Aligning Training Initiatives with Individual, Team, & Organizational Performance

I recently read an article that explained how many organizations lack a clear learning and development strategy. This is surprising considering that organizations collectively spent over $70 billion dollars on training in 2016.  With this level of investment, a lack of a well-thought-out L&D strategy is a major lost opportunity. L&D is a critical part of enhancing performance and achieving organizational goals. It is time to stop thinking of L&D as simply a support function and consider how L&D can be a strategic resource in achieving optimal performance.

The benefits of training are clear—better performance, increased employee satisfaction, and lower turnover to name a few. However, training is often neglected as a resource to help achieve the company’s goals and objectives. Aligning training initiatives with individual, team, and organizational performance will not only yield the desired results, it will also help gain a competitive advantage. Let’s see how.

Individual Performance

As the old saying goes, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” It only takes one bad experience for a customer to form a poor impression of your company and no longer remain a customer. Therefore, focusing on the individual’s performance is key.

At SGEi, our trainings focus on explaining why something is important and what the individual is expected to do. We focus on creating habits to improve individual performance and increase consistency. It is necessary to provide individuals with the proper training programs, including a combination of classroom, e-learning, and daily training tools. Remember that training should not be a single event, but rather a continuous learning program that evolves over time to remain relevant and effective. Through continuous training, employees gain the knowledge and confidence to execute their job duties properly.

Team Performance

In a team setting, the manager becomes a coach for their employees. But first, the manager must create a game plan through laying out the proper training, tools, and resources to do the job. Training enables employees to do their job, and provides managers with a way to coach performance. Training also aids in achieving team goals. For example, a team goal may be to achieve a 90% satisfaction rating from customer surveys. By implementing a customized customer service training program with a focus on key areas, the team is provided a resource in achieving their goal.

Organizational Performance

Strategy starts at the top, but it is executed by the day-to-day decisions and actions of the employees. For strategy to be implemented successfully, it must be aligned throughout the organization. Training is an effective way to bring strategy to life in the functional departments. Let’s say a corporate level strategy is to grow through mergers and acquisitions. However, mergers and acquisitions can be a source of frustration for employees due to increased uncertainty. Therefore, a training program focused on change management can be an effective initiative to help facilitate change and improve performance.

It is important to assess whether your organization has the resources in place to deliver continuous training programs to enhance performance at all levels. At SGEi, we help companies align their training with organizational goals. Our customized programs are motivating, memorable, and effective. The results of these programs include better customer service, increased engagement, and improved performance. Want to learn more? Reach out to us at Connect@SGEinternational.com.