Print manuals for training and reference

When staff do not feel they are being recognised for the skills they are developing, then they become dissatisfied and leave. You have spent all that time buddy-training them, but their experience has walked out the door.

Formalised training can be an effective way of retaining staff, but they still need to see that the training they undertake is valued, and that there is an organisation-wide system of value and advancement for their effort.

Start simple with print

Start with print-based learning and move on to electronic systems as you can afford it.

If you are swamped in the day-to-day running of your organisation, you may find it hard to design a training regime that fulfills your need to retain staff, but does not at the same time give them expectations that the organisation cannot afford or meet.

Using a consultant

A consultant can help you plan effective training resources.

A consultant is not there to design a separate system or transplant an alien system into your organisation's culture; they should design a system that fits employees and managers.

What you ask the consultant to do is what they supposedly do best - consult with staff, carers, supervisors, administration staff and find out:

• What training will be useful?
• Can training already be accessed cost-effectively from outside the organisation?
• Will tailor-made be the best fit?

A good consultant (like Edutech KM) will not need a lot of dollars or a lot of time to do this, provided they use effectively designed tools to elicit the information. Do not skimp on the consultation in order to save money, because it is this review that will form the basis of your training plan.

The training plan

If you choose to design your own training, then we would recommend you use print resources initially. Well-designed print-based training modules can either be used as a distance learning package, or can be tutor-led. They offer you the chance to thoroughly pilot your training.

Again, you can bring in the services of educational designers, like Edutech KM, to design the template or outer jacket of each unit. This will help you maintain consistency in all your training materials, absolutely necessary if your training is to fit into any standards-based system.

Include a pilot project unit right at the beginning before you have spent a lot of time developing training resources. Revising one module is a lot less costly than having to revise many, even if a pilot does push out the end of the project.

The pilot

A pilot training module should include:

• A generic introduction to training with your organisation and how the training will benefit the trainee
• Tutor training resources (even if you are piloting it as a distance learning package, this resource forms the basis of what learners need to know.)
• A trainee workbook containing the notes trainees need to know, and activities that help them understand and remember the information
• An assessment package for theoretical and practical assessment, including an assessor guide

Other options might be included, but these documents are essential for a good training program.

Testing the module

Test the module by asking new and experienced employees to trial it. Make sure you have a set of feedback questions that encourage your review team to give you full answers. Avoid putting words in their mouths by asking leading questions such as:"Which word best describes your experience - 'great', 'fun', or 'enthralling'?"

Make sure the review team understands you value, and will act on, their answers. Ask questions that prompt thoughtful replies.

Example questions

A useful question would be: "If a new employee studied this module, how much would the module give them of what they need to know to do their job safely? Check if it would be:

• Everything they need to know
• Most of what they need, but they might have to ask a supervisor occasionally
• Enough to do it safely if they consulted their supervisor when unsure
• Not enough (if so, please tell us why and what has been missed out)"

Other questions to ask:

• Is there is anything that has been left out? Please explain ...
• Is there any part that is too complicated and not well explained? Please explain ...
• Is there any part that felt as if it did not belong or was too simple? Please explain ...

Finally - ask them to describe their feelings about the learning experience.

Be prepared to change your mind

Be prepared to review your decision to create your own training, if need be. If you have only created one module, you have the opportunity at this point of baling out without wasting a lot of money.

Click here to learn about clients who has successfully used print-based resources.

Edutech KM Ltd

PO Box 25-241, Victoria Street, Christchurch;
phone: 64-3-337-0234
fax: 64-3-337-0235
info@edutechkm.com
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