Wednesday - 19 November 2008
HowTo
If you are starting a training programme, it’s vital to make sure you team up with the right partner who understands your needs
A huge number of training companies are out there, many of them doing a great job, but not all of them will be right for your recruitment business. Finding the right training partner is well worth the investment: it should improve the performance of your business and lead to lower attrition.
Look at your business carefully
Does your existing training programme deliver the goods? If not, take the time to examine why. Does it fit in with your business strategy, or are you using a generic training programme that includes a lot of material not really relevant to your company? Many training firms deliver the same training to numerous clients, but unfortunately one size doesn't necessarily fit all.
The competitive nature of the recruitment industry means good training can be a real differentiator, so it is vital that your management takes adequate ownership of training. Don't delegate sole responsibility to your external training partner — and that includes measurement of post-training delivery.
Review your attrition levels
The best indicator of successful training is staff retention. If your attrition levels are high, poor training could be to blame. Take an honest look at whether your training is really up to scratch. Even if you are making a significant investment in your training programme and the basics are adequate, if the training isn't right for your business, your employees won't be fully motivated.
Remember that training is all about the individual, and not everyone will react in the same way to two days of blanket training. Individuals need to be on modules that suit them. Does your training partner help you to tailor the right training for the right people?
Sufficient budget
Recruitment is a people business, so good, well-motivated employees are essential. Monetary investment in successful training will repay itself several times, with 200-300% in business growth. Although the industry has a tight skills base and talented, ambitious people, there is also a lot of disillusionment. It's a competitive market both for trainees and experienced consultants, so a really solid training programme will help not only to attract but to retain staff.
Make the choice
Your existing training partner may have the flexibility and capability to adapt to new training requirements. Should you have doubts that they can better tailor their programme for you, look at possible new training partners, too. Make best use of your industry contacts to gain advice on potential partners, and approach a good selection of providers to gain an initial impression. Discount those who don't meet your criteria or who lack empathy with your business.
For example, if a generic programme has been unsuccessful, don't shortlist companies who take an inflexible approach to what they can offer.
Ideally, your shortlist should contain providers who are a good fit with your long-term strategy and who will be happy to work with you long term, so that a two-way working relationship can evolve.
Develop the programme
Your ideal training partner will be one that is already working in the way you want, and should be prepared to take some time getting under the skin of your business, particularly if you have asked them to develop a bespoke programme.
Feedback from candidates and managers should be ongoing, allowing the training programme to evolve to best meet your business needs.
Talking to individuals will identify whether they have been engaged during classroom time and will help to ensure the training lessons are driven through in your business. Cover all levels, from induction right up to management and board level, so that a sense of progression is fostered throughout the business.
Mark Robert is operations director at Gap Personnel
How to... Find the right training partner
Published: 14 May 2008 Author: Mark Robert
Look at your business carefully
Does your existing training programme deliver the goods? If not, take the time to examine why. Does it fit in with your business strategy, or are you using a generic training programme that includes a lot of material not really relevant to your company? Many training firms deliver the same training to numerous clients, but unfortunately one size doesn't necessarily fit all.
The competitive nature of the recruitment industry means good training can be a real differentiator, so it is vital that your management takes adequate ownership of training. Don't delegate sole responsibility to your external training partner — and that includes measurement of post-training delivery.
Review your attrition levels
The best indicator of successful training is staff retention. If your attrition levels are high, poor training could be to blame. Take an honest look at whether your training is really up to scratch. Even if you are making a significant investment in your training programme and the basics are adequate, if the training isn't right for your business, your employees won't be fully motivated.
Remember that training is all about the individual, and not everyone will react in the same way to two days of blanket training. Individuals need to be on modules that suit them. Does your training partner help you to tailor the right training for the right people?
Sufficient budget
Recruitment is a people business, so good, well-motivated employees are essential. Monetary investment in successful training will repay itself several times, with 200-300% in business growth. Although the industry has a tight skills base and talented, ambitious people, there is also a lot of disillusionment. It's a competitive market both for trainees and experienced consultants, so a really solid training programme will help not only to attract but to retain staff.
Make the choice
Your existing training partner may have the flexibility and capability to adapt to new training requirements. Should you have doubts that they can better tailor their programme for you, look at possible new training partners, too. Make best use of your industry contacts to gain advice on potential partners, and approach a good selection of providers to gain an initial impression. Discount those who don't meet your criteria or who lack empathy with your business.
For example, if a generic programme has been unsuccessful, don't shortlist companies who take an inflexible approach to what they can offer.
Ideally, your shortlist should contain providers who are a good fit with your long-term strategy and who will be happy to work with you long term, so that a two-way working relationship can evolve.
Develop the programme
Your ideal training partner will be one that is already working in the way you want, and should be prepared to take some time getting under the skin of your business, particularly if you have asked them to develop a bespoke programme.
Feedback from candidates and managers should be ongoing, allowing the training programme to evolve to best meet your business needs.
Talking to individuals will identify whether they have been engaged during classroom time and will help to ensure the training lessons are driven through in your business. Cover all levels, from induction right up to management and board level, so that a sense of progression is fostered throughout the business.
Mark Robert is operations director at Gap Personnel
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