Learning & Development
Leading companies realize it is the quality of their human capital which determines their level of future success. Yet, the number of companies which take a strategic approach to training remains surprisingly small. Often training is considered something ‘nice to have’ if there is enough budget at the end of the year.
Why invest in training?
- The pace of change in business is forever increasing. Employees need to continually develop technological, systems, and personal skills in order to maintain optimal effectiveness in rapidly changing markets.
- The decreasing size of the workforce calls for the maximization of the potential of each individual employee. And, the increased complexity and diversity of the workplace calls for employees to develop effective interpersonal skills in order for the organization to function smoothly.
- Training is one way a company enables its employees to learn. Learning leads to increased knowledge. A knowledgeable workforce creates more efficient processes, enables effective problem solving, and unleashes creativity.
How Does Learning Occur?
When people master a new skill, they will invariably go through 4 stages
Effective training is not a one-day event. In order to be effective, the learning (conscious competence) gained from training needs to be transferred to the workplace and gradually, through practice, turned into knowledge (unconscious competence).
Action Japan’s View of Training
Action Japan takes a holistic view of training. We highly recommend our programs are customized to reinforce learning from other organizational development initiatives.
We also recommend that the effectiveness of the training intervention is monitