How Can We Make Training Sessions Exciting and Engaging for All Employees?

Dear HR Professionals,

We have planned some training programs and activities for our employees in various departments like sales, service, and stores. Before starting these programs, we want employees to be truly enthusiastic and wholeheartedly willing to attend these training sessions because some of our employees do not understand the value, need, and importance of these trainings.

How to Encourage Employee Participation in Training

What can we do in this matter? How can we create a desire in this category of employees so that the training does not seem like a forced obligation? I request your ideas on this. Please help.

Regards,
Ashima Goyal
Manager HR

If you can design some treasures related to that training and paste them on the notice board, or offer some interesting, fun-based activities to prepare for the training, it would be beneficial. During the training, make it fun-filled so that next time they at least know the value of "fun learn" and come for training.

This is the most interesting query I've ever encountered. I appreciate the care for employees. In the present scenario, people have become profit-oriented and want to give less input. Thus, training seems less important to the employees as they perceive it as a sheer waste of time due to their lack of awareness of the benefits. Once they understand the advantages and are motivated to contribute significantly to organizational growth, half of your work in increasing interest is accomplished.

Another issue is that employees may believe that after the training, they will have to work harder than before. However, this idea is completely wrong. It is important to make them aware that after completing the training, they will be able to manage their time efficiently and achieve better results with fewer inputs.

Furthermore, employees may question whether the training will be exhausting and embarrassing. To address this, introduce the trainer to the employees and inform them about the training schedule. The role of the trainer is crucial in handling participants' concerns and providing appropriate training tailored to their needs and expectations. Training should not be exhausting in any way.

Once the employees understand their roles in the organization, the benefits of training for themselves and the organization, they will likely show interest and enthusiasm in attending the training. This will lead to improved attention and participation during the training sessions.

All the best,

Regards,
Kunjan Vaishnav.

I think the comments made by my other friends are very apt and relevant. To put this simply, I usually begin my sessions by stating that the first benefit of undergoing training always goes to you, the second benefit goes to your family, and the third benefit may go to the company. If participants understand how they would personally benefit, they would eagerly participate.

Regards,
Rajiv

Others have given you some good ideas. Hence, as is my habit, let me raise a few questions. Have you clearly outlined the aims and objectives of each training module? If so, have you clearly identified how the outcomes benefit an employee, his/her co-workers, and the company?

During my working days in the UK, I was sent to various courses; some of them were beneficial, while others were a waste of time for me and a loss of money and production for the firm. For example, department heads were sent on a weekend course where topics like Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss, Ratio analysis, etc., were covered. The company, being private, never published its accounts publicly, and managers had not seen one.

If, by chance, your workers have had previous experiences of training sessions that were a waste of time, they would be skeptical.

Creating Outcome-Based Workshops

You create a workshop based on outcomes. Let me give a few examples:

- a) Our workers' absentee ratio is ----. You are attending this training so that we can reduce this ratio by "x" %.
- b) The average order picking time at our warehouse is ----. We are nominating you (warehouse personnel) for the training because we want to reduce it by "x" %.
- c) This is about conducting a workshop on conflict handling skills. In the last year, we had "x" serious conflicts among employees, "y" major and "z" minor. By conducting a workshop on conflict handling skills, we aim to reduce these conflicts at all levels and make "x" zero.

However, to design outcome-based workshops, you need to do a lot of research on your systems, processes, and organization as a whole. If you conduct the training just for the sake of it, then it will never succeed.

Method to Create Interest

One more method of creating interest: At the time of nominating the employees for the training, tell them clearly that they are being trained to elevate their "----" competency. After three or six months, you will evaluate their competency. Entries will be made in their personal documents for those who don't show any improvement. Non-improvement may have an impact on their annual increment as well.

"Training" is the responsibility of HR or the Training department, but "learning" is the responsibility of the learners. Those who fail to learn should be given negative discipline. Nothing is wrong in that per se.

Creating Desire for Training

Lastly, you say, "how can we create a desire in this category of employee so that it does not look like forcefully done training. I request your ideas for it. Please help..."

I beg to differ with you. Learning is the organization's requirement, and it is the duty of the employees to learn. Learning never happens by mollycoddling. I don't understand why you want to adopt this approach.

Ok...

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.

To start with, no one likes training, except the trainer. An educative handout on the proposed training showing very specifically how it is going to further the career prospects could be beneficial. Possibly, live examples or quotes could be cited. Then show how the organization shall gain if the individuals grow. If the organization grows, all grow. It is simple: unless gains are quantified, no one wants to learn. If there are gains, there is anxiety. I have seen this persistent effort paying off. I have a very good response whenever I announce any schedule.

