November 23, 2006 Make Time for Training By Janet Dean, President, Advance Corporate Training Ltd. You have a problem and I have your answer: Your staff’s performance could be improved, but you don’t have enough time in your schedule to develop and deliver training. Fortunately for you, every successful store experiences the same predicament. Many of these stores eventually discover that because the key to success is knowledgeable, well-trained staff, they need to find or create the time for training. The benefits of making time for staff training far outweigh the consequences of a store that gets caught up in the pressure to just push sales. Training options could include sending staff to courses, bringing programs in-house or finding ways to build learning into everyday work. Retail BC’s Retail PEAK program can be implemented using each of these options. Where there is a will, there is a way. Here are nine suggestions to help you find time for training: 1. Figure out what you really need. If you are concerned about poor employee performance, look for the root cause. You might need to provide training or improve hiring practices, streamline a process or upgrade equipment. Figure out your problem first and then find a solution that will work the first time. 2. Create a Training and Development Plan for each employee. Meet with employees to find out what they want to improve. Match this to your expectations then create a written plan that can be reviewed and updated (if you would like a sample T&D Plan, contact the authour at dean@actraining.com). This makes employees feel valued and gives you a clear picture of where training is needed. 3. Develop employee ‘experts’ Once you know your employees’ skills, interests and talents, let them shine! If someone is a wizard in a particular area, designate him or her as the go-to resource for others who need help. These mentoring opportunities save on training costs and improve working relationships. Consider having employees take turns writing an expert “how-to” column in your newsletter. 4. Cross-train. Look at the people in the key positions in your store and consider how vulnerable your store could be in the event of absences or emergencies. Cross-training makes it easier to cover positions for the short term, aids in long-term succession planning and helps you check staff understanding and knowledge of all aspects of your store’s operations. 5. Break training up. When staff has a lot to learn, consider breaking training into small, manageable time “chunks.” For example, instead of an intensive two day course, schedule shorter periods of training of two to three hours to alternate with on-the-job practice. This allows employees to apply new skills and knowledge right away and helps you minimize the effects of staff absence. 6. Encourage self-directed learning. Employees who work in a learning environment are more likely to take responsibility for their own development. This is great and employees who show this proactive behaviour should be cheered on! Night courses are an excellent example of this learning. Post a list of relevant courses offered by local institutions and offer to cover course fees. 7. Use downtime. Schedule training when it works best for employees and for your business – during slow periods, or when you have lots of staff available for coverage. Plan professional development days for staff, perhaps even closing for a team session during downtime. Being proactive and identifying downtime will make time for training, but also help your store run at maximum efficiency during peak times. 8. Combine training with team-building. One of the benefits of bringing employees together for training is that it allows them to experience, discuss and try new things. A skilled facilitator can also help groups solve problems, generate new ideas, and improve working relationships. Improving how well your team works together while building your employees’ skills doubles the return you get on your training investment. 9. Make training worthwhile - get return on your investment. Consider whether training is the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons. Choose methods that will maximize your investment, know what results you want, and check progress regularly. Keep asking employees where they want to improve and how you are doing in training them so you can ensure the training’s effectiveness. Combining some of these tips should allow you to find the time to ensure your employees have the training they need to succeed at the job – and increase the bottom-line! Any other problems? Originally published in Retail Connections (Winter 2007 edition) Advance Corporate Training Ltd. (ACT), the developer of Retail BC’s Retail PEAK program, provides active, participant-centered training and consulting to performance-driven businesses, institutions and stores. Visit www.actraining.com for more info on how ACT can help you find time for training. To reach Janet directly or suggest a topic for a future column, email her at dean@actraining.com.
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