Ensuring Training Sticks...It's in the Follow-Up

When it comes to learning something new, repetition is key to making the information stick. It also requires feedback based on real-life application. Although general guidance is certainly valuable, it lacks the necessary pressure-testing that can only occur when people are confronted with a problem or have a relevant need to use the learnings. 

Many professional training programs excel at delivering the content, yet they ignore or underclub equally important steps such as follow-up, coaching, and implementation support. Ironically, this is also true when it comes to change management training. 

Presently, companies spend nearly $10 billion on change management consulting firms each year to support productivity goals. But even with such a large investment in organizational change, the industry continues to miss the mark. So, it goes without saying that employees are eager to upskill and learn the best way to lead and sustain change, but how much do learners actually retain or use under the current approach?  

In our previous publication, we highlighted several key considerations prior to investing in professional training as well as the science behind micro and lean learning principles that can lead to improved outcomes. In this article, we will focus on the importance of reinforcing new learnings during and after the training is over.

Let’s start with “The Forgetting Curve,” a concept observed by German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus in the 19th Century. Ebbinghaus found that if new information isn’t applied or otherwise used, humans will forget about 75 percent of what they learned after only six days. This means without immediate application and support, you or your recently educated employee will need retraining on the very same topic in a matter of weeks. With corporate budgets and individual pocketbooks in mind, this scenario is highly unlikely.

So, how can we avoid this? New learnings must be reinforced repeatedly, both during and after a training activity. The notion that the training is completed when the delivery of information has ended is a misguided assumption. Instead, employers investing in employee training should consider a training event (or course or program) as a single step among several. During the training, for example, the participant must have the ability to connect with the instructor (if they so choose). This is less of an issue with live events, but certainly applies to online-only courses. After the training, coaching will be essential to ensure the newly trained staffer has the knowledge, competencies, and skills required to move forward with implementation.  

Sending an employee to training and expecting them to succeed without support is unrealistic.  There tends to be the belief that if the newly trained employee isn't successful in deploying their new learnings, that it is somehow their fault alone. This is especially problematic for people partaking in higher cost programs that promise a one-and-done training approach. In truth, success is more likely to be achieved by selecting a training provider that offers post-training support for individuals and teams.

Apogy has designed a training program that does it all by offering a change leadership certification + coaching package that pairs on-demand learning with professional coaching while the individual moves through the course. As clients learn the material, they have access to an Apogy consultant who can answer questions, advise strategic planning efforts, and brainstorm possible solutions to the many nuanced issues that are likely to come up after the training is completed, when clients start to apply what they’ve learned back in the workplace. This approach promotes success from the moment the information is acquired, helping to solidify the learnings by providing responsive and accessible coaching and support.

As you explore training options that could be beneficial to you and your team, don’t just  focus on who, but how the training is delivered and supported to ensure  topic mastery and skill development. Sign up for Apogy’s Change Leadership Certification + Coaching Package today!

Source:

https://www.bcg.com/publications/2017/change-management-getting-smart-about-change-management