Low Attendance at In-House Training: How Can We Encourage More Participation?

Dear Seniors,

We have planned in-house training sessions for our company's staff after discussions with the concerned staff members and their HODs. However, attendance has been low. Can anyone guide me on improving attendance in these training sessions?

Waiting for your replies.

Regards,
Amit

Encouraging Training Attendance in Organizations

Initially, when you start the concept of training in an organization, people may feel it would be a waste of their time. You need to be a little strict with them and also request their HODs to push them to attend the training. You can link their attendance to their appraisals, if so required, to persuade them to attend the training. Once they attend and feel that they are benefiting from the training, they would ask you to arrange more sessions.

The employees should be informed that the training is for their benefit. You need to be a little strict on attendance on the training day. The training may also include a few games on each topic so that they can participate and enjoy the training sessions. If the training session is interactive, employees are more likely to participate.

Steps to Improve Training Attendance

Please speak to your HODs:
- To issue an internal circular informing employees about the training program.
- To improve communication with coworkers and provide counseling.

Regards,
Durga

Sometimes, reward does not work, but punishment will!

Suggestions for Improving Training Attendance

One suggestion could be that you issue a certificate of participation in the training program, which will help them add it to their resume. Participation in all training programs in a year should enable them to receive an increment or appreciation. These are some suggestions.

Best wishes

I agree with the points mentioned by the other members in this thread. Adding my views for effective training when you are not getting a favorable response from participants:

1. Based on the Training Needs Analysis, the concerned HOD should educate their respective employees about the benefits of such training by sending out emails to the employees attending the training.

2. It should be mandatory to have full attendance during the training period, and absenteeism will be treated as leave. Attendance should be taken thrice each training day.

3. It is mandatory to take an exam at the end of the training, and a certificate will be given only to those who pass the exam.

I appreciate others sharing their experiences in handling this type of issue for our learning purposes.

Thanks,

Sanjay

Dear Amit,

Strategies to Maximize Attendance in Training Programs

Following are my views to get maximum attendance in training programs:

• HODs should have a one-on-one SWOT analysis with each employee, giving them a proper understanding of themselves.

• HODs should have a departmental meeting to appraise everyone about the need and benefits of the training program.

• HRD should introduce a policy incorporating 'xxx' hours of mandatory training on an annual basis.

• All employees who are supposed to attend must be informed well in advance about the training.

• Facilitators should introduce Training Feedback Forms to gather their viewpoints about such training programs.

Additionally, training evaluations (pre- and post-) should be carried out to take appropriate measures to ensure complete attendance in the following training programs.

I hope you find the above information useful.

Regards,
J
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Attendance can be achieved in two ways:

1. **Forceful Attendance (with compulsion)**
2. **Willing Attendance (with a convinced approach)**

I would prefer to go for the second way because the trainees should be willing to take training and learning for actual learning to occur.

Benefits of Encouraging Willing Attendance

To create interest in trainees to attend the training session, explain the benefits of training and create excitement among them about new learning opportunities and how this will help achieve self and organizational objectives. Encourage seniors to attend the training session, share their experiences, and provide regular feedback for improvements. With this approach, you can create a learning organization where attendance becomes a minor subject compared to building a learning culture.

Thank you.

Please review the following:

1. Assess whether the faculty you are using is effective.
2. Arrange for tea, coffee, and snacks during the training session to enhance participant satisfaction.
3. Ensure training is need-based. Avoid setting arbitrary targets, such as 16 man-hours per employee per annum, which may lead to unnecessary attendance without addressing specific training needs.
4. Consider organizing internal training at an external location to minimize disturbances.
5. Incorporate fun-filled activities during the training session to make it more engaging and prevent the perception that preaching is easier than practice.

Thank you.

If you did not conduct a training needs assessment before the training, please do so now by involving your staff in the assessment. Make the training program compulsory and indicate that failure to attend would result in a sanction. Additionally, invite resource persons from the relevant ministry. Above all, link attendance at this training to the promotion of staff from one rank to another.

Thank you.

Steps to Improve Training Attendance

1. Inform well in advance.

2. Focus on the benefits they will derive.

3. Make the session interesting by being interactive, using games and activities. The facilitator should be effective.

4. Take feedback and act on it.

I can guarantee you—they will love the session and will ask for more.

The Importance of Behavioral Training and Development

To make employees and HODs aware, training today is not just about delivering the subject matter. A behavior-based Training and Development (T&D) approach deals with individuals by considering the psychological concepts of learning and unlearning: mindsets, attitudes, and habits. This approach ensures that learning is not only implemented but also motivates individuals to use and reuse the knowledge. It equips learners to explore and innovate beyond the initial learning to add value. Therefore, employees need to familiarize themselves with the latest ideas and trends in Behavioral Training and Development and learn how to implement these concepts in the workplace.

Creating an Annual Training Register

The best route to involve all employees within the organization is to create an Annual Training Register with an Annual Budget. Present this to top management for approval.

Aligning Training with Organizational Goals

Training for every group of employees should be aligned with organizational productivity goals. Evaluating employees' skills should be integrated into the performance appraisal process. This will help in generating interest among employees regarding the necessity of training for their personal and professional development, ultimately benefiting both the employee and the organization.

Regards,
BB JOSHI

I suggest the following actions for ensuring good attendance in training programs:

1. "Training must be linked to the organizational needs; otherwise, it would fail to pay. Training must be linked to the individual needs; otherwise, individuals would fail to learn." Your training programs must be designed and conducted effectively to satisfy this statement.

2. Program design must be learner-centered and not trainer-centered. Participative methods of learning (case discussion, role plays, business games, exercises, etc.) must be used as much as possible.

