Category: Learning & Development

Employees are valuing career development more than ever—it’s a sign that the company is willing to invest in their future. How are businesses approaching training today? What are their pain points, and what topics are being addressed in training?

Handle or Hand Off–Supervisor’s Critical Decision

The moment when the supervisor decides whether to act or to call HR often has far-reaching consequences, says attorney Mark Schickman. Unfortunately, he often gets involved too late to prevent an expensive outcome. Even the organizations with the most rules and regulations get into trouble, Schickman says, pointing to recent headlines about sexual assault problems […]

Are You Using PowerPoint Effectively in Your Training?

Before you sit down to create a PowerPoint presentation, think about how much of the chosen safety topic you want to cover. In many cases you won’t have time to go over everything in just one presentation. So, make a prioritized list of the key points and narrow your scope as necessary to fit the […]

Final Results from HR Daily Advisor’s Training and Development Survey

See more results here and here. Here are the final results: Training Methods Our survey shows that the leading method (58%) for training employees is in-person presentations by HR departments, followed closely (53%) by in-person sessions presented by experts from outside the company. Outside conferences are effective for 38% of survey participants, and printed or […]

Avoid Common Barriers to Training Transfer

When trainees don’t use what they’ve learned in training, the reason is often a lack of reinforcement back on the job, says Michael Nolan, president of Friesen, Kaye, and Associates (http://www.fka.com). Savvy trainers set the stage for that reinforcement long before they enter the classroom. Meeting with participants and their bosses in advance can significantly […]

What Can Trainers Do to Work Successfully with SMEs?

“Getting them involved can be very difficult,” she says. Since training is likely not among the SMEs’ job responsibilities, it can be hard to schedule time with them and to get the information you need from them when you need it, Lee explains. She recommends scheduling “kick off meetings” with SMEs to set clear expectations, […]

More Companies Are Investing in Social Learning

Bersin by Deloitte’s The Corporate Learning Factbook® 2013: Benchmarks, Trends, and Analysis of the U.S. Training Market (www.bersin.com/clf-us) found that “spending and resource allocations differ markedly, depending on the L&D organization’s focus and effectiveness.” In 2012, mature U.S. companies spent 34 percent more than companies at the lowest maturity level—with an average expenditure of $867 […]

Report Concludes Training Should Not Be Viewed as Onetime Event

“Learning is a way of life in organizations,” says Eduardo Salas, a psychological scientist from the University of Central Florida. “Everyone gets training. But what matters? What works? What influences learning and skill acquisition?” Salas and his coauthors of a new report published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association […]

Employees Are Not Getting Enough Training on Mobile Devices and Cloud Technologies

A new infographic from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) shows that while more companies are using mobile devices and Cloud apps, approximately 6 million office professionals in North America alone get 10 or fewer hours of training every year provided by their employers. About half those office professionals are completely responsible for their […]

What Is the Role of Reinforcement in Effective Training?

Content and delivery are not necessarily to blame when training fails to drive long-lasting behavioral change. More often, the blame rests with a lack of reinforcement back on the job, says Mike Ryan, senior vice president of Marketing and Strategy for Madison Performance Group (www.MadisonPG.com). “Training is a key business imperative, but the long-term results […]