Why Even the Best Corporate Training Programs Don't Always Guarantee Effective Skill Development

Introduction:

Despite the high quality of many corporate training programs, they often fail to ensure the effective translation of knowledge into workplace skills. Our studies indicate that only 10-20% of learned material is actively applied six months after training. This article delves into the three main reasons for this discrepancy, supported by real-world examples.

1. Delay in Applying Acquired Knowledge (The Case of Lucas):

Lucas completed a course in negotiation and was keen to use his new skills. However, he didn't get a chance to apply them until three weeks later, by which time much of his learning had faded. In his negotiation, Lucas managed to use only 3 out of 30 techniques he had learned.

Key Insight: Quickly applying new skills is crucial for retaining and effectively using knowledge.

2. Reluctance to Embrace Change (Marie's Dilemma):

Marie, with over ten years of experience in retail, reverted to her old methods after training in advanced strategies. She preferred familiar techniques over new ones, fearing the risks of the latter.

Key Insight: Overcoming resistance, especially among experienced employees, requires showing the benefits of new methods in real business contexts and repeating these until they become habitual.

3. Absence of Immediate Feedback (Julien's Struggle):

After training in customer service, Julien struggled to implement new methods. His attempts to upsell led to client dissatisfaction and reduced sales. A lack of immediate feedback exacerbated his misunderstanding of key aspects.

Key Insight: Creating a safe environment for skill practice, with immediate feedback, is crucial. Directly applying new skills on real clients too soon can be risky and demoralizing.

Conclusion:

These examples underscore the importance of practice and feedback in learning. To close the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, companies should consider:

- Prompt practical application following theoretical learning.

- Using simulations and role-playing for safe and effective skill development.

- Providing regular feedback to refine working methods.

These strategies can optimize training budgets and greatly improve employee skill levels.

The Reflection

We excel in converting theoretical knowledge into practical skills.