HR Solutions

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Lynne Haggerman is president/owner of Haggerman & Associates, an employment, management training, human resources consulting and outplacement firm.|ret||ret||tab|

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American Society of Training and Develop-ment conducts yearly surveys that find a strong relationship between a company's investment in training and its performance. |ret||ret||tab|

Indices of performance consist of overall profitability, sales and revenue, customer service, quality of products and services, employee satisfaction, and the ability to retain essential staff.|ret||ret||tab|

The definition of training includes attendance at public seminars, usage of outside trainers to conduct in-house training, and using associates within an organization to train. The latter is a viable option when a team member is highly knowledgeable in a topic, has the time to create a seminar and possesses exceptional training skills.|ret||ret||tab|

To assess whether an employee who is a content expert also would have the skills to facilitate an in-house program, several factors should be reviewed. Creativity, conscientiousness, initiative, organizational skills and a quality orientation will be needed to devise materials and develop training techniques other than lecture. Traits critical to conducting the presentation include confidence, positive attitude, excellent communication skills, a high level of energy and a good sense of humor. |ret||ret||tab|

Accurate perceptions of nonverbal behavior are essential to know whether to speed up and avert participant boredom, or slow down to better communicate a confusing message. Consideration of the feelings of others, not being sensitive to criticism and the ability to bring about compromise will help with any disagreements that arise during training.|ret||ret||tab|

Once a trainer is selected, he will need to organize his vast knowledge on the topic and create a workbook and handouts. Variety is important to maintain the attention of his coworkers, so he should utilize boxes, lists, pictures, charts, graphics, checklists and fill-in-the-blanks.|ret||ret||tab|

Logistics must be decided. Should the meeting be held in the facility or in a hotel? Use of the organization's building is more cost-effective. The downside is that the attendees will leave frequently to resolve problems that arise and miss a lot of the material. How should the room be set up? For maximum participation, the preferred styles would be round tables or rectangular tables in the form of a "v" or an "o." |ret||ret||tab|

Will the business cater lunch if the training will be all day? This will increase the cost, but if people need to leave the building for lunch, several will return late. |ret||ret||tab|

How often will breaks be provided and how long will each last? A few minutes every hour facilitates adult learning, helps ensure attendees will not have the time to become involved in a work problem, and allows participants a chance to refresh. An alternative is a fifteen minute break every two hours.|ret||ret||tab|

Should the training be voluntary or mandatory? Mandatory is the correct choice if the seminar is to address a major problem or critical issue facing the organization. |ret||ret||tab|

Should the supervisors of the attendees be present? The presence of management shows support of the material taught and enables supervisors to reinforce the principles following the training. However, in some instances, the presence of supervisors will stifle freedom the subordinates might otherwise feel to participate.|ret||ret||tab|

To help ensure the program is problem-free, develop a checklist of all the handouts and equipment needed.|ret||ret||tab|

Proper selection of a trainer and preparation for the actual training day will assist in providing an exceptional in-house seminar by current staff. The ultimate results will be the successful turnaround of problems, the ability to address critical issues and increased company performance.|ret||ret||tab|

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