Is training a performance enabler or a measure of employee welfare?

Most organisations cut training expenses, whenever cost reduction is an imperative. During the recession, training expenses, manpower and associated costs bore the brunt. Now, when economic revival is visible, are companies spending on training? It appears that many organisations are following a cautious approach and training budgets are assigned after high degree of scrutiny and diligence. Decisions are now being taken at an executive level, even for a minor expense. Consider this paradox; most training expenses are booked as a measure of employee welfare rather than skill development solution. These days, several international training companies are doing good business, while the Indian ones are struggling to keep afloat. It appears that the certificate brand as perceived by the employee, as opposed to actual operation effectiveness and business impact is a key decision consideration. Often, training vendors are requested to submit a proposal to impart 1 day training as a part of a business meeting. No ADDIE here, period.
How did we get to this state of affairs?
In the earlier times, management trainee scheme was employed as an investment for developing the employee – using on the job exposure and classroom training, with a graduation like ceremony for successful completion and final placement. This was practiced in segments like Banking, FMCG and diversified groups like Tata’s. The businesses valued knowledge and skill in their command and control based organisation. With emergence of IT and OA in the early 80’s, Customer interactive skills like selling and client handling gained ground as a trend setting strategy used to educate the market- picked up from the pharmaceuticals. In the 90’s, when Indian economy opened its door, operations training through compliance requirements like ISO, six-sigma, CMMI, led corporate training as a measure to improve business competitiveness. As India moved ahead in this millennium, and information management driven through technology acquired high importance, measurement of performance got the focus. Since most business processes got automated (by-product of ISO and business process management) with better metrics management, training as a performance enabler got detached from the business performance. The metrics captured the outcome, but failed to capture the in process measures e.g. ., if “x” no of calls led to 1 order, (this got captured) but definition of a call standard was not. Since training enables better performance through modified behaviour (skill development), the enabling measure was missing. In the earlier days, this was well aligned. Take for example a repair technicians performance measure when post training intervention could impact repair at first call performance based on an acceptable standard. We now have a situation, that what get’s measured reflects the results but no further drill down is possible, because some of the process steps are missing. For training related intervention, many CEO’s fail to see the connection between training and performance due to absence of credible analytics.
How does the future hold?
Training will continue to be viewed as a dispensable performance enabler. Given the global business trends, the IBM CEO Study of 2010 indicates that people skills have reduced its importance from 2nd most to 4th position. It appears that training and development needs to redefine in the changing scheme of things. Focus , will shift from how well you do something to how well you know something, given, that further technological advancements may trigger solutions requiring little or low skills.
My two cents?
L&D must make the first move by talking metrics and talking performance. Vendors and training departments must collaborate to ensure that a feel good employee welfare workshop is not labelled training. Every Rupee spent in training must be measured for returns like any other investment. The function must necessarily help create and or facilitate measures that can accurately convey the impact of the training intervention by aligning skills to the business process. Take for example a measurement of a business meeting. The end outcome of this meeting could track participation index, decisions arrived, post meeting actions executed on time. If all of this is developed into a work process, a training intervention will reflect results. The important thing here is to get to this stage so that measures are aligned to the work process.

When the going gets tough the tough get going - applying it to Learning and Development

When recession set's in, training department budgets get slashed and sometimes, severed. The last few years have been challenging for all , except for those who thrive on complexity and uncertainity. Most training managers and professionals have responded in predictible lines - scaling down activity and meeting expense budget. Many chose to deploy technology and evaluated options to use Communication and collaborative tools to prevent non-classroom expenses like travel, board lodging etc. The technology companies have used this cycle to push in their products to highlight importance of trackeability ,measurement and content creation.

Are these examples of real innovation in L&D which can meet the needs of learning, and performance?

