I am penning down my words in particular to those employers who are recruiting new employees (Generation Z, and Millennials ) and keen on investing in training and developing their employees besides further developing their businesses to keep abreast with the standards of the industries and ever changing global trends. Training is a noble Profession.
Successful employee training and development yields a variety of benefits including, a more competitive work force, better employee performance, and increased staff engagement, and retention to name a few.
Training costs were previously considered as exorbitant costs and liabilities to the companies.
Even most of the small and medium scale companies still feel training is not that important to their businesses. Further they are not keen to recruit employees or expand their businesses.
However it is interesting to note that some of the reputed companies are still focusing on providing necessary training to their employees through their managers or Trainers in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and recession.
The philosophy behind this decision has been aimed at improving the quality of the services including that of superior customer services provided by them besides making their employees to achieve qualitative and quantitative skills required to achieve company goals and objectives.
In my humble opinion providing training only to be competent in the employee’s jobs is only a tip of the iceberg. This includes training them on the hard skills and the Power skills. We need to dwell upon finding solutions to the other hidden key factors as well, which would provide a comprehensive solution to improve productivity and profitability besides the development of the employees to reach their fullest potential. Everything depends on the hands of the trainers or managers.
Hence, the organisations should also continuously keep on training the trainers in order to find new dimensions to motivate, inspire, train and develop the trainees continuously to reach the highest standards and higher echelons in their careers within the organisation.
Trainer could make the difference
The trainer could make all the difference to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and motivate and inspire the trainees to perform better which would lead to better profits and returns to the organisations thereby providing relief to everyone from top to bottom of the organisation. Hence, it is a herculean task of a manager or trainer to bring them back the adverse effects of the pandemic ridden business crisis to normalcy in order to keep them going. It is something like swimming against the tides but the competent trainers should have the abilities and capabilities to sail against the winds to reach ashore.
The managers and trainers should play pivotal roles in inspiring their employees to realising the company’s vision and mission in spite of the adverse factors seen in the micro and macro environments. So that they will fully focus on their duties and produce anticipated outcomes of the company’s strategic plans. Unfortunately, at present in most cases the role of a trainer is limited to imparting work related Knowledge only.
They should inculcate the “values” as well in a holistic way. They train according to the syllabus & time table and assume that they have done their job. They train a large group of trainees at once. Ideally speaking it has to be one to one (individualised) training. Alternatively the trainer’s “span of control” has to be between 7 to 10 trainees as “personalised groups” at a given time in order to be more effective in delivering better results to the organisations. They should change with the change as this is vital to be the No.1 in the business industry. The ultimate objective of the Training Profession has to “Produce multi-talented trainees to supersede them”.
Let us now look at the crucial factors that are responsible for creating stress among employees thereby becoming demotivated and non-productive to the organisations; They are the following lives and goals ; personal life, work life, family life, financial life, social life , religious life, and spiritual life. Hence, the managers or trainers should not only focus on providing necessary training and skills but also equip the trainees to identify their struggles and weaknesses and assist them to transform their stresses, struggles and weaknesses to major strengths besides further helping them to further improve on their strengths.
Personal life comprises of Personality, Leadership, ability to think and act independently, good attitude, Self-Discipline, self-motivated, excellent Behavior, Punctuality, regular attendance, Compassion, Honesty, empathy, caring, Hardworking, Self-Motivation, Time management and Communication Skills.
In my opinion as a trainer you should expect the following aspects from your trainees; Excellent Character, Intelligence, Positive thinking and Positive Mental Attitude, Flexibility, Adaptability, Emotional stability, passion, purpose, direction and sound Character. These are very crucial aspects to look forward to in your trainees in order to navigate your company business and service to a viable business in this crisis ridden pandemic.
We hear from the younger generation that they do not have adequate time to do things. Trainers and managers should guide them to find time. Generally, time is divided into 3 components. -Time Investment (eg: Studying & working productively), -Time Spent (ex: Travelling), -Time Wastage (ex: gossiping & idling). Trainers should illustrate on the time invested wisely, Make use of the time spent & avoid time Wastage. This will make the employees find time to fully engage in work.
Furthermore, they should be taught on “Prioritation skills”. They should be trained to carry out their tasks in the following manner; first, they should focus on, “urgent and important” tasks. Second focus on “urgent and not important “tasks, third, focus on “non urgent, important “tasks, finally, on “non urgent, not important “ tasks. Imparting Knowledge and technical skills are only a part of the service rendered by trainers. Other detrimental areas of interests should be developing Skills, Inculcating Values & Attitude & Make these as Habit formation.
Moulding Character
The trainers are responsible for molding the Characters in their trainees. It is very important that the aim of any trainer has to transform the trainees to have a “virtuos Character”. In my humble opinion, when you are successful in making the above-mentioned character a reality, believe me that 50 percent of your training goals and objectives could be achieved successfully. They should also inspect the other values mentioned under Personal life such as Discipline. These are the need of the hour for us to become a harmonizing nation beside organisations.
