Sometimes yes and sometimes no!

Just the other day, a colleague reached out in search of a management course for one of her managers who is struggling to create and maintain an encouraging environment for direct reports. I suggested that a training course might not be the answer. Her reply summed up something I hear often: If not a training course then what?

So how do you know when training is the right solution?

You won’t actually get to the answer of this question until you start asking the right questions!

But before we move down that path, let’s clarify the distinction between training and development to help set the stage for this and future articles that will attempt to shed some light on the topic.

Training is the process of providing or enhancing an employee’s knowledge so that they can meet the performance expectations of the current job. For instance, a Starbuck’s barista is typically required to participate in an intensive 2-week training period so they can accurately receive your order and concoct your favourite hot or cold beverage!

Development, on the other hand, is the process of providing an employee with knowledge or enhancing their capability to meet performance expectations of a future job. Chartered banks are well known for their management trainee programs that provide learning around a broad range of financial products, processes and functional areas with the intent of placing a successful program graduate in an entry-level management role down the road. This is a key approach used to grow in-house talent while building an inventory of potential successors.

With this in mind, the need for training is typically required when performance falls short of expectations. As such, it is critical to accurately identify and assess this performance shortfall prior to arriving at the right solution. A thorough needs analysis is your starting point. This process is used to identify gaps or deficiencies in performance – ultimately to identify differences between the performance that is, relative to the performance that should be. Additionally, the needs analysis might alert you to compare the extent of the performance gap or deficiency, to the cost (real or perceived) of addressing or disregarding it.

As a first step, you will want to consult with those who are affected by the performance deficiency. To what extent does it impact the work? The outcome? The service? Your stakeholders are likely to provide an accurate read on the situation and may help to guide next steps. If it’s a minimal disruption with limited impact, then it may simply be an intermittent or short-lived concern. However, if you learn otherwise, then a more in-depth exercise is needed to understand the impact from the following three perspectives.

1. The Organization

Any training that is offered needs to be fully aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization. Start by familiarizing to your organization’s strategic direction — it becomes your filter as you explore options. Additionally, consider your work environment: what’s going on inside or outside of the organization that might or might not support a training initiative? For example, if the organization is considering a re-organization, the timing may not be ideal. Or, if a new regulatory requirement is introduced, it may become a mandatory item.

Do you have the resources, financially or otherwise to secure and/or develop and implement a training initiative? Is the climate of your organization supportive of training? Is it viewed as an expense, and thereby a cost to the bottom-line? Or is it recognized as an investment to enhance your human capital? Will there be opportunity for the training to be successfully transferred to the employee’s role? These questions and others will be important to explore.

2. The Job

Next, you’ll want to take a good look at the job description to understand the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully meet the expectations. Whether the job is performed by one individual or multiple individuals, it will be vital to receive incumbent perspectives of the job relative to the job description — to identify possible inconsistencies and/or to clarify misunderstandings.

As the organization evolves, so too will the roles evolve. Is the job description a current reflection of what is needed? Have business processes changed and is this accurately captured?

3. The Person

Finally, you will want to consider the individual and their associated performance. Be clear on the desired performance outcomes so that a comparison of the individual performance can be conducted. As well, consider whether there are any obstacles that are preventing the individual from meeting the desired performance levels. For instance, is the individual expected to perform complex data manipulation on outdated and unsupported software? Other barriers to consider might include: a lack of skill, ineffective feedback or perhaps undefined roles and responsibilities.

As you conduct your needs analysis, you may need to collect data and information using a number of formats – including visual observations, surveys, one-to-one interviews, work samples and perhaps group discussions. In any event, the scope of information you gather will directly impact your ability to accurately identify and assess performance gaps or deficiencies. Which will, of course, influence the training decision.

A future article will introduce on-the-job options and the characteristics to consider to potentially address your organization’s training needs.

What questions should you be asking?

To submit a question for a future column please leave a comment below or contact editor@charityvillage.com. No identifying information will appear in this column. For paid professional advice about an urgent or complex situation, contact Veronica directly.

V. Utton & Associates offers boutique-style human resource management services to small and mid-sized organizations with particular expertise in the non-profit sector. For a fresh “VU” on people practices contact us at info@vuttonassociates.ca.

Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.

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