How Not To Dump Content Through Corporate Trainings

What is the return on training investment? How will training improve our business growth and profitability? How will training improve employee performance? These are some of the questions that are frequently asked by business owners. Part of the reason why these questions are raised is because the training fraternity has failed to produce tangible results or present a strong successful business case for the company owners. There could be multiple reasons for this failure but in my humble opinion I think one of the main reasons is random “content dumping”.

Content Dumping Process

Content dumping is basically selecting a course or content based on an individual analysis and then randomly selecting employees from different departments and finally dumping the selected course content onto the selected employees in a form of 1- or 2-day training sessions. The content dumping procedures starts with an annual Training Need Analysis (TNA) activity in which each department fills out a form highlighting key trainings for their respective team members. Based on the form trainers are selected by the HR Department and shared the training requirement. The trainer based on the information provided then selects the training content either from google or own content and design a strategy to dump the entire content – without finding out whether the selected content will solve nominated employees concerns or job-related challenges. Then comes the nomination part, employees are either self-nominated or nominated by their respective line managers. Line managers usually send employees who are either not occupied or starving to get a good lunch.

The Training Day

On the training day the trainer is ready with his content, his perspective, his experience and has no clue what are the challenges, will the content resonate with the employees, will it address their concerns, will it motivate them to change their behavior or perspective. Another factor that reduces training effectiveness is the senior management or reporting managers absence in the training program. To make the content engaging and not so boring for the audience, trainer usually have fun games and jokes as a backup to keep the participant entertained. At the end of the training session a feedback form is shared with the participants and the process of content dumping is concluded.

Post- Training

Post-training usually companies don’t have any mechanism to measure the knowledge transfer or impact of the training. And the expectation of the business owners or the management is that post-training the problem has been resolved and hereafter our business fortune is going to change – They expect immediate results.

The Solution

While you need a long-term thinking and holistic approach to solve this training misalignment problem, but for a start what organizations can do is to create a learning culture within the organization. This initiative shall reflect in the senior management actions, particularly the CEO. He/she should participate in training program, encourage employee to share knowledge, learn new courses and all this should be linked to performance.

In addition to this organizations can make training effective by designing employee centric trainings. The design should include experiential learning and resources that can help them address their concerns and challenges relating to their JOB roles and organizational relationships. Keeping training employee centric rather than organization centric is the key to creating a difference. In addition to this if at the initial design and discover stage trainer finds out that the problem cannot be address by training then the management should opt for OD consultancy and make changes in terms of policies, structure, communication channels or any other factors suggested by the consultant.

About The Writer

Tanzeel is?CEO?of Meaningful Lives, who is a seasoned?corporate trainer?and coach with focus on behavioral and physical transformation through soft skills and wellbeing training He has over?8 years?of experience in training transforming professionals and organizations in Australia and Pakistan.

He has worked with top global organizations, include?Hudson Global Resource?a leading MNC providing learning and staffing solutions in Australia. He has enabled organization and professionals in Pakistan to unleash their potential and reach peak productivity level by providing practical training solutions.

He completed his?MBA?from CQ University Australia in International Business and an ACCA Affiliate. He is a Certified Public Speaker from?California?Institute of Behavioural Neurosciences Psychology and a Certified Professional Trainer from?IAPPD, UK.?Tanzeel also teaches Leadership and Management courses to MBA students. Tanzeel is also a Certified Fitness Trainer from?Australian College of Sports and Fitness?and Certified Boxing Trainer from Punchfit Australia?