3. Pre-program briefing by the HOD about the benefits from the program and his expectations from the participant after training.

4. If the training is conducted effectively, the participants will become the spokespersons for the quality and usefulness of the training program. I followed these principles and reaped benefits.

Regards,
P V S Sarma

Some have given you suggestions based on the limited information that you have provided, and some have tried to publicize what they have done. Hence, as is my habit, I will raise a few questions to gain clarity on the situation.

Questions for Clarity

What is the nature of your organization, and how many members are working there? Who is arranging the in-house training? Who conducts the training? What is the nature of the training provided? When are the sessions arranged, during the day or on weekends? Have you tried to determine why people did not attend the sessions?

I could continue asking more questions, but I won't. I hope the above questions will prompt you to provide more details about the scenario to enable bloggers to offer you more customized solutions.

In default for not attending the in-house training programs, usually, HODs are more involved than the nominated participants. What happens is when nominations for training are sought, HODs make nominations and then withhold the nominees from attending the training program. They also support the employee concerned from attending the program. The plea remains is loss of work/production. As is rightly said by our friends, people still consider training as an unimportant item.

Solution to Improve Training Attendance

As a part of the solution, you should firstly discuss the training program outlay with your CEO/GM, as the case may be, and seek his active interest. You should also invite the said officer on the opening day and concluding day of the program.

If still, people stay away, please issue strict letters from the said officer stating the significance of training and that in case there is a genuine reason for any employee for abstaining from training, permission of the said officer be obtained.

I am sure this approach will mitigate your hardship on this account.

Regards,
S.K. Johri

Link their training with either their PMS. Also, it should be noted that this will be considered in their next appraisal.

After training, a test is necessary to recognize how much they have understood. It will also evaluate how effectively the trainer has delivered the training.

Thank you.

Regards,

Sorry if I sound rude, but so many responses on this one make me think. I can tell you one thing for sure: most of the people giving you solutions on this post are not trainers (at least not in the real sense).

Understanding Training Attendance Issues

Let me make one thing clear at the outset: no one on this earth can force or make anyone attend your trainings. They may be made to be physically present, but trainings are not given for that purpose; they are meant to eventually transform. Transformation takes place when people buy in. If you can't sell your product, then either you are talking to the wrong people, you don't have a product worth selling, or you need to learn to sell.

Believe me, friend, the only person responsible for such a situation is the one standing in front of the mirror. I can't suggest or advise you on the right course of action on this forum, but you need to talk to someone who understands this business, and by the look of it, you will not find them on this site.

That's all from my side.

Best of luck.

Regards

Importance of Relevant and Engaging Training

If the training is not relevant, people will not attend. If the training is not interesting, people will not attend. If the training is boring, people will not attend.

Conducting a Training Needs Analysis

Do the Training Needs Analysis or Assessment first, then decide who needs training and in what areas. Don't do training for the sake of training; that just gets everyone offside.

Essential Training and Mandates

Decide what training is essential (e.g., safety training, First Aid, etc.) and mandate that for the relevant staff. It needs to be written into their contract that they must undertake this training. Also, make this training a part of their performance plan.

Leadership Involvement in Training

Training must start at the top. Staff need to see Management fully involved and taking training seriously.

Qualified Trainers and Engaging Sessions

Training should be done by suitably qualified staff. If you do not have qualified trainers in-house, use external trainers. Find trainers with a pleasant, friendly manner who can engage the trainees.

Be very wary of games, role plays, etc. VERY FEW people like these, and they will do anything to get out of training if they think this will be a part of the session. I am a trainer, and I hate them! I never ever subject my trainees to these sorts of things. I try to make my training fun, interesting, and engaging, but I don't humiliate people in front of others.

Please check the rating of your in-house training sessions, which will help you identify the gaps you need to fill to ensure good attendance:

Key Considerations for Training Attendance

1. Is the target participant required to undergo the training to meet their developmental needs? If this is only for completing the required man-days of training, people will not be interested in completing such targets where there is no value addition.

2. Is the communication regarding the training very clear about the objectives, benefits, and target participants? If the learning a participant is going to receive is not clear, then the motivation to attend the training would not be there.

3. Are the participants nominated by the HODs, or do participants get their own nomination done? If a participant comes forward on their own, the likelihood of taking the training seriously is higher.

4. Are there disruptions during training, such as being called repeatedly for some work or other? If seniors are not serious, then the juniors will make a joke of it.

5. What is your management's belief in training? If the management is not inclined towards people development, then they will not be keen on the training being imparted.

6. Is the trainer good enough? The quality of the trainer also determines the attendance.

7. Are the arrangements for food and refreshments made by the company? Food is always a point of attraction.

If you can evaluate your training sessions based on the above points, it will give you good insight into the in-house training programs that are being conducted.

Regards,
Preetam Deshpande

To be frank, if we could know what the training is about, it would be easier to share our views. The situation here, where training programs are organized and employee turnout is low, is usual. We had a few checks with our employees when a similar situation occurred, and most of them mentioned that they didn't want to risk losing time at work when they were unsure of what to expect from the training or how it would benefit them in their processes, so they didn't attend the sessions. There have been scenarios where they had to work late to complete their tasks after a training session, which they felt wasn't worth the effort.

Since then, a few days before the training programs, we have been sending them preview notes providing short notes on the topics and how the details can help them. After the training sessions, explanatory notes and FAQs have been circulated to all, including those who did not attend the session. Attendance has improved since then as employees have come to expect transparency.

I'm not sure if the same method would work at your organization since I'm unaware of the focus of the training program here. However, it may be worth a try.

Regards,
Manoj Augustine