17 Nov Booking yet another seminar?
More often than not, people managers automatically reach for the company’s training catalogue once an employee’s field of development is identified. We appreciate the gesture, but is that really all there’s to it?
You may be familiar with that snippet of wisdom:
Tell me and I forget,
teach me and I may remember,
involve me and I learn.
As valuable as know-how transfer through from seminars, books, online courses and other formats may be, we recommend that every manager also considers other methods of personnel development. Here are a few suggestions:
Experience exchange:
Offers experienced employees from different departments a framework to exchange ideas on a specific topic. Companies from different industries, but in similar market conditions, benefit from benchmark meetings. Sales-people of one company exchange information with purchasers of another – of course only as long as they are not in a business relationship.
Job rotation:
Especially for young or new employees, it is often advisable for them to engage in a phase of rotation from one function in the company to another. In the process, different aspects of the organisation are learned and understood. Particularly indicated as an element of trainee programs.
Project work:
Participation in a project serves to gather specific experience, acquire knowledge and further develop certain skills and abilities.
Development assignment:
Usually a short-term assignment to another branch or unit to gain experience and knowledge in a specific function or field.
Job Enrichment:
Includes the deputization of a colleague and the assumption of additional tasks as well as increased autonomy to make decisions.
Shadowing:
Physical accompaniment of a person to learn specific activities or to acquire specific skills and competencies.
Off-the-job training:
Testing and training behaviour in relevant simulations, e.g. by means of role plays, strategic planning simulations and the like. With or without video recording, with the manager, a colleague or an external trainer.
On-the-job training:
Together with an external trainer, colleague or manager: preparation, observation and feedback of real-life situations.
Good initiatives for personnel development use those methods and combinations thereof that best correspond to the situation, the objectives and the given boundary conditions of the organisation.
If you would like to discuss these or further suggestions: talk to us, we look forward to hearing from you!