Even today, many executives do not treat human capital as an asset, but rather as a cost. This thinking needs to change and individuals must be valued for what they really are: the driving force behind the company.
Carlos Basso, author of technical manuals, articles and books on professional and business relations, with more than 20 years of experience in the field, argues in his article on the subject that the recognition of human capital must be part of the culture of the company. Thus, training people is an essential ingredient, because expertise and experience generate teams with greater performance and productivity.
Although most people understand the importance of training, not always what is taught is used in daily work routines. That is, the transfer of learning does not always happen.
In the article mentioned above, Basso highlights 5 actions that managers can take to optimize the efficiency of the training and capacity building process of their teams.
1. The importance of manager participation
One of the main impediments to the transmission of knowledge is the lack of management support. By this we mean the manager who does not value or prioritize training actions and who delegates everything to HR. Because he does not get involved, he is not aware of what will be covered in the training session, and does not worry about engaging his people in the actions, or care about whether or not the results have been achieved.
For training to generate effective increases in motivation, commitment, and team performance, leaders need to be active parties during the learning process.
2. Manager and HR: defining training needs
An involved and dedicated manager lives day-to-day with his or her people and knows their abilities, skills and difficulties better than anyone else. HR professionals do not have specific knowledge of every department in the company, nor do they have day-to-day experience with all the employees and, for this reason, must always act as a support for the departments.
HR and management should work together to create a culture of learning, explaining to employees the great importance of employee training programs, both for the company and for the personal growth of all involved.
3. Before the training: align expectations
From the very beginning, the expectations of managers and trainees must be aligned. It is important that people are clear, especially in three areas: why we are investing in training, what the expected return is (what the desired changes are) and how the results will be monitored. The leader’s role at this stage is to provide guidance and advice.
Each new training program should lead to the definition of the objectives and type of evaluation to be used in the future. Each program requires a unique assessment, depending on what it intends to achieve.
4. After the training: eliminate barriers
After the training, the employee will return to work with enthusiasm and new ideas. The manager must provide the necessary tools and provide challenges and opportunities for these new techniques to be put into practice. However, it will not all be fixed overnight. Even if the training was extremely beneficial, the trainee needs time to introduce the new practices into their daily work routines.
The manager should strive to give accurate feedback on the progress made by the trainee; as well as pointing out possible areas for improvement.
5. Evaluation of results: assertive feedback and rewards
The final step in training people is to acknowledge their efforts and evaluate if the intended results have been achieved. This should be done after a time period of between 30 and 90 days after the training, allowing sufficient time to put the learning into practice and also so that the training is still fresh and the employee can understand the relationship it has with his/her performance.
Manager and collaborator should observe together if initial expectations (before training) were fulfilled and if the goals were met. The feedback should be assertive and helpful, encouraging the person to continually improve.
These 5 actions will make training results effective and recognized by professionals. They will serve as a stimulus, encouraging the team to increasingly value training and disseminate the idea that there is a culture of learning in the company, and that the process of growth is continuous one.
