Most organizations know they need training, but rarely implement it. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only 1 in 4 organizations with fewer than 25 employees has a formal training system.
Here are a few tips from TNB’s resident trainer, Tuan Pham:
Evaluate Your Needs. Why does your organization need training? Are your employees’ skills out of date, or are you thinking of introducing a new technology that will make everyone’s job easier? Do you need training on standard products, or do you use specialized systems on which new employees need to be trained?
Start Small. Your first training session probably won’t go perfectly. Instead of starting in the big room, first perform a demonstration in front of a few co-workers. Adjust your slide deck, your script and your voice based on their feedback. Then, you can deliver the training with confidence.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say “I Don’t Know.” Even the best trainers don’t know the answer to every question. Don’t make wild guesses in front of an audience. Instead, deal with the topic gracefully and follow up later with an e mail.
Gather Feedback. Be sure to give a survey to all attendees after every session. Was the information useful? Was the instructor engaging and able to answer questions intelligently during the training?
Use the feedback that you gather to make future trainings even better.