How to know the right time to invest in training

Training is not a solution for everything. But when it is the way to go, how to define the correct timing to apply? And what are the barriers to be removed? That's what we answer in this article.

Before discussing the best time to train the workforce, perhaps it is important to define when not to train. Well, investing in Learning and Development (L&D) processes is not always the best way, and therefore, it is important to know how to differentiate these corporate moments at the risk of wasting time, energy, and money on something that is simply not recommended at that time. If you've ever heard someone say that "training doesn't work," you know what we're talking about.

Training addresses everything that concerns the behavioral and technical transformation of a human being. And that's all. Therefore, if your company is facing a challenge related to the definition of attributes of a certain product or service, poorly designed processes or management conflicts, communication, etc., it is probably not the time to invest in training.

Of course, in the corporate day-to-day, and especially for those who are fully involved with everyday problems, it is not always so easy to tell right from wrong. The ReFrame Learning methodology, in part, was created with this very common doubt in sight.

"I like to share a classic example about this to illustrate a problem that training will not be able to solve: a client had just launched a product that was a sales success. The problem? The logistics were terrible, and there were several problems with delivery. In small towns, people know each other and the information, good or bad, spreads fast, and the result was that sales started to go down. They contacted us to try to work around the problem, thinking that training would help. After the assessment, it was very clear that the problem was the product and the process, not the workforce", says Renato Gangoni, CEO of ReFrame Learning.

Facing this situation, what path to follow? Adjust the process and then, if necessary (that is: if there is an indicator that training will impact), train.

The right time to train

From the moment we are confident that training will make a difference and is necessary, the next question to be answered is: when to train?

The short answer is: whenever possible, train from "Day Zero" (onboarding or admissions activities). It doesn't matter if we are talking about a small, medium or seven figures company. Training from the employee's entry into the company is the way to build (and maintain) a strong, clear organizational culture focused on continuous learning and development. And more: according to a survey conducted with hundreds of CFOs from large companies, this is the best and most effective tool for engaging and retaining talents. The modern workforce values its own development above any other attribute.

But it is not always possible to train from "Day Zero.” Those who are already in the company and need to develop/recycle must have access to a training program that is highly based on parameterizable KPIs, and that is built and thought of as a journey, a true education process, not an isolated activity.

It is worth remembering that training is not a "fine-tuning" of skills, one on one or private lessons, but a process that will ensure that human capital has access to the necessary load of hard and soft skills to perform its functions in a satisfactory way (at least).

It's always the leadership who refines the skills of those performing above average, ok?