Learning manager of a small sized financial company in the USA has chosen to follow a unique approach. His mandate was to make learning and development integral with minimal or no cost. Using creativity, and leadership buy-in, a program was carved out for high potential talent development. The CEO mandate, was to ensure that performing talent especially senior management, is developed and retained. A program was designed for a 18 month duration which covered all subject and domain areas that was considered neccesary to groom these performers. The curricullum was designed by inhouse subject matter experts with executive management group taking lead incharge. Faculty was inhouse developed and the executive managers conducted these sessions (90 minutes duration) on a pre-scheduled calendar. A graduation ceremony concluded the program. Participants were selected by a screening process cmparable to a university admission program involving detailed response on the interest, essay writing and senior management interaction , manager recommendation,and a buzz got evolved. Did this porgram succeeed , the answer is premature for final impact , but some benefits did accrue:-

• The executive buy in was high as they themselves developed and delivered classroom sessions
• Mutual expectations of role and performance got clarified.
• Executives indicated that their line of thinking got clearer
• Potential awareness of people capability through classroom interaction
• Porgram buzz created competition for getting in the program
• People could align learning with everyday performance

ALL OF THIS AT A MARGINAL COST

Who says innovation does not exist ?

The person is Robert Friedman - Dean Learning and Development of Motley Fools

listen to him here

http://www.humanresourcesiq.com/video.cfm?id=348

Proficiency - a real measure of performance

A rough calculation indicates that for every hour of training , the final implementation in performance is less than 10% ,after 3 weeks, if transfer of learning to performance is not taken care of. In essence this is a frightening situation, that for every training dollar invested, the potential leakage is very high. What is the problem ?

Very often, the measures highlight the end result, e.g., Number of calls made, Satisfaction scores, and at higher management, the measures tend to be more summative. Since training, is an intervention for enhanced performance, measures pertaining to observed behaviour change do not get the attention, that it deserves. If a sales person's job is measured in terms of calls made, and the training intervention calls for an enhanced behaviour of pre-call planning for every call, a measure to check and report this behaviour may become more relevant over and above the call quantity report. Likewise , the behavorial competencies of the role may need to be profiled for potential performance.

From the time a person gets trained till the time proficiency sets in , their exists a gap. This can vary from a few months to some years depending on the job complexity. A systemic approach can help save costs and improve productivity. This stage calls for mapping a learning path, best suited for proficiency development. It calls for a blending of training, post training transfer of learning, supported by informal learning which is tailored to suit skill development, supported by a measurement system, which can track and measure the observable behaviour. The concept can draw some parallel with TQM , where, measures such as quality , cost and deilvery are used for measuring a process. Going further, the entire skill development from induction to proficiency can be measured with process control measures to monitor degree of control and variation. A path which can accelerate this capability can also be implemented using the same concept. It is high time that an end to end process that not only measures the results but also tracks the observable skills at various points , is implemented. This calls for taking the first step by getting the L&D folks trained in TQM.

Training Certification or Certificate

Discussions are going on whether we should run after international certification when Indian ones could do the job. In training and development India's ISTD is the sole institution for awarding certificate in training and development. This establishment has been largely managed by Government and Public sector officials. For a country as large as India to meet the demands of a growing economy , Certification of domestic or international recognition is a necessity. So having a certification does make sense.
Training in India has evolved today. Most trainers follow pedagogy as a core principle. Since education in India has been more heads up than hands on (engineering colleges exist where labs are non-existent), it is not difficult to imagine the dismissal of applied knowledge or skill development training for the same fundamental indoctrination.Hence, discussions about certification usually range about the IQ aspect. A Wharton study had indicated that Indian managers scored the least internationally on managerial effectiveness. The score was 2.65 on a scale of 5.0, the benchmark was at 3.1.Most training and development leadership professionals are not qualified , unlike the west , where qualification and certification is considered important to step into the role.
While India has exported life changing transformational skills like yoga,and spiritualism , without any certification criteria, why should we be wanting certification now? I would think, the principal reason would be to go back to our roots and gurukul. This system of education recognised proficiency - look at music, dance where levels of proficiency is linked to experience and expertise. The ultimate being the acknowledgement of Pandit title. Since , we had it , let us regain it. Let us not be blind to the contribution of the western world on training and development. To play one against the other is like living in a fool's paradise. Opportunity lies in collaborating and blending both the streams for overcoming weaknesses in an exponential age.

Puzzles in training

A webinar conducted by Thiagrajan on Puzzles in training , brought some interesting perspectives. He drives home the point that most people like to be self absorbed and self contained while working on puzzles. These may range from solving crossword , sudoku , series and other types. Why do people take pleasure in solving puzzles self directed ? Somewhere , people like to solve problems and get a sense of accomplishment and achievement. A positive stroke , if you like. Some like it as a memory jogger exercise. Puzzles are connection exercise to develop thinking skills , be it lateral or rational.

