If you’ve ever been tasked with selecting a management training program, you know it isn’t easy. There’s an overwhelming number of options on the market, and more coming daily. After the long selection process, you face the possibility of the program you selected falling flat. It might not engage your employees or offer practical tactics for your workplace.
In order to be confident that you’re choosing the right training program for your team, it is essential to take the following steps.
1. Run a diagnostic evaluation.
Before you even begin looking for a management training program, make yourself completely aware of the needs within your organization. Take time to thoughtfully outline the requirements that exist in each area of your company. Poll your leadership team and employees to discover what type of skills training they would like to invest time in.
An easy way to diagnose your company’s employee training needs s to break down each section of the organization. Ask the following relevant questions about daily work life and team success.
Leadership
- Are your employees struggling to grow as leaders?
- Are your current leaders failing to motivate or drive productivity?
Sales
- Does your sales team struggle to connect with prospects and customers?
- During sales, does your team have difficulty making the best recommendations to customers?
Customer Service
- Are your employees struggling to deal with difficult customers?
- Do your employees need some guidance when it comes to providing stellar service to customers and prospects?
Productivity
- Do your employees effectively communicate, or do communication gaps slow company productivity?
- Do your employees need some guidance when it comes to organization and time management?
2. Address the challenges of your employees.
Once you’ve completed a thorough evaluation of your team’s struggles, it’s time to begin looking for a management training program that fulfills those needs. There are many choices out there, so this step might be the most daunting. But, similar to the diagnostic process, there are questions you can ask to help narrow your results. Doing so enables you to pare down your options and find a management training company that values the same topics you do.
- Does the program offer a comprehensive employee training plan to address all of your challenge areas?
- Does the program offer the ability to personalize and tailor courses to your employees’ needs?
- Does the program allow you to place greater focus on problem areas when needed?
3. Pinpoint optimal training methods.
After narrowing your options down to training companies that provide the right material, you need to ensure that the content comes with an ideal delivery method. What learning methods are best for your employees? Would they benefit from a traditional classroom setting with a training guide, or would a digital program completed at their own pace be more productive?
Whether utilizing a classroom facilitator or conducting online courses is more conducive to your employees’ schedules, finding the ideal learning method has a tremendous impact on the success of your program. The right learning environment keeps your team committed to and engaged in essential employee skills training.
4. Opt for a program that offers continued training.
A vital element that’s most often overlooked by companies when choosing the right employee training program is continued learning. What happens when a course has been completed?
Training is ongoing. The more of it your employees have access to and take advantage of, the more prepared they are to succeed in their position and grow into potential promotions. Make sure the management training program you select offers continued initiatives and practices for your team to employ even after the classes are over.
Choosing the right training program is a complex process. Do you want more guidance on selecting the best program for your needs? Contact Vital Learning today.
