Make the most of your training budget! - 2 February 2010

A recent study by KnowledgePool in the UK suggests that UK organisations could be wasting an estimated £9.5bn on training each year. OK so its a little alarmist....but with the study also citing that a quarter of all training fails to yield a significant performance improvement - what should employers be looking for when engaging training organisations and developing training plans? There are probably 4 key reasons why learners may not be able to convert their learning into improved performance: 1. Lack of support from their line manager 2.Attending courses that are ill-suited to their needs; 3. Attending courses when they know they will not use what they learn 4. Bad timing (either the work requirement came and went before the training took place or they'd forgotten what they had learned before they had the chance to apply it). To avoid these pitfalls employers would do well to engage with a training partner who can look at the real training needs of the business, any timing issues and the suitability of employees for the training. Employers need to have a consultative approach to their training strategy - involving the potential learners from an early stage to manage their expectations and ascertain their understanding of their own training needs. Finally line managers need to fully commit and 'live' the training strategy. If managers see training as anything but positive - the training outcomes will be compromised. Rosters may need to be re-worked and positions covered, employees may need to be granted time to assist them with study and managers need to be open to answer questions about what their staff are learning. Don't see these issues as a nuisance - Embrace them! By doing so your training dollars will convert into improved efficiencies, and staff satisfaction. Definitely money well spent!

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