“This company didn't train them, and the other didn't, and the one after it didn’t, who will? They will end up not knowing what to do and the minute they get hired they will ruin the job, I say we better train them”.- shorooq- Jordan, taking IT global community
1)Why should we train high-turnover workforce?
Over
a period of time in business, visions change, strategies change, philosophies
change; and so do people! People form a workforce and workforce runs the
complete business-engine. The overall performance of the workforce is subject
to change; as people come in and go out for several personal and professional
reasons; driven by their monetary needs, personal aspirations and
growth-appetite. Such high unpredictable, fluctuations in workforce
productivity due to the mobility of people in the firm can be significantly
controlled by:
- Hiring the right people
- For the right job
- At the right salary
- Updating them with the right
training
It
is important to provide your people the right training that facilitates their
overall development, accelerates their growth and helps them stay aligned with
their long term aspirations. Though such efforts to control, sporadic
fluctuations in workforce productivity are necessary, one should not forget
that Change is good! When new people come into the firm, they also bring in
fresh ideas and different experience along with them. It keeps the firm on its
toes in a highly competitive environment. Good management helps moderate staff
turnover and saves high recurring cost of recruitment.
2) How can we offer Continuous Education
Practice?
Continuous
Education Practice (CEP) is a concept that is consciously devised to achieve
both professional and personal development of employees. Here are few
popular learning methods that we can use to implement CEP.
Learning
from seniors: This
is the cheapest of the methods of transferring knowledge; but it is slow and
not very effective unless the transition is coherent. Modern management has
replaced this method by a more powerful one called ‘Mentoring’ which pairs the
Mentor and Mentee.
Mentoring: Mentoring is more
powerful than a traditional teacher/student methodology. Mentors are
influential with their subjectivity and intellect; and often provide spiritual,
emotional or financial counselling for their Mentees. To know more about Mentoring,
refer article by Marsha C. Little - Architect’s handbook of professional
practice, published by the AIA.
Internal
team building: This
method is an ideal “enabler” that creates an environment of sharing within the
team and facilitates learning from other team members. Off-late, many firms
have adopted this method and built teams comprising of architects, engineers,
design managers etc.
Professional
Training: To
meet the Firm’s goals and objectives, periodic lectures and training programs
can be designed for the overall benefit of the employees. For example, CAD
operators can be trained for new versions of the software and competent staff
can be trained in Revit Architecture or similar software. Similarly, training
programs like Construction Management, Business, Communications, and MS office
can be designed for technical as well as administrative staff.
Trade
publications: This
is one of the most proven methods for staying up-to-date. Today, Information is
available in various forms like websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, discussion
forums etc. All Information is just a “Google” away, available at your
convenience, at low cost and at high speed. Only threat here is Information
overload may defeat the purpose of training.
Conferences
and seminars: These
are excellent opportunities to build one’s professional network, brainstorm
with peer group and foster healthy relationships with the fraternity. These are
healthy alternatives that complement other methods of online-learning and
offline self-study.
Books: Books are radically
distinctive and unparalleled. E -Books are a new trend and so is the E-reader.
Technology will not affect the importance of reading and appreciating the minds
of great people. Investment in a library has a higher return than anything
else.
Continuous
personal education: Healthy employees keep the firm healthy. The firm can think
of appropriate programs like health care, leisure tours, yoga classes, team
building games, emotional counselling etc. to add professional-maturity and
overall growth.
3) How
do we know that training is helping our staff?
Knowledge
is Power.
Power
generates Confidence.
You
can measure the impact of training by observing reflective behaviour in day to
day activities like working with co-workers, coordinating with clients and
consultants, work ethics, improved intrinsic skills, creative and analytical thinking,
etc. If you do not notice the change then something is definitely wrong with
the trainer and not with the training.
Let’s train and get trained!! Say yes 2 Architectural
Management and
share your views by leaving a comment here or on www:managearchitecture.com
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