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ABOUT US SERVICES FOR YOU"Your magazine" has published data from our research - Training Trends in 2013th with a title - "Today experts are more important than managers" - 02.10.2013
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Summaries from the articles, published in "Your Business" magazine in 2004.
"How to gain from personnel training"
Authors: Dragomira Shuleva and Radmila Stoinova, Consultants and Trainers, TOGETHER LTD; Stanislava Zaprianova, Human resources and Administration, GLOBUL
The article aims at assisting managers in choosing where to invest in order to receive multiple returns on their investment in staff. The topic under discussion is 'Relating the business needs to the training needs of the staff'. The authors answer the question 'Why is needs assessment necessary?' using the popular analogy 'Food for thought' as an example. It compares the different approaches to training to the types of eating in modern life – 'Cafe' style, 'Simple restaurant' style, 'French high cuisine', 'Healthy eating'. An analysis of the situation in Bulgaria is made with regards to company training. They emphasise the need for competent diagnostics experts, who can offer the right training for the right people at the right moment and at the best price.
As a result of their long practice as consultants, trainers, managers and coordinators of training, the authors have ten concrete recommendations to managers who are planning to invest in staff training.
"What does training needs assessment include?"
Author: Dragomira Shuleva, Manager, TOGETHER Ltd
The article presents TOGETHER's approach to in-company training which includes tailor - made needs analysis and evaluation of every company and every client.
The main points of the process of Frances and Roland Bee are presented ("Training Needs Analysis and Evaluation" Frances and Roland Bee, 1994, IPD). The way the model works is illustrated with an example from the author's experience as a TOGETHER consultant for Hebros Bank. A concrete case is used for the analysis of: Business needs on an organizational level and their re-formulation in training needs on a group and individual level.
The main steps in the preparation of the skills training for selling the bank's products are as follows:
- Defining the needs – skills for selling the range of banking products;
- Conducting training with a focus on these skills and knowledge;
- Developing an evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness of training.
And finally, it recommends how, before making a final decision to conduct training, one could check whether these so called 'training needs' could be met without training.
"How to plan in company training and how to choose a training provider"
Author: Dragomira Shuleva, Manager, TOGETHER Ltd
The author presents in details how to prepare the so-called - Training Specification. Ten main points are describing in how the client can assure accuracy of the specification, comparability of the offers and transparency of the choice made. Also last but not least with a training specification mangers will understand fully the relation between quality and price. It is also shown how this happens in practice during exploratory meetings between the client and the training provider.
This professional approach towards in company training provides opportunities for the client – to focus their investment in personnel and for the external consultants to enhance the dialogue with companies.
Concrete recommendations on fostering this dialogue are given with the following metaphors: "Client at any price; Take the money and run away; Working in the dark; Come back again". This will focus attention on building long lasting and fruitful collaboration with companies and the specifics of work in human resources within the organization, demanding systematic efforts. The thesis of TOGETHER is that soon the highest reference for training providers will be not the number of their clients, but the number of their loyal clients.
"How and when to evaluate the training"
Author: Dragomira Shuleva, Manager, TOGETHER Ltd
The article answers the question how to evaluate the return of investment in training and the added value to the skills of the trained staff.
Good practice shows that one should plan the evaluation along with the training itself. The idea is that it should be planned TOGETHER with those who will undertake the work.
A concrete example from the TOGETHER’s experience is described for developing a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of training on three levels:
- Level one – analysis of the feedback from participants – collected through survey cards for evaluation of the training;
- Level two – defining the entry and exit level of skills and knowledge using a specific questionnaire at the client's specification;
- Level three - follow-up of the application of skills and knowledge in the workplace – through 'Personal plans for improving sales skills' - by including managers at the local level, developed with TOGETHER.
Finally, TOGETHER's recommendations are given to all who decide to apply this in practice.