Second area under discussion is Work life. Trainers should make the trainees to possess the following values while training & provide direction to them. They are -Dedication, Determination, Discipline, diligence & meeting deadlines. They should reiterate the values of hard work and preach to them that there is no substitute for hard work. These values if properly inculcated will definitely make the trainees live a stress free life at work and home.
The third area I would like to emphasise on is Family life. It is a cardinal rule for the employers to recruit employees with very good family and educational backgrounds.
The fourth are in my focus is financial life. They should be taught the value of working harder and smarter to earn handsome or lucrative salaries, perks and other benefits. Equally it is very important to teach them the values and importance of managing finances besides saving. In particular saving for the rainy days.
The fifth area in my focus is Social Life. The trainers should help to find good friends at work. They should also teach the values of True friendship. They should be also advised on avoiding cigarette smoking and alcohol. The trainers should foster Teamwork among the trainees. They should encourage the trainees to join & serve the voluntary Service organisations. By learning the Values from those Associations the trainees will be service oriented /Minded even when they engage in office work. We need them to serve our Motherland in the future.
The sixth and seventh areas of my interests are Religious / Spiritual life. The relationship with our Almighty God through prayers should be taught to traineess. To do this you need not to be a Religious Teacher. The power of prayers should be preached to the trainees effectively. This is the best way to move forward in one’s life. When praying trainees should not only focus on material gain as this is the number one stress builder. Rather, they should pray for Knowledge, Wisdom, Peace, Harmony, serenity and Tranquility. Further, the trainers should teach their trainees that “Prayers can move the mountains”.
Hence, the trainers should teach the trainees on the “Work - Life balance” in order to be dynamic, vibrant and resilient employees who could lead the fulfillment of their lives. You could also think in line with the latest “agile learning design” to benefit the trainees and organisations. Also training them on, “agile marketing” as well may be appropriate to the companies that are in search of new vistas in businesses. In conclusion as the responsible trainers and managers you should train them on change management, crisis management and conflict management.
Previously these were the requirements for the top management. Now businesses and business environment that we operate in have evolved. Hence, it is now even taught to the youngsters including the Generation z (Gen Z) and Millennials as well.
Professional Communication skills
Ultimately and eventually they should be trained in Professional Communication skills in order to be proactive and proficient in doing company businesses as well as to equip themselves to face the challenges and opportunities related to change, crisis and conflict management. Having read the above contents of my article, I am sure that you would have gathered a fair idea on the steps to stress reduction among employees besides assisting them to realise and witness the new vistas in their businesses. The above suggestions and recommendations will not only lead to stress free life but as well to to live an integrated & Prosperous life besides producing profits to your organisations.
By fulfilling the duties outlined in the article, I am confident that you could “produce multi-talented trainees superseding you “and make them as future Leaders. Hence, I call upon the employers to invest in training to transform your companies and the businesses through transforming your new recruits and other employees in order to bounce back from the corona pandemic and recession.
In turn, the trainers should play a pivotal role in the lives of their trainees in order to make an impact and significant improvements in business besides personal development and growth. Do not use the old teaching adage of, “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them”. This will be boring to your trainees.
Therefore keep your trainees active and fully engaged in the training sessions. As a prerequisite in training, “understand the outcomes you are seeking and how you will evaluate whether they have been achieved before you design the training programmer”. Furthermore, train your trainees consistently, continuously, comprehensively and frequently. Make them to accumulate their Knowledge and transferable skills from your teachings and experiences.
Motivation is something like happiness, which is an external affair that comes from external sources and is transient. Inspiration is similar to joy which is an internal affair that lasts a longer period of time.
Hence, it is not enough to only motivate your trainees, rather you should endeavor to motivate and inspire the trainees to perform well throughout their career spans. The employers should think twice before embarking on organising massive motivational programmes to their employees as it is not feasible and practical to motivate “all employees with one or a few major motivational programmes”.
The employers should expect “effective and efficient” training plans and programmes” from their trainers and managers. The trainer should also function as an advisor, a coach, guide, counsellor and mentor. As trainers you should assist your employers to realise the Return on Investments (ROI) and Return on Training Investments (RoTI) as these have to be your supreme goal and objective. In business and training, Speed and change are the names of the game. The future of your companies and the trainees are in your hands! Transforming your trainees’ lives at workplaces should be your ultimate goal and pleasure. Act fast, act now!
The writer is an Ethical Professional Pharma Marketer and Specialist in Professional Communication Skills and Group Communication Skills. Also, he is a Visiting Training, Change Management and Inspirational Business Consultant. He can be contacted on [email protected]
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