LORNA KIBBEY LEADERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Programs Designed to Excite and Inspire!

Phone: 239-851-8773

E-mail: LKIBBEY@LKIBBEY.COM

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Making Workplace Learning Enjoyable  AND Effective!

Standard methods of workplace learning are well known  - and plain worn out. Employees often find these methods boring and ineffective. In-house training programs, self-teaching tools, co-workers who try to be trainers, and online tutorials all have inherent problems. The information used in these programs becomes standardized, out-dated, and boring.

Many times the method utilized is inappropriate – not specific enough, not targeted to the individual, and unable to handle situations in which there are biases or lack of motivation.

To provide enjoyable and effective learning for employees, employers need to find training methods that:

1. Target training to the needs of the individual.

2. Give employees some choice of topics.

3. Serve to build teams.

4. Boost confidence and reward employees with expertise in needed subject areas.

5. Fill specific gaps in knowledge and skills.

 

Provide choice of topics based on the need to meet specific performance goals and objectives.

Here are some ideas for effective training methods that are inexpensive.

1. Book Club – Assign a book or magazine article to employees and plan a meeting specifically to discuss the information presented. This is an effective tool for a supervisor to use when there is a topic on which they want to focus.

2. Match Game – Ask an employee with detailed knowledge of a subject, to facilitate a discussion with other employees at a specially scheduled meeting. This task can be rotated allowing a wide variety of topics to be discussed. Issues that are problematic for the particular work group will always surface allowing for healthy problem solving and team building.

3. Targeted Assignment – When an employee is signed up to attend a specific training class, work in advance of the training to give them an assignment specifically linked to the training objectives. Never allow employees to attend any training class or seminar without ensuring you do something that ensure the employee uses what they learned.

4.  Personal Random Assignment – Allow each person on your team to find one personal growth tool on a subject of their choice. Give a due date and set up uninterrupted time for each person to report to the work team what they chose and what they learned. The growth tool could be a book, a class, a seminar, etc.

The last piece of advice is to be a role model of continuous learning. Let your employees know you value learning by being a good example. Be on top of your game – read the latest books and articles and talk about them with employees. Give the gift of books and audio books at celebration times.

 

For more information or to discuss this article - drop me an e-mail! LKibbey@LKibbey.com