Training and Development |
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By: Amit Bhagria Posted: 2008-04-24 08:12:30 |
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The ObjectiveWhen organizations decided to ditch their premises and take training outdoors, the key objective was to enthuse employees about training. They believed that the more excited an employee gets about the training program, the more receptive he would be. This, in turn, would have a positive impact on engagement and retention.While the argument sounds logical, what began to happen was that organisations concentrated more on getting their employees excited than on selecting a 'training venue'. So while the venues took care of the entertainment factor, they failed to be conducive for training. Employees would be more excited about hitting the pool, the bowling alley or sight-seeing, and training would just get side-tracked.The counter-measure to this was taking employees to locales that were close to being ascetic! This obviously created a dread about going outdoors to train. Ironically, it is not that organisations have to choose between going overboard either way. They can select a venue, which, in addition to being conducive to training, takes care of after-training-hours entertainment.Location, Location, LocationTraining locations are selected typically based on popularity. So if a handful of organisations go to a place, the rest will follow invariably. Since the venue is a tried and tested one, organisations that follow have an edge. Moreover, since popular locations are mainly so because of their cost-effective and convenient location, selecting frequently-visited venues has its advantages. But in addition to popularity, a few aspects that are essential to make a location favourable to training include:Trainer approval: In most cases, seeking trainer approval for the venue is not even part of the agenda! However, getting trainers to give the green becomes important as they are , aware of the kind of space that is required for the program better. Moreover, a trainer knows the type of entertainment his trainees should be exposed to. For instance, the training venue for intellectually stimulating program should not be too distracting in terms of its entertainment facilities. Also, too much or little space can be a constraint in some cases. A trainer, who had planned a grand treasure hunt as part of his team-building program, was caught by surprise when he had to train in a conference room.Program design: Some training programs, especially sales training ones, are 'breakout intensive'. These programs require venues where trainees can be sent into small meeting rooms for their deliberation sessions and accommodated into larger rooms for their presentations and lectures. Also, as Kristin Kurie, vice president of a management services organization explains, "If you are running a sales training program with role-play sessions you not only need smaller rooms for eight to ten employees to gather, you may also need those rooms to be close together for the sake of efficiency". It does not make sense to waste time getting trainees to move from room to room!Trainee considerations: Much as trainees are willing to travel to different outdoor locations, only a few are excited about too much travel. Training venues that are at far-flung places become cost-ineffective as well. Another trainee concern is the weather, which is in fact, a valid concern even otherwise. Fair-weather locations should be the obvious choice as an organization would not want to invite health care costs in addition to paying for training. For outdoor training programs, keeping a tab on the weather is imperative. Trainee considerations may also involve pandering to employees' whims depending on which level they represent. Senior executives will not settle for less plush venues.Smart tipsSelecting the right training venue may not always be a budget-driven decision. However, no organization would mind making use of the following cost-effective suggestions:For organisations that want to train outdoors only for a change in place, training at their other offices is a good idea. While employees are excited about the change in place, the organization saves on cost and enjoys the benefits of training in one's own location.Employees who are members of clubs and resorts can be asked to negotiate with the latter. When feasible, carrying ones own equipment to training venues can save costs.A training venue plays a crucial role in defining the success of a training program. This only means that it has to be well-selected.Amit Bhagria
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