Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/5394
www.iltanet.org Firm University 25 at any bUDget, sUCCess = Learner retentIon Anyone can present the steps required for using a new software or process, but that time is wasted if the learner forgets the information or, perhaps more important, how to find the information, shortly after training ends. No matter the training budget, learner retention still begins with learner engagement and buy-in. Inexpensive ways to engage your learners can include adding a dash of humor and a relaxed approach, or creating contests where the prizes are rewards like a "jeans day" or recognition in the firm newsletter. Other low-cost tactics that can increase participation include holding training sessions during lunch (where lunch is provided by the firm), creating certification tests and rewarding those who achieve it, and working with management to tie training to evaluations. Most critical to training success, perhaps, is using the correct context. Make sure to use the employees' documents and problems, and tailor training sessions to "just-in-time" solutions: what they need to know to do their jobs, when they need to know it. While this sounds like it might require a lot of training time or a large staff, Jeri Sires has found otherwise. As a one-person training department, she is able to do this by creating how-to instructions or e-learning sessions for questions as they come up, which she then posts on the firm's intranet. Instead of covering a huge range of topics in each training session, stick to one skill or task at a time, and keep things basic, straightforward and easily accessible. When training attorneys, Carol Gerber uses learning styles familiar to them, leveraging the skills developed in law school to promote engagement and retention. For example, training that utilizes the Socratic method, issue spotting or harnesses risk-averse tendencies will show attorneys that the training is tailored to them, which increases buy-in. From DepenDenCe to seLF-reLIanCe Another measure for training success is the capability of learners to find solutions on their own, rather than always relying on others to bring them the answer. While always a good idea, this is crucial in times where budgets and staffing levels are lean. The old proverb about giving a man a fish versus teaching him to fish certainly applies here. As Jeri says, it's better to be able to find the answer than it is to already know the answer, as it's really not reasonable to expect someone to have total mastery over every program. While the word "cheating" may have a negative connotation, in this case, it's encouraged. Telling learners that it's okay to use all the assistance and resources they need, so long as they do it without simply asking someone else for the answer, will ultimately give them the confidence, independence and skills to take the training wheels off and accomplish their jobs and tasks more capably and efficiently. resoUrCes anD tooLs on the Cheap Of course, trainers need tools to teach the employees to go fishing, just as the employees will need resources to find and catch the fish after the trainer is gone.