Tuesday Training Tip-
Ok, this should not sound like a radical concept, but before you do any logistical planning for staff training, you should first ask staff what they want to learn. Seriously, this step is often missing in the planning process, but it needs to be the very first thing you consider!
You may think you know exactly what your staff need, but as the manager, you may not have the right perspective to make that assessment accurately. What may look like a customer service issue may actually be a systems knowledge gap that is causing a real bump in the service delivery. So it is best to ask staff first in what areas they would like to receive training!
Open up the conversation both publicly and privately so you can get a truthful response. Mention it at a staff meeting to start but don’t be surprised if folks are reluctant to discuss training in front of everyone. But make sure you follow up with an email or a quick anonymous survey, or ask for training ideas in a simple suggestion box. And certainly include the training question when you have your next one on one meeting with staff.
Annually, you should ask each individual during a performance review what skills she or he would like to learn the next year. If you keep the conversation tuned toward growing new skills rather than correcting old habits, you’ll get a better indication of what they feel they need.
A sound training planning starts with staff assessment of needs! If you have questions on how best to gather this information, I’d love to help. Just let me know the situation and I can suggest a way to get that staff assessment. Reach out to me!