As a training format , the trainer has a great tool to expand and use depending on the learning need and performance relevance. Anything emotional sticks. Hence , facilitation becomes key here and care must be taken to assure learners of success. Review this recorded webinar

http://bit.ly/Thiagi-PuzzlingOpportunities

Now, outside the classrooms, people need encouragement to perform. It does not mean hand holding continuosly. It means, create simple puzzles that can help the learner to make the transition from guidance to self absorption. The little puzzles can help to develop experimentation and thought process. Puzzles can provide vital reinforcement based learning and create the interest towards self directed learning. For the learning manager, this is a useful tool to help learners remain focussed and can be offered as a blended option post formal classroom training. From transfer of learning perspective this offers great promise.

Non Formal learning

Heard a recorded webinar from Dublin Consulting about formal learning, informal learning and now non-formal learning. The concept hangs on to a position where learning is informal but intentional. As most people are concerned and Jay Cross has substantiated , training needs to translate into performance from classroom to the job over a period of time. We would go by the 20 - 80 data that has been widely referred between formal and informal learning. Research , if any , may indicate more startling data i.e a wider gap in terms of investment from corporates , the largest chunk being in favour of classroom / formal learning.

For training to translate into performance, we have over emphasised on the routine skill e.g., Selling skills. Since technology is creating disruptive interventions and innovation, wonder how the future will hold. In my mind , access to validated knowledge, access to expertise and ability to work boundary less will be the sole determinants. The technology will take care of the rest. Therefore, training needs to be more contextual and scenario based. The focus should be on creating complex performance support systems that can make extremely simple and purposeful support for the activity to be performed consistent and error free. Japanese were able to do this years back through implementation of systems like KAIZEN, Lean Manufacturing and the Toyota practices. I saw a Circus today , and what struck me was the degree of perfection each performer displayed individually, and collectively as a team. The performance support system consisting of men, equipment and job aids were introduced in synch with the event. This was a perfect example of how rigours of training , and learning is leading to emotionally stirring and captivating performance of the highest order. A classic integration of head, the hands, the sounds, and space . Can we ask for any better example of training to performance .

Lean Service

Read an interesting post on Lean Service , a concept which draws parallel with Lean Manufacturing , popularised from Toyota experience. In the manufacturing world, complexities arise when disruption in smooth flow arises. Historically , and several decades ago, what was manufactured got sold. It was a sellers market. With progress in technology, skills and processes, people got smarter and consumers were enticed with better offerings. Take, our own automotive industry, when Maruti came in , on road performance far exceeded the expectations of the then genre of Indian cars. Those no longer exist. The point here , is about a new standard of product performance. Likewise, when the automotive industry in the west was struggling with large sedans , Toyota showered the market with a choice of colours and options, tailoring more closely to the buyers needs. This was possible with Lean Manufacturing system which introduced the concept of waste in processes and elimination of the same. Not only did it result in improved cycle time but also resulted in higher quality due to simplicity of processes and was able to meet product variation with minimal alteration of processes.

So, how does this relate to Lean service in a Services business ? Experience , shows that processes which were simple were made complex with the advent of IT. More than 93% of processes generate information as outputs with only 7% of process touching the client. So , when processes are developed with IT in mind , cycle times can go off the roof or result in policy level contradictions that can get resolved only by escalation processes. Each of which will be disguised seperately under approval sub-processes. Try changing an insurance plan or even redeem your credit card points , airline mileage points etc., and you would have your answer. Consider an alternate scenario, as I experienced in Walmart , where the touch point of only one interaction, resulted in a product replacement in less than 5 minutes with minimal documentation and process steps. The process consisted of the following :-acceptance of the product with proof of purchase, reference of the new product, and raising of the new invoice. Routine steps, except that a floor guide pointed out the appropriate counter resulting savings in time and spinning around across multiple locations. Customers do not wish to pay for flab. They desire value and soon, we will see times when services will be redefined to meet customer demands for increased performance. Pre-Paid mobile charge card is a great example of such new initiatives. This is a classic case of learning and performance of demonstrated capability.