Training new employees using a combined platform of classroom and on-the-job training is effective only if the program you design is meant to actually teach not discourage participants.

What do I mean?

When last we met I explained how a friend of mine had gone through a mind-clogging training program which was so overwhelming that participants dropped like flies.

What went wrong?

In my opinion several things could have been handled better. Let me outline them for you.

First and foremost, before an employee ever steps one foot inside a training classroom, there needs to be assurances that the individual hired possesses the core competencies needed to perform the basic functions of the position. According to my friend, it was questionable how some of the participants had ever made it pass the screening process.

Second, typically training should focus on key concepts and methods as opposed to minutia. However, in the example cited, there were rules and regulations that were important to follow. This is when repetition (think television ads) and memory tools (i.e. cheat sheets, acronyms) become very useful.

Third, it is important to examine the length of a training program. In the example cited, the original program was intended to be twelve weeks long. However, because the company was caught in a vicious cycle of turnover caused by the poor training and unrealistic expectations, they had to train people quicker resulting in further fall out. They could never get ahead of the game. It was too much information in too little time.

Fourth, review your training reward system and consider rewarding for approximation. That is, when a participant is partially right be sure to recognize the effort in order to encourage further understanding and learning not discourage it. It’s the old carrot versus the whip scenario.

Finally, make sure the training is current and reflects actual current operational procedures and standards. In this case, by the fifth week when it was time to apply their knowledge, participants found that what they learned in class was not always the current method used in the call center.

In general, on-the-job training and classroom training should be combined to further enhance participant’s ability to master new information as long as the program is designed with the intent to succeed.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 15th, 2006 at 11:30 am and is filed under Training. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site. Your comments will appear immediately, but I reserve the right to delete innapropriate comments.