Integrating Training Into the Organizational Culture

Training can impact organizations in a big way (both positive and negative). We're all running as fast as we can, doing the work that's GOT to get done. Then, in the middle of all that, we're suppose to do training?! (Yeah right, I'd also like to do a staff surf safari to Tahiti while we're at it). But training is a vital part of your organization. If your staff are not learning and developing skills through their jobs, they're probably not having as much fun as they could. Training (in its best form) keeps staff engaged, involved and de-stressed because they know what they need to do and how to do it.

The saying, "You've got to spend money to make money," holds true with business, but when it comes to training, it should be, "You've got to spend money to save money." You may think I've had my head in the TechSoup for too long for saying this, but I speak the truth! Here are a couple of ways you will save money:

• Happy staff are busy and productive staff as well as staff that stick around! In today's economy it is worth the investment to do what you can to keep good folks working for you.
• A staff person who receives training in one area can share that information with other staff. They can become the grand pooh-bah or technical expert on a software application or on troubleshooting your computer network. Then they can train other staff. The staff member who attends the training becomes the master of that domain, wins friends, and influences others. Well. . . maybe that's a stretch, but staff who do training can definitely bring other staff up to speed and share their wealth of knowledge with others. In this way, you will maximize your initial investment; by financing one person's training, many will get trained.
• Investing in your staff is a good thing for your organization, your clients and you.

But before you start sinking your funders' dollars into technology training, there are a couple of key things to think about:

Can Your Problem Be Solved By Training?

You will not solve outdated hardware and software problems, slow Internet connections or a hatred for technology through a class in Microsoft Office. You will also not solve your systems troubleshooting problems by simply training someone to repair hardware (they'll still need time assigned each day to do the work). Be clear that what you have is a training need and not a personnel or organizational development need. Otherwise you will waste your agency's money and your staff's time.

Do You Have "Buy In" To Do Training?

In order for training to make a positive impact on your organization, you need staff and management to agree that it is important. It is not enough for you to think that a staff person should really "Oughta Wanna" participate in training. If your staff are not interested in developing the skills you've recommended, you have a problem that training won't address. And if management can't allocate any staff time for taking training or for sharing the results with others, staff will have a hard time finding the time to take advantage of training.

So, in order to make training effective in your organization, you need staff and management in harmony, convinced that this is a priority and that you should invest the time and resources to make it so!

What Kind Of Training Do We Need?

Training is often chosen by sending staff off to cruise through a catalog, identify something that looks interesting and then sign up. Or, a training decision can come from a supervisor who requests that you get training in a particular software package. These methods can work because staff will get introduced to new ideas, get out of the office and hopefully bring back relevant skills and information to share. For the staff back at the office it may be valuable because if the person who is off getting trained is a pain, they get a day or two rest from seeing the trainee's face.

I would like to make the RADICAL suggestion that you evaluate your staff's training needs BEFORE you check out that training catalog. This means you'll need to ask yourself:

• What are the problems/needs to be addressed through training? Is it really a training need?
• What skills need to be taught? What do you need people to be able to do that they can't do now?
• Which staff need the training? How many can you send?
• What format do you want for the training? (For example, the training might be group, individual, in-house, out-house. . . I mean someone from the outside does the training.)
• What training resources will you use? (For example, CDs, online resources, classes, books, etc.)
• What is your training budget for initial AND on-going training?
• What is your schedule for training? When will initial training sessions happen, and how will they be reinforced?

There's an intro and a few things to throw in the training stew. We'll talk more about specifics in the next round of Training Schmaining.