If you’re new to training and development, wondering "What is training and development?" consider this post your playbook. We’ll walk you through the essentials from what motivates adult learners to ongoing strategies for employee development. Grab a pencil. School’s now in session!
As we get older, we learn how to learn differently. Adults have a drastically different set of priorities and internal drivers than children that change how we acquire new knowledge or skills. Malcolm Knowles understood this, too. His research and theories about adult learning paved the way for new model for adult education he called andragogy.
Knowles’ model relies on six assumptions about adult learning worth considering when setting up training for your team:
Keep these assumptions handy. They could help you fine tune the training you deliver to make it feel more relevant, or help isolate why a particular approach isn’t connecting.
You can learn more here about how Malcolm Knowles’ pioneering model, as well as how KnowledgeWave relies on it for much of our curriculum.
Finish this sentence, “I learn best when I can ______.” Do you prefer reading to learn? Maybe you’re a hands-on kind of person. That preference is your individual learning type. There are several approaches that attempt to explain how we prefer to learn. For simplicity’s sake, let’s look at the well-known VARK model - which uses four classifications of learning styles.
Theory is one thing. Applying it to your team is an entirely different challenge. Here are some handy tips for reaching the whole team, regardless of their varying learning styles:
Professional trainers and educators could (and often do) spend months performing thorough training needs assessments. We know you don’t have that kind of time, so here’s a simplified approach to discovering what training you need now and who needs it:
1) Organizational Analysis - Work with leadership to articulate the training priorities and ensure that there is clear alignment between the training goals an business objects. Write down the desired business outcomes.
2) Task Analysis - Your goal here is to produce a list of tasks required to perform a job, then for each taks, identify what skills/competencies are required.
3) Person Analysis - Identify who has mastered the skills/competencies, and who still needs to learn. This helps you target your efforts to the widest gaps.
Determining which training method would work best for your team is difficult to boil down in a single post. There are many influences and drivers to factor - as well as methods by which training can be delivered. Your best bet is to cast a wide net to reach as many learner styles as possible at once. That’s where blended learning can help. It’s the approach we use at KnowledgeWave, and revered by managers and organizations for its: flexibility, cost effectiveness, personalization and capacity to reach all learner types.
While you’re there, you’ll notice that we named our site the KnowledgeWave Learning Site. Importantly, we focus our clients around the concept of learning and not training. Training is usually thought of as a finite period of time or for a specific purpose which then ends. Learning is a continuous process that does not end. For example, while an Office 365 migration brings with it certain things that should be learned/trained at the outset, there is way too much information to absorb through a short training session. A continuous learning message and strategy is what makes our offering so powerful.
Your overall training plan should include a development strategy so, as your team gains new skills and abilities, you can nurture them for the benefit of the employee, your team’s combined output, and the greater good of the organization. To help you think long-term about your own development strategy, try incorporating some of these approaches from Jerome Ternyck of SmartRecruiters.
Stretch assignments and projects - Think about what special assignments might exist in the coming months and who on your team would benefit from serving on a cross-functional team while developing additional skills
Job enrichment - These opportunities typically exist internally that will benefit an employee's current role, while creating additional ways to develop. Examples could include presentations at team meetings, joining a diversity committee or volunteering.
Mentoring or coaching - Whether or not your company has a formal mentoring program, start small. Mentoring and coaching provides demonstrated benefits around quality of work, problem solving and communication skills.
Job shadowing. Job shadowing can be a great way for your employees to learn critical elements of other jobs, while further developing in their own. It is also a great way for employees to more formally explore potential career opportunities internally, yet outside of their current job.
Job Rotation. Providing an opportunity for your team to move and rotate through one or more positions is another great strategy in employee development. Rotations can last for days, months, or even a year or two.
Lateral move. Typically with a lateral move an employee takes on a different position with the same salary grade and similar level of responsibilities. In addition to retaining employees longer, the real benefit of a lateral move provides new challenges and skill development.
Promotions. When executed with the right plan, promoting your employees into a new position is another way to reward great performance, develop skills and increase motivations.
Okay, pencils down! When you’re mindful of what motivates your team members to learn, how they learn, and what they need, you’ll be well on your way to getting the best out of your workers. But don’t forget, training is just a component of a larger strategy. With time and planning, you can develop them into superstars other departments will envy.