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My alarm bells twitch when I hear assumptions made (without checking) that a number of workplace ‘problems’ must automatically be the result of a lack of staff training. My bells really ring when I hear about managers who, prior to selecting or approving a course, don’t know what individuals’ specific learning needs are. There are managers too, who after individuals have been on a course, don’t check whether the course content met the learning needs. There is also the situation when managers don’t really want or expect staff to do anything with their learning experience. I’ve found, from my and others’ experiences, that if you want to get the most out of your training dollar and your staff, you need to ensure you’re targeting the right issue. 

What is the exact learning need?

What are the organisation’s goals? What skills, experience or knowledge is required within the organisation, in order to meet those goals?  What skills, experience or knowledge, therefore, is required from staff? What are the learning needs identified through individuals’ performance appraisals? Would the training need be due to a lack of knowledge in a particular area? Or, could it be a lack of specific skills or a lack of experience in the role or organisation? If you don’t know what the learning needs are, then find out, to ensure that both the training need and the course are well matched.

Be mindful that in some instances, what may appear as a knowledge or skills deficit, can be symptomatic of different problems. For example, individuals’ may be bored. They may have been doing the same thing for years. Some individuals’ may be physically in the workplace but mentally and emotionally gone. They may want to go but lack career options. If you have individuals who have done every course imaginable and there’s no change in their operational practice, then you may be dealing with professional course goers.

Can the learning be internally accessed?

Most organisations are naturallearning environments and can present opportunities for internal training and development. Have you particularly skilled or experienced staff who may also be great coaches for those with less skill or experience? Have you the structure to support opportunities for secondment or for buddying staff? Have you taken a formal talent inventory of all your staff? Do you really know what skills and talents may be available to the organisation? You may have more resources than you realise.  Of course, it may not be possible to utilise staff and internal resources in this way. It may be that the best options are to source external courses - so be it, but do check, anyway.