Activities/assignments for participants before the training workshop

As a trainer many times I find some of the participants clueless about training, its objectives, outcomes, and more surprisingly even about the topic.

I'm not joking, seriously, even some participants are attending the workshop or training without their own will. Perhaps they're instruments for some administrative activities or to fulfill KPIs of HR or their bosses.

I make it a point that such incidents can be minimized using some creativity. "Catch them early" is the way out. This is a pre-workshop engagement. It has always helped me create better business impact by making training worthy or creating buy-in for the topics.

Few activities and assignments that participants can complete before a training workshop to help them get the most out of the experience:

1. Self-assessment: Participants can complete a self-assessment questionnaire or survey to assess their current skills and knowledge in the area that the workshop is focusing on. This can help them identify areas of strength and areas for improvement, and will also give the trainer an idea of the group's overall level of understanding.
2. Goal-setting: Participants can set goals for what they want to achieve during and after the workshop. This can help them focus on what they want to learn and how they plan to apply the knowledge and skills they gain to their work or personal life.
3. Pre-reading: Participants can be provided with a list of articles, books, or other resources related to the topic of the workshop. This will help them to familiarize themselves with key concepts and ideas and also it would be beneficial for the trainer for quicker workshop delivery.
4. Team-building: Participants can complete a team-building activity to help them get to know their fellow participants and build camaraderie. This can be done through online or virtual activities
5. Planning: Participants can prepare a plan of action for how they will apply the knowledge and skills they learn in the workshop to their work or personal life after the workshop is over.
6. Research: Participants can conduct research on the topic of the workshop. They can review recent industry trends, look into case studies or best practices that are relevant to the topic and also this will help the participants to engage in active discussion during the workshop.

By completing these activities and assignments before the workshop, participants will come prepared and be able to actively engage in the training and get more out of the experience. It also helps the trainer to understand the group's level of understanding and cater the workshop to their needs.

Please share your experience and leave comments.