The Optimized People Development System

Tag: workforce training

  • Will Last Year’s People Development System do the Job in 2023?

    Will Last Year’s People Development System do the Job in 2023?

    It can mean transformation, modification, or alteration. It can also indicate an exchange, a swap, or an effort to trade out one thing for another. Change is a noun and a verb that usually means we have to do things differently. We most certainly have learned that we must do things differently when it comes to developing people.

    Organizations continue to wrestle with the unyielding changes in workforce development and workforce training, changes that come from so many directions. Whole economies are changing, global trade is changing, and even the idea of work itself is changing.

    Multiple systems, internal and external, are all in flux. And, as always, people are changing. Only now, it seems that these particular, people-related changes have more direct influences on all businesses.

    Improving the organization’s people development system requires that leaders and stakeholders look beyond the typical HR-centric goals set for the new year and look for leverage in other areas of the PDS.

    Some of the usual goals typically championed by or given to the HR team might include things like better recruiting efforts and the expansion of benefits to try and gain a competitive edge. There might also be some ill-defined declarations to increase training and maybe some focus on retention (which often means more team celebrations or events).

    All of these options offer some potential for improvement. However, with some determined curiosity, new and powerful modifications might be identified.   

    Ask: Where are other opportunities for improvement?

    Five functional areas make up the PDS. Can we:

    • Improve efforts to ensure data quality and accuracy?
    • More effectively leverage the connections between the five areas of the system?
    • Upgrade the design and/or delivery of Development Pathways (do we have these for every team member)?

    Think: Continuous Improvement.

    Optimization is an ongoing process.

    • Identify waste in the PDS and set about reducing or eliminating that waste.
    • Help all stakeholders become better at their role in the PDS. Does everyone know and understand the importance of the part they play in finding, training, and retaining people?
    • Improve communication (share goals and successes, celebrate progress)

    Look: Below the Surface

    Sometimes, the most impactful changes happen in the least visible parts of the system.

    • Engaged stakeholders bring energy to the system. Involve everyone.
    • 2023 promises to have a host of challenges. Is the PDS adaptable to shifting market conditions?
    • Ensure that the true purpose of the PDS is defined and communicated.

    The start of a new year embodies the idea of change. To optimize is to change. Intentionality is key to driving continuous improvement in an organization’s workforce development efforts. The challenge is to dig deeper – ask probing questions, think differently, and look more closely – to identify the changes that will empower a more effective people development system in 2023.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

  • Improve Workforce Training to Fight Inflation

    Improve Workforce Training to Fight Inflation

    A continuous improvement mindset is a critical trait; now more than ever as inflation rages on. In the fight to offset rising prices, there is a need to look at all parts of the organization, and the system we use to find, train and retain people is no exception. This people development system (PDS) and its five elements can be optimized to provide a competitive advantage to the organization. An honest and in-depth examination of the training portion of the PDS can present opportunities to reduce waste, add new capabilities and increase engagement.

    Waste in Training

    Inefficient or poorly designed training efforts can waste time and effort. Change in our work systems is forever impacting the need for training; however, many training processes are slow to adapt. Over time, new processes are introduced, technology is added, raw materials are substituted, or other changes occur. How often are the training programs reassessed to absorb these changes? Using outdated material or training processes wastes the time and efforts of the new team members and the trainers.

    Wasting time can happen in a variety of ways with regard to training. Besides ineffective training, there’s the waste of the trainer’s time to be considered, and even the time needed for remedial training. Also, delivering training in a way that does not promote learning is a type of waste. This could be through a mind-numbing stream of videos that each person is required to endure on day one, or it could be in an ineffective classroom setting.

    Continuous improvement includes continuous learning. How often do long-established team members experience training? Is that training updated? Is it being delivered effectively – utilizing new learning tools and technologies; employing time valuing approaches like micro-learning or short webinars? Training is often out of sight, out of mind. Making the effort to truly see the process is a good start toward identifying waste.

    Expanding Capabilities

    Adding or upgrading capabilities can create new opportunities. This can include enhancing a technical skill or adding new knowledge such as conflict resolution, communication or leadership skills. Keeping staff these days is challenging and losing them is expensive. A culture of learning that invests in their capabilities can be a powerful determining factor when it is time to decide to stay or to go.

    Upgrading the teams’ skills is a part of continuous improvement. Helping each person to advance along their development pathway can help the organization realize untapped potential. For example, training the team to be better problem solvers can uncover hidden savings through the elimination of waste or the implementation of new and better ways of working. Improving the capabilities of those delivering training can also be beneficial. Train the trainers so that they are more effective and then give them the tools they need to do it well. Training is a key capability that can add value across the organization.    

    Deepening Engagement

    Keeping trained, knowledgeable people is good for the bottom line and development is a great way to support retention. Evaluate how well the current training regimen is performing with regard to these efforts and look for improvement options. A personalized development pathway helps to communicate the value that the organization puts on their learning journey. This also helps enhance performance management by establishing goals and highlighting growth. Using training and development to engage people is a tried and true technique. People who feel valued and can see how they are making progress within an organization tend to be more loyal.

    Pursuing perfection in the PDS can help fight high inflation. Last week we looked at optimizing the recruiting and onboarding efforts to lower costs. Continuous improvement in the way we train people requires a determined effort to see how time is spent and effort is expended. It requires that we look at workforce training delivery, at training materials such as job breakdowns, work instructions, and training modules, and at the technology we use. Thinking long-term about improving the people development system will help in this era of high inflation and will continue to pay off when inflation recedes.