Dear Ms. Ashima Goyal,

At the outset, let me be very honest with you since my views are very straightforward and practical in nature.

1. There is an urge for every management and employee to understand the Concept of Training, Counseling, Mentoring, & Coaching.

2. It is the responsibility of the Management to educate employees about the Importance of Training while associating it with the organization's objectives.

3. It is also the responsibility of the Management to carry out competency mapping prior to nominating or suggesting an employee to undergo respective training because training is a very serious quality-oriented activity, not entertainment.

4. Management must be ready with a plan to measure the performance post-training, while updating the nominee about the shortcomings to be overcome that can add value to the organization's performance and the employee as well.

If the management knows about compensation strategies linked with talent management & PMS, I am sure, trainings will do more than needful.

With profound regards,

Ashima Goyal

Dear HR Professionals,

We have planned some training programs and activities for our employees in various departments like sales, service, and stores, etc. But before starting these programs, we want employees to be really enthusiastic and wholeheartedly willing to attend these trainings because a few of our employees do not understand the value, need, and importance of these trainings.

What can we do in this matter? How can we create desire in this category of employee so that it does not look like training is being done forcefully? I request your ideas for it. Please help...

Regards,
Ashima Goyal
Manager HR

Dear Ashima,

The biggest challenge most organizations face is what you have highlighted and I have marked in red. However, unlike you, most HR departments treat training with a step-motherly attitude. It is done just for the sake of doing so. Secondly, the needs analysis is not done carefully. My thought is that no training should ever be imposed unless the trainee's drawback is clearly identified. While a personality development program might be suitable for all, few may appreciate it after a certain age. Similarly, a program on Finance for Non-Finance can be well-received by those from a technical background who have to interact with suppliers and others over financial matters. They will have an inherent desire for an FNFE program.

Please conduct an exhaustive exercise [one-on-one] with each employee in each department. After a month or so, you will have a list of training programs shaping up. Work on those, and all of them will be successful.

Best wishes,

Saurav Das

Director

Home Page

Ashima Goyal,

Manager HR

You can take the following points into consideration to create a desire for training:

1. Link the training program with promotion or career progression.
2. Highlight the benefits of the training program.
3. Emphasize the importance of the training program in relation to performance appraisal.
4. You can also link the program to skill acquisition.

There are many ways of creating desire; these are just a few of them!

Regards,
A. Chandra

Highlighting Success Stories of Training Programs

You are required to highlight a few success stories of training programs. How training has helped others in realizing its benefits should be circulated for employees' information to agree to attend the programs. Attitude building and positive thinking for self-development workshops of one to two-day duration should be organized for your employees, Ashima. I am sure they will start liking your training programs afterward.

I am sharing my 40+ years of experience working as an HR Trainer in private as well as public sector organizations, including state and central government department employees from clerks to senior IAS officers.

Knowledge and Development

People are basically ignorant (AGYAN). One is to provide them with the right knowledge (GYAN). With Science (VIGYAN) and Wisdom (PRAGYAN) application, you can lead people towards sustainable development.

I am leading PRAGYAN PRODUCTIVITY CENTER (Lifelong Learning Provider): PPC (LLP) for changing human mindset and looking towards positivity in life.

Regards,
Er. Prafulla K. Acharya, Ph.D. in HRD & Management (IIT-Kgp), Retired Director, National Productivity Council of India, [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons], cell [Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

It is a desire to motivate all employees regarding their skill development as well as performance development in the relevant job; hence, various types of training are provided to the employees according to the need. Instead of classroom teaching, the training can be provided outside the workplace, which will eradicate employees' boredom.

Regards,
D. Vijay Kumar, HR Visakhapatnam

First of all, conduct a Needs Assessment. Circulate a notice regarding the upcoming Training Program (TP) and the proposed topics. Inquire if there are any specific topics that the participants are interested in. This initial step helps to break the ice and makes the participants feel that the TP is customized to address their concerns.

Make sure to communicate with them in a language they are comfortable with. It is important to cater to their needs rather than imposing anything on them.

Ensure that no lecture session goes beyond 35 minutes. Break the sessions with Q&A interactions, recall exercises, PowerPoint presentations, or role-playing activities. This practice not only prevents monotony but also encourages active participation.

Additionally, it is essential for your demeanor to be engaging so that the participants eagerly anticipate your communication. Prior to the TP, engage with the team at their workplace and establish a connection with them.

I hope these suggestions are beneficial to you as they have greatly assisted me.

Regards,
Anil Bhatnagar