STRATEGIC TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Training
 is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or
fitness that relate to specific useful competencies.
Employee training
 is a program that helps employees learn specific knowledge or skills to
improve performance in their current roles.
Employee development
 is more expansive and focuses on employee growth and future
performance, rather than an immediate job role.

Strategic Training and Development

 translates theory and research into best practices for improving employee
knowledge, skills, and behaviors in the workplace.

WHY STRATEGIC TRAINING IMPORTANT?

Strategic training
 is a form of training that, according to a business's strategic planning, values
and goals, provides employees with the necessary tools and information
required to complete their tasks successfully

Strategic Training and Development Purpose

 strategic training plan focus on improving the quality of work in the present, but
it is developed to make your workforce more competitive in the long term.
Strategic development's purpose
 is to enhance those skills your employees and managers already possess.

Types of Training
  There are several types of training we can provide for employees. In all situations, a
variety of training types will be used, depending on the type of job.
 Technical training addresses software or other programs that employees use while
working for the organization.
 Quality training is a type of training that familiarizes all employees with the means to
produce a good-quality product. The ISO sets the standard on quality for most
production and environmental situations. ISO training can be done in-house or
externally.
 Skills training focuses on the skills that the employee actually needs to know to perform
their job. A mentor can help with this kind of training.
 Soft skills are those that do not relate directly to our job but are important. Soft
skills training may train someone on how to better communicate and negotiate or
provide good customer service.
 Professional training is normally given externally and might be obtaining certification or
specific information needed about a profession to perform a job. For example, tax
accountants need to be up to date on tax laws; this type of training is often external.
 Team training is a process that empowers teams to improve decision making, problem
solving, and team-development skills. Team training can help improve communication
and result in more productive businesses.
 To get someone ready to take on a management role, managerial training might be given.
 Safety training is important to make sure an organization is meeting safety standards.
Safety training can also include disaster planning.

Strategic Training and Development Initiatives for Employees

1. Learning management system

 Probably the most important key to conducting training and development programs
for employees successfully is how to go about your training.
 With newer generations like Millennials and Gen Z, they expect collaborative learning
environments.
 And a great way to create this atmosphere is with a learning management system
(LMS).
2. Industry conferences

 Industries will have conferences, seminars and talks pertaining to key topics.
 One of the great strategic training and development initiatives is to take advantage of
these.

‍3. Professional organizations

 becoming members, your employees get access to webinars, white papers and
more on key industry topics.
 This is one of the strategic training and development initiatives employees can invest
in on their own time.

‍4. Books

 For topics that are more complex or require more dedicated time, industry books are
great resources.
 Create a list of suggested books to read with download links, if available.

5. Mentorship program

 Onboarding is a great way to get employees up and running within your organization.
 A mentorship program is one of the strategic training and development initiatives that
can really integrate a new employee quickly.
 Mentors can help teach new skills and give the ins and outs unique to a given
company.

‍6. Guest speakers

 These individuals can give advice on a certain subject matter, key skill or speak to
challenges they experience on a day to day basis.

7. Lunchtime learning sessions

 Lunch and learn is another great idea for strategic training and development
initiatives.
 Select a few topics that are beneficial to a wide group of employees and invite
everyone to bring lunch while they listen.
  This is an informal way to train employees and also a great setting for peers to
discuss what they have heard once the speaker is finished.

8. Social media

 There are many great social media platforms where training materials can be found
like LinkedIn Learning, Quora or YouTube tutorials.
 Incorporating social media into your program will give your employees a wider range
or topics to learn.

‍9. Blogs and industry publications

 Making a list of top blogs to follow, both from hard industry skills as well as soft skills
like keys to great corporate communication, are great for a well-rounded
development initiative.

10. Engaging training design

 use more multi-media like video or voice overs or interactive training sessions
 training design that makes the participants more involved, more engaged in various
activities, the better they will perform.
‍

11. Blended learning

 training and development programs for employees should include some form of
blended learning.
 This may look different company to company, but every organization will have skills
that are best learned in person and are learned better online.

12. Learning styles

 Learning styles also vary person to person so it’s important to remember this when
developing a training program. ‍

 Aural learners

 These learners retain information best through listening to the material.

 So learning through things like voice overs, an in-person lecture setting or audio
recordings work best with this group.
 Plus, by offering an audio recording post lecture or a chance to rewind a lesson is
also key for aural learners to retain what has been taught.

 Visual learners

 A lot like the example of using a gas station to tell someone where to turn, visual
learners like actual cues to help them learn.
 Things like graphics and videos work well with retaining information for these
individuals.
 Other ideas are downloadable graphs, charts or lesson recaps that these learners
can visually see and memorize information from.
 Also important is to break up large chunks of information with pictures or images that
a visual learner can picture post lesson.

 Kinesthetic learners

 Training and development programs for employees who are kinesthetic learners
should include the senses.
 So for example, you have a new product roll out and you hold an in-person meeting
and actually have employees use the new product.
 They can touch, smell and hear it.
 This helps solidify the learning process by physically interacting with the training.
 Or if you are training online, you can just as easily have a product or system an
employee has to follow along with physically, while listening to the online tutorial.
 So a step by step process is helpful leaving room in the tutorial for working through
each step individually.

 Reading learners

 Another form of learners are the reading individuals.

  These employees would do best with information displayed in text form.
 So incorporating training modules with things like Powerpoint slides or blog-style
tutorials work best for reading learners.

 Since not all employees are going to be one type of learner solely, it’s best to create
a wide range of training and development programs for employees.

 That way, no matter what learning style an employee has, the training material will be
absorbed.

 Leaning style based on perception:

13. Training styles

 A good way to keep everyone focused and retaining information is to vary training
styles.
 there is peer to peer training, gamification in training and role playing.

14. Coaching

 Coaching is more performance driven, designed to improve the professional’s

on-the-job performance.
 One on one process conducted by one employee who is more experienced and
knowledgeable
 Coaches are hired for their expertise in a given area, one in which the coaches
desires improvement. Examples: Presentation skills, leadership, interpersonal
communication, sales.
 Traditionally more structured, with regularly scheduled meetings, like weekly, bi-
weekly or monthly.
 ‍Mentoring is more development driven, looking not just at the professional’s
current job function but beyond, taking a more holistic approach to career
development
15. Recognition and awards

 to improve training and development programs for employees is through recognition.

 This offers a motivating factor for completing training and also builds healthy
competition.

16. Feedback

 No strategic training and development initiatives are complete without improvement.

 On the other hand, getting feedback from employees on what can be further
improved during the training process is equally as important.
 Creating an employee training survey and asking questions about training design,
delivery, access to information and skills learned is extremely valuable to tweaking
the process.
 Plus, including some open- ended questions about how training can be improved is
also valuable.