Over the last few weeks, we have taken some time to look at some of the other training producers in the "industrial safety" or "elearning" categories. We've gotten some demo accounts and gotten a chance to see the material that our "competitors" have created. So far, I'm just astounded at how bad it can be. I don't think it will do any good to name names, but I would like to share some examples of what we've seen to highlight how lousy training can be.
1980s Clipart
I know graphics don't make the presentation, but they certainly can break it. A lot of the industry uses cheesey clipart, but we saw a course that goes from child-like clipart, to photos, to 3-frame animated GIFs. How can you expect someone to remain concentrated and take the training seriously when it looks like a joke?
Multiple Learning Styles
Most of the courses we saw didn't even attempt to provide support for multiple learning styles. The biggest example is when the narration doesn't match text on screen. There were several instances where the text was completely different than the narration, which in my opinion, makes it hard to follow along and forces a viewer to either listen, or look, but not both.
The "Interactive" lie
"Interactive" is a term that seems to be thrown around very loosely. It seems like some authors consider a multiple choice question "interactive". And while, yes, it does require an interaction, clicking a radio button isn't going to create any lasting memories or enhanced involvement with the subject being taught.
Challenging Thoughts
One of the courses we looked at consisted entirely of multiple choice questions. Besides being boring, the questions did not prevent you from moving forward until you choose the correct answer. A couple of random guesses per page and you are through in no time. Where is the challenge to think? Where is the actual measurement of what was learned?
On a professional level, I'm disappointed that so many of our competitors frequently highlight the same lousy, badly-produced, outdated training.
On a personal level, I'm disappointed that consumers are purchasing this type of training, thereby reinforcing these producers.
Send me examples of really BAD training you've seen!
If you've noticed any of these things, or others that I haven't discussed, I'd love to see examples. Click on the "X comments" below, or send me an email at kdellavalle@capstonetechnology.com
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
September 3, 2009
May 7, 2009
Soft Skills in Hard Times? NO WAY!
This is an article written by Roman Battan, a co-worker of mine at Convergence Training. If you would like to contact Roman directly, he can be emailed at: rbattan@capstonetechnology.com or give him a call at 360-834-0991 x241.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past few months, I’ve read numerous articles about the importance of soft-skills training for leadership and interpersonal relationships. Not surprising, almost all of these so-called ‘articles’ have been written by soft-skills training companies and consultants bragging about how they trained office workers on listening, become better leaders, and blah blah blah… After a while, I began to realize that they’re all just a bunch of sales pitches disguised behind good feelings.
So…let’s get this part out of the way now then shall we?
Soft-skills = Emotional intelligence to handle interpersonal relationships
Hard-skills = Technical knowledge and ability to perform specific tasks
Here are some real questions to think about:
• What the heck happened to the emphasis on Hard-skills training?!
• What happened to training people to do a job?
• Who handles transferring technical knowledge from older employees to new employees as the national workforce continues to turn over?
Keep reading and I’ll tell you.
Out with the Old in with the New
In today’s economic downturn, manufacturing companies are hemorrhaging money and it is not because office employees aren’t motivating their teams well enough. The problem is that an increasing number of experienced machine operators are leaving the workforce and new employees don’t know how to make products and/or keep their machines running consistently. You can forget about Swine Flu because this is the real pandemic!!
Manufacturing firms are working vigorously to reduce their expenses in an effort to offset slumping sales revenues. Many are making major cost cutting efforts by offering older ‘baby boomer’ employees incentive packages and signing bonuses to retire early. On the surface, this approach seems like a logical step to reduce costs but this is usually where the baby goes out with the bathwater.
Precipitously shedding older employees and replacing them with new workers offers a temporary reprieve on the balance sheet, but almost always comes back to bite companies in the proverbial backside. Younger workers seem appealing because they are new and highly motivated, but they also have less experience which contributes directly to increased downtimes, poor or inconsistent product quality, and increased workplace injuries.
The short-term benefit of replacing aging employees with new or inexperienced employees typically turns into a zero or negative net gain if not managed properly. This is not to say that new employees are bad for business. However, it does indicate that a plan to transition new workers in and older workers out of the workforce plays an essential role in minimizing short-term losses and maximizing long-term gains. In fact, if new employees are well trained and given the right knowledge and skills they are likely to be more motivated and effective over time than retiring workers.
This is where the challenge shifts from reducing wage expenses to committing the right amount of internal or external resources to train your new workforce.
Soft-Skills vs. Hard-Skills
Soft-skills will not solve the problem of rapid knowledge loss and the lack of knowledge transfer to the incoming workforce. If you’re relying on interpersonal relationship skills to build, warehouse, and ship your products, then my friends, it’s time to do yourselves a favor and close the doors now. Aside from making your employees feel better about losing their jobs, you will only be prolonging the financial losses your company will incur.
The fact is your workforce needs technical knowledge and that can only be gained through hard-skills training. This means learning how to handle raw materials, operate machines, and convert various components into saleable goods. It seems pretty straight forward doesn’t it? Just grab Joe or Jane supervisor and have them throw together a quick classroom activity with a few PowerPoint presentations right? Wrong! Unfortunately it’s just not that easy.
Hard-skills are more involved than soft-skills training because they are based on real actions and real outcomes and less on theory and feelings. Training employees on a company’s specific process not only requires a true knowledge of the work at hand, but also good instructional design to be effective. Without those two critical components you may as well continue teaching employees Soft-skills to be friendly instead of Hard-skills to build your goods and services.
Next month, Roman will be discussing the decision on allocating internal vs. external resources to build training.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past few months, I’ve read numerous articles about the importance of soft-skills training for leadership and interpersonal relationships. Not surprising, almost all of these so-called ‘articles’ have been written by soft-skills training companies and consultants bragging about how they trained office workers on listening, become better leaders, and blah blah blah… After a while, I began to realize that they’re all just a bunch of sales pitches disguised behind good feelings.
So…let’s get this part out of the way now then shall we?
Soft-skills = Emotional intelligence to handle interpersonal relationships
Hard-skills = Technical knowledge and ability to perform specific tasks
Here are some real questions to think about:
• What the heck happened to the emphasis on Hard-skills training?!
• What happened to training people to do a job?
• Who handles transferring technical knowledge from older employees to new employees as the national workforce continues to turn over?
Keep reading and I’ll tell you.
Out with the Old in with the New
In today’s economic downturn, manufacturing companies are hemorrhaging money and it is not because office employees aren’t motivating their teams well enough. The problem is that an increasing number of experienced machine operators are leaving the workforce and new employees don’t know how to make products and/or keep their machines running consistently. You can forget about Swine Flu because this is the real pandemic!!
Manufacturing firms are working vigorously to reduce their expenses in an effort to offset slumping sales revenues. Many are making major cost cutting efforts by offering older ‘baby boomer’ employees incentive packages and signing bonuses to retire early. On the surface, this approach seems like a logical step to reduce costs but this is usually where the baby goes out with the bathwater.
Precipitously shedding older employees and replacing them with new workers offers a temporary reprieve on the balance sheet, but almost always comes back to bite companies in the proverbial backside. Younger workers seem appealing because they are new and highly motivated, but they also have less experience which contributes directly to increased downtimes, poor or inconsistent product quality, and increased workplace injuries.
The short-term benefit of replacing aging employees with new or inexperienced employees typically turns into a zero or negative net gain if not managed properly. This is not to say that new employees are bad for business. However, it does indicate that a plan to transition new workers in and older workers out of the workforce plays an essential role in minimizing short-term losses and maximizing long-term gains. In fact, if new employees are well trained and given the right knowledge and skills they are likely to be more motivated and effective over time than retiring workers.
This is where the challenge shifts from reducing wage expenses to committing the right amount of internal or external resources to train your new workforce.
Soft-Skills vs. Hard-Skills
Soft-skills will not solve the problem of rapid knowledge loss and the lack of knowledge transfer to the incoming workforce. If you’re relying on interpersonal relationship skills to build, warehouse, and ship your products, then my friends, it’s time to do yourselves a favor and close the doors now. Aside from making your employees feel better about losing their jobs, you will only be prolonging the financial losses your company will incur.
The fact is your workforce needs technical knowledge and that can only be gained through hard-skills training. This means learning how to handle raw materials, operate machines, and convert various components into saleable goods. It seems pretty straight forward doesn’t it? Just grab Joe or Jane supervisor and have them throw together a quick classroom activity with a few PowerPoint presentations right? Wrong! Unfortunately it’s just not that easy.
Hard-skills are more involved than soft-skills training because they are based on real actions and real outcomes and less on theory and feelings. Training employees on a company’s specific process not only requires a true knowledge of the work at hand, but also good instructional design to be effective. Without those two critical components you may as well continue teaching employees Soft-skills to be friendly instead of Hard-skills to build your goods and services.
Next month, Roman will be discussing the decision on allocating internal vs. external resources to build training.
March 4, 2009
Training as an Advantange, Not an Obligation
You Must Revolutionize Your Training Program
You cannot train employees using VHS tapes, outdated manuals, and pieces of paper stuffed away in some file folder and continue to be successful in today's ultra efficient and competitive markets. The fact is that equipment advances, manufacturing enhancements, and the vast amount of science and information available today are moving companies forward at lightning speeds. With improvements in these areas, employees constantly need training to improve current skills, acquire new skills, and work more safely. In addition, rollover is at an all-time high and new employee training is critical to get employees up to speed as fast as possible. If you don't do something about the way you train your employees, you can be sure that your competition will beat you to it.
You Must Have Management Software
The next generation of training needs to be managed electronically, not in paper files. Data needs to be accessible for safety audits, employee qualification screening, and compliancy reports. You can't be caught sifting through stacks of paper looking for information. You can't waste time putting together packets and hand-grading paper-tests.
You Must Have High-Quality Training
It is no longer enough to have out-dated power point presentations with cheesy clipart, bad photos, and cliché sayings. Effective training requires more than just reading through complicated user manuals or attending monthly safety meetings. Training today must include as much media as possible – video, audio, 3d models, diagrams, and animations.
Need more convincing? Stay tuned for future posts...
You cannot train employees using VHS tapes, outdated manuals, and pieces of paper stuffed away in some file folder and continue to be successful in today's ultra efficient and competitive markets. The fact is that equipment advances, manufacturing enhancements, and the vast amount of science and information available today are moving companies forward at lightning speeds. With improvements in these areas, employees constantly need training to improve current skills, acquire new skills, and work more safely. In addition, rollover is at an all-time high and new employee training is critical to get employees up to speed as fast as possible. If you don't do something about the way you train your employees, you can be sure that your competition will beat you to it.
You Must Have Management Software
The next generation of training needs to be managed electronically, not in paper files. Data needs to be accessible for safety audits, employee qualification screening, and compliancy reports. You can't be caught sifting through stacks of paper looking for information. You can't waste time putting together packets and hand-grading paper-tests.
You Must Have High-Quality Training
It is no longer enough to have out-dated power point presentations with cheesy clipart, bad photos, and cliché sayings. Effective training requires more than just reading through complicated user manuals or attending monthly safety meetings. Training today must include as much media as possible – video, audio, 3d models, diagrams, and animations.
Need more convincing? Stay tuned for future posts...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
