unrealistic to expect implementation of learning from such participants. As L&D professionals, we need to find ways and means to create commitment of participants for each training initiative. So, what is the solution? Selling the training objective to participants and converting it into learning objective for participants is the key solution. In order to do that facilitator should conduct interaction with line managers well in advance. This interaction should be used to co create objectives and outline of program, to arrive at a conclusion of key benefits of the program, determine post- program projects or actions from participants. Discussion with participants in beginning of program about how program can help them in short and long term will be helpful. Also discussing how a specific program fits into overall scheme of their day to day operations.

2.      Lack of applicability of learning- A few programs are designed to achieve an aspiration hoping participants will apply the learning in future. Example training for use of new technology which company will adopt in near future in some project or day today business operation. As participants don’t get opportunity to apply the learning, they forget the skills acquired by them during training. When the time to apply come, they have lost skill which was not fully acquired by them. So what is the solution creating projects basis the knowledge imparted enables participants to apply learning and keep their interest and skills alive.

3.      Line Managers are not trained before their subordinates-During tea/coffee break participants whisper that my manager is not undergoing a similar training. How on earth, I will apply, when my manager does not know what I know? This leads to low level of interest in participants. This kind of experience is observed in managerial training frequently. This could be due to current culture of organisation. Solution lies in design phase of training. While creating learning journey, be completely aware of overall culture of the organisation and overall psyche of managers of organisation. Make genuine attempt to align the course material with the culture of managers, team and organisation. Say for example, you want to drive execution excellence. If you do a learning intervention for front line managers on execution excellence without doing it for top or middle line management, training outcome will be limited but if same program is done for top management first, followed by middle management and finally for front line managers, training outcome will be different. When every level of stakeholder (top, middle, lower management) uses common language towards a problem and its solution, then training outcome is bound to be bigger and better. It has been my experience.

4.      Demotivated from manager - some managers have a fixed way of doing things and they have deep resistance toward experimentation of new ways of doing things. Such managers tell their team or individuals not to apply what their subordinates have learnt in the recent training program. The root cause of this behavior could be his own insecurity or his choice to be perceived as better professional than the facilitator. Agreed, facilitators don’t have a magic wand to solve each and every problem of day today operations. However, there can be definitely a merit in the way suggested by facilitator. Suggested way at least deserves to be applied on a trial basis. Even trial basis application is not allowed by many managers. Many managers fail to understand and they typically instruct their subordinate using the following expressions- “do what I say, you are not in training program any more now. You know, theory is different than the practice.” So what is the solution- building rapport with managers, seeking their suggestions on solution which are going to be discussed during training program will be very useful. Though all suggestions coming from line managers may not be discussed during program and all suggestions of line managers may not be included also in the discussion of training program.

5. Post Training Connect- Participants attend the training, where they acquire knowledge and practice the skill in simulated environment through role plays. But once they are applying the learning in real world, they fail. This could be due to variety of reasons. Application requires customization depending on scenarios, personality style of customer and market dynamics etc. This may happen due to lack of post training connect. This could be further due to facilitators other engagement. So what is the solution- creating a follow up session with participants on application of learning is one of the solution. Another solution is having a detailed discussion with line managers about post-training support to participants by them. This discussion must include aspects of monitoring, reinforcement, encouragement to learners by them. This discussion with line manager will pave way to application of new behavior by learners.

Do share any other challenge you face and we can think of ideas and solutions to win over.