Training effectiveness - not just an issue in sport

Training plans, from simple to very demanding, accompany us when we want to achieve our sporting ambitions. Essentially, it's about providing the right training stimulus at the right time and repeating this after a suitable recovery phase.

Training plans are tailored to the individual exerciser and take into account a large number of factors, from their own fitness level to the demands of their personal environment.

How do you proceed when you attend a training course? Exactly the same - then you're doing everything right and will find additional food for thought for your training planning below.

Why should training courses have an impact?

The Federal Statistical Office shows that around 50% of the working population went to school for professional reasons in 2021. More than 90% were supported by their employer. This resulted in a total of 152 million hours of continuing education. This shows that continuing education is widespread and strongly supported by employers (source: employer-supported continuing education | Federal Statistical Office).

The investment should pay off for every participant and the employer. However, this is not reflected either in the surveys after the training courses or in the participant lists. Whether the training has paid off only becomes apparent through the results achieved. It is therefore important to ensure that the desired results are achieved and that the impact of the training is demonstrated in this way.

<pWhat factors influence the effectiveness of training?

Just as training plans in sport take various factors into account, there are decisive factors for increasing the effectiveness of training. The focus below is on the factors outside of the actual training event, as these are the main key to success. To this end, the factors are aimed at personal motivation and the application of what has been learned.

Embedding into the working environment - applying what has been learned

The learning content of further training should be applied as directly as possible in the working environment. If tasks are completed faster, easier or better thanks to the training, motivation increases. The same applies if topics are better or more easily understood in the work context

<pSetting goals - linking them to a current challenge

What challenges should be tackled with the help of further training? How exactly does further training help to overcome these challenges? Ambitious goals that link the challenges in the working environment directly to the further training will increase the success of the training

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Asking questions - what questions should the training answer

The defined objectives help to identify key questions. What questions should the training answer? Why? How do the answers help in the work context? Can further questions be derived from them? By developing these questions, participants engage intensively with the content of the training and how it relates to their day-to-day work. This increases the ability to absorb the training, the success of implementation and ultimately the effectiveness of the training.

<pParticipate - Fill your rucksack

The training event imparts knowledge and promotes skills. The aim is to understand and internalize the content and relate it to the work context. The prepared questions help to clarify the content that is essential for implementing and achieving personal goals. Not everything fits into the rucksack, but the answers to the questions formulated in advance certainly do. By the way: the trainers help to fill the rucksack and are happy to respond to participants' wishes.

<pFollow-up - unpacking the rucksack

Once back in the work context, the rucksack is unpacked. The next step is to plan how to apply what you have learned and ensure long-term success. What exactly are the next steps for overcoming the identified challenges? How will the answered questions help? Who will support you in achieving the desired results?

Support implementation - achieve results

Having a sparring partner at your side helps you to achieve the desired results. This involves professional support in the application of what has been learned or process-related support in order to advance the topics within the organization. Regardless of whether a second opinion, specialist knowledge or support in the strategic approach is required, the sparring partner is there to help.

<pHow is this implemented in practice?

Leadership is required because there are two main reasons why professional development is used in the work context. Firstly - and this is the best case - employees want to undergo further training because they see the direct application in their practice. Secondly, line managers see the application, help and accompany employees in the implementation. They help to define goals that are linked to current challenges and to develop suitable questions. After the training, they encourage employees and demand the desired results.

And if this is not so obvious? For all our training programs, we offer the entire package, from assessing training needs to supporting implementation in the work context.

<pUsing the example of the BRMP® Business Relationship Management Professional, we are happy to show you what the support could look like and have put together a factsheet: Kick-start, consulting and support: Business Relationship Management (BRM).