It’s no secret that a well-trained staff performs better than a poorly trained staff. Unfortunately, many companies still view training as an expense rather than an investment. However, incorporating training into the very fabric of a company’s culture can bring about amazing results.
During the Bridging the Gap session at the ACA Convention, Chuck Ellis and Travis Miller from LexisNexis Risk Solutions provided tips for developing a culture of learning. They included:
- Create a communication system to exchange information. Having a communications system in place is key. Internal instant messaging systems are ideal for quickly sharing important information with groups of employees.
- Survey your staff to keep a pulse on operations. Surveying about knowledge in certain areas helps trainers determine areas of concentration. Post-training surveys help determine knowledge retention.
- Implement training and awareness programs. Formal training includes classes, seminars and other planned training. Informal training typically takes the form of individual conversations.
- Create career pathing. Offering employees a clear path for advancement increases retention.
- Implement coaching and mentor programs. Coaches provide education and set goals. Mentors help employees figure out how to meet those goals.
- Create a vision statement for your new culture. Participation in creating a vision statement should include feedback from all levels.
- Communicate the change of culture to staff. When communicating change, find champions ofthat change and help them help you the message to others.
- Initiate new culture by focusing on team learning and contributions. Set up teams or committees to help implement strategy or policy changes.
- Be prepared for small setbacks. Changing a company’s culture takes time.
“Creating a culture that fosters and promotes learning from both formal and informal learning events is key to bridging the gap between training and operations,” Miller said.