Recent Trends in Training

Recent Trends in Training

© Siobhan S McMahon & Anurag Gupta, 2009 All Rights Reserved

1 Recent Trends in Training

Siobhan McMahon, Anurag Gupta

HRPD 713 Training and Development

UPDATED APRIL 22, 2009

Brief Agenda*

2‐3 Introduction 6‐10 Group Discussion and Activity 3‐5 Adult Learning Principles 2‐3 Aging Trends in Training 10‐12 Recent Trends in Training 4‐6 Group Discussion 4‐6 Summary and Conclusion Estimated Running Time: 40 minutes*Subject to change up to the time of training



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The biggest aim of any training program is to retain talent. The cost of any successful and effective training program is far less than the cost of not being able to retain the right people for the right jobs.

To cater the needs of a workforce that is constantly changing with respect to its demographics, demands, and expectations from a career, training methods have also evolved. As organization try to retain the skills and talent, training methods and products are constantly evolving. Certain methods of training like lectures and monologue presentations are rapidly giving way to fancy e‐learning modules, webinars and podcasts. At the same time, mentoring, coaching and distance learning are becoming popular once again as companies look to replace an aging workforce

without losing its skills and knowledge.

The two most aging trends in training across Canada are lectures and retreats. Lectures are increasingly being seen as a monologue and unidirectional form of learning which do not provide sufficient scope for participation and feedback. As a result, they are becoming a much less attractive option than they used to be a decade ago. The

Training is a specialized form of education that focuses on developing skills. Although training incorporates educational theories, principles, and practices, it is performance and result oriented. The goal of training is for participants to demonstrate something new or perform better than before. The program’s effectiveness is measured by the participant’s ability to demonstrate the desired skills.

Always be aware of the adult learning principles whendesigning developing, or delivering a training program.Adults learn best in an atmosphere that permits andencourages use of their existing knowledge to question,debate, and enter into discussion. Instructors of adultlearners should focus on facilitating the exchange ofideas and helping the participants become self‐directed.

4 adult learning principles are

1. Adults need to be involved in planning andevaluation of their instruction;

2. Experience provides the basis for learningactivities;

3. Adults are most interested in learning subjectsthat have immediate relevance to their job orpersonal life; and,

Weeklong instructor‐led classes are considered old school (pun intended). Training is no longer seen as a discrete event that occurs every six months, with employees eager to pick up bits of knowledge on the go.



3 traditional view of lectures being able to deliver learning to a large group of audience in a small time and at a tighter expense is being challenged, with participants preferring a method that can value their experiences and feedback more than what a traditional lecture system allows them to.

Retreats are facing the challenges of cost and returns – with an increasingly diverse and dynamic workforce, and with organizations running on tight schedules and tighter budgets, it is becoming increasingly difficult to bring a sufficient number of participants together in a retreat setting, and to justify the high cost associated with the method.

While electronic and web based learning sessions are becoming more popular due to their relative ease of setting up, and the advances in technology bringing virtual closer to real every day, age‐old trends of distance education and mentoring are making a strong return in Canada, especially in the recessionary period.

Distance education started in Canada as a concept during as early as 1860’s, and it focussed almost exclusively on participants from off‐urban locations. However, with time and advent of technology, distance education has evolved to various forms of online courses and sessions, allowing participants the freedom of time, location, and learning material.

The role of mentoring and coaching is probably most important in Canadian workforce today than ever. With an aging population, organizations are looking at their replacement charts and succession plans more closely than ever, and this type of learning provides an ideal ground for organizations to retain the skills that senior employees could potentially take along with them upon retirement. Not only does this learning style gives senior employees an opportunity to pass their wisdom to their potential successor in the organization, but also allows the protégés to begin contributing to the decision making process much earlier in their careers as they get a chance to interact with the employees who have already been recognized in the workplace as leaders and experts in their respective fields of work.

Adult learning is based on actualization and realization – you are telling the participants what they already knew, but in a manner which they can realize, retain, and relate to. Situational and experiential learning helps learners to relate to, and retain training. Moreover, a formal which engages learners in discussions and allows them to share their views and experiences help increase the participation rate.

One of the biggest advantages of any distance education and/or continuing education program is flexible learning hours – which allows it to seamlessly blend with the flexible working hours and life balance of almost anyone willing to learn. No wonder the tagline ‘a class that waits for you’ is common to almost every such program in Canada.



4 One form of training that has, and probably can never be ignored is on‐the‐job training. Almost every organization provides this training in one form or the other, and almost every worker has received some form of this training sometime in their career. This training style allows the new employees to get on‐hands exposure to the tools they’d be using the most immediately, and can be very effective in attaining immediate improvements. Research shows that this type of training provides the easiest and cheapest way for an organization to signal its culture and expectations from employees.

The bottom line for any training program remains the same. A new trend or evolution in the field of T&D notwithstanding, always remember that the ultimate goal of a training session is learning – medium and method of delivery can never outweigh the need to follow these principles for any training session to be effective.

For any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact Siobhan McMahon and Anurag Gupta.

References:

http://www.canadabusiness.ca

Alan M. Saks & Robert R. Haccoun; “Managing Performance through Training and Development”; 4th Edition, 2008

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/ Statistics Canada; Recent Trends in Adult Education and Training in Canada

Any stage of economy, whether recession or stagnation, presents unique challenges to a training department. A pressure to justify the costs is omnipresent, and so is the need to align the vision of the Training department with the vision of other branches of HR. At the end of the day, the biggest goal remains the same – retaining and grooming the best talent.

In the present stage of recession, one of the biggest challenges for Training departments across Canada has been budgeting. As companies begin cutting their R&D costs and focus on survival, the budget allocated to training has seen a substantial dip, especially in labour intensive sectors.

An innovative HR department, however, can handle this situation by using a lateral and non‐traditional approach to training methods. There are organizations who are offering their employees a leave of absence to go back to school and update their skills, and join the workplace at the end of their program. For employees, this presents an opportunity to rebuild their skills and career in school, and for employers, this presents a unique way of cutting costs. Rather than letting go their talented employees, they provide these employees with a lucrative option – go back to school, come back with state‐of‐the‐art education, get reimbursed for their educational expenses, and retain their jobs. Much better than worrying about who would be handed the next pink slip!

A successful Trainer must be prepared for all types of personalities. For the session to be meaningful and learning for highest number of participants, it should reach the

maximum audience.

Recent Trends in Training

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