Let’s continue looking at training needs.

Training Need #2 – New Skills and Knowledge

How many times have your employees needed training on new equipment or a new process?

How did you decide specifically what training was needed?

In most cases, the manufacturer of the equipment or materials used in the process can provide specific training that you can use as is or adapt for your employees.

Take, as an example, membrane material used on a flat roof. Each manufacturer has training and information that tells how to prep the surface, how to overlap the seams, the tool to use and settings for sealing the seams, etc.

In some cases, you may have proprietary equipment or processes that give you an advantage over your competitors. In this circumstance, your own knowledge or that of an engineer who designed the process or equipment will be the source for identifying your training needs.

If these sources (manufacturers, engineers, etc.) don’t provide you with enough information, your current employees might be sources for the key information needed for training new employees.

And, finally, you can always employ professional training consultants to research your needs and design your training.

Training Need #3 – Correct Performance Deficiencies

How often have you heard someone suggest “retraining” an employee because of poor performance?

This might sound like the right thing to do. But, how do you know that you are really dealing with a training issue.

Let’s get to the root of the problem. Ask yourself, “Has the employee participated in well-designed and executed training on this topic?”

If the answer is “No”, then conducting training may be the right decision. If the answer is “Yes”, then ask yourself, “Has the training on this topic been conducted recently?”

If the training hasn’t been conducted recently, then refresher training may be in order.

Now, if the employee has been trained recently and has a performance problem, you are not likely dealing with a training problem. Retraining this employee would be as effective as driving nails with a screwdriver. It’s just not the right tool.

Next post will deal with designing training for your employees.

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In this installment, we’ll take a little closer look at why you train employees. In the training business, that is called doing a “needs analysis” because the “why” is to fulfill some specific need.

In the last post, we mentioned some categories of needs that cover most situations you’re likely to face. The first would be a need to be in compliance with a regulation. The next would be a need to provide knowledge or a skill that allows an employee to perform the job. And, the third is a need to correct some performance deficiency.

Other reasons such as to improve quality, improve retention, reduce stress in the workplace, or any number of other reasons may also be needs that you have. In these articles, we’ll stick to addressing the first three.

Training Need #1 – Fulfill Regulatory Requirements

Do you need to train to meet a regulatory requirement? There are so many rules and regulations that cover our lives, personally and in business, that it’s sometimes difficult to figure out what applies.

The various ways to find out what applies to your situations are to read the regulations, consult with the regulating agencies, attend educational programs or hire someone to figure it out for you.

My suggestion? First, read and (try to) understand the applicable regulations such as the OSHA standards. This may also necessitate delving into other sources such as ASME and ANSI standards that are referenced in these regulations.

Second (and I know this may sound scary), consult with the regulatory agency. Every agency has someone or some office whose job it is to help you make sense of the requirements and understand your obligations.

Let’s look at a “for instance.” The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard for the Construction Industry, states, in part, “Employee training shall include … the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area.”

In this example, the regulation is specific that your employee needs training.

Elsewhere in the standard it tells you what physical and health hazards are. So, you may have a good idea of what you need to teach the employee.

But, what does it mean when it says, “in the work area”?

The definitions say, “‘Work area’ means a room or defined space in a workplace where hazardous chemicals are produced or used, and where employees are present.”

Does this give you enough information to let you know what you have to train in all the various situations encountered in your business?

Yes? No? Don’t know?

Well, in order to determine your training needs, contact the regulating agency and find out for certain.

For most roofers, the regulations in play are the OSHA standards and the Fire/Building Codes.

In the next post, we’ll jump into the other needs.

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With all the things that small business owners (SBOs) have on their plates each day it’s a wonder that employees receive any training at all. Yet, it is the well-trained employees that allow you to provide products and services and stay in business.

So, let’s take a look at your training program by having you ask yourself some questions.

Let’s start with, “Why do I train my employees?”

I hope you said that you train to fulfill some specific need. If you did not know why you train employees or are training to provide some undefined benefit, you will want to take a more intimate look at your training program.

However most SBOs know they need to meet specific needs. This could be a need to be in compliance with a regulation. It may be a need to provide knowledge or a skill that allows a new employee to perform the job. It may be to correct some performance deficiency, improve quality, improve retention, reduce stress in the workplace, or any number of other reasons.

“How do I design training?”

With a specific-need in mind, you can plan and design a training activity to fulfill the need. The training will be specific to an objective; it will be designed to actively engage the employee in the training and it will allow you to measure the results of the training against your objective.

“How do I conduct your training?”

I would guess that most of your training is accomplished in small groups or individually, as needed. This is often the most difficult part – getting the right people in the right place at the right time to accomplish meaningful training.

Once together, you need to make sure that everyone is participating in the training and has the opportunity to ask questions and receive meaningful answers.

“How do I know if the training was effective?”

Educators use various ways of to evaluate whether or not training was effective on various levels.

I would suggest that SBOs are mainly concerned with one specific level – has the training need been met and confirmed by an on-the-job observation? In other words, can you observe that the person has “absorbed” the training and placed it into action?

This type evaluation also provides the opportunity for you to reinforce the learning by providing appropriate feedback to the employee. Saying “yes, you are doing that correctly” is an excellent way to let the employees know that they are performing appropriately.

“How do I manage my training?”

You will need to keep accurate records of who attended the training and maintain those records as a way of managing who has received the training and who still needs it.

Keeping records of supervisor observations relative to the training is also important.

In this way, you can identify additional training needs or confirm that the needs have been met.

And, we come to, “How do I do it?”

A proper training program takes a lot of effort to set up and maintain. With all the other things going on it only makes sense to use every tool at your disposal.

In the next series of posts, we’ll start to look at the training cycle and the tools you have to craft expert training for your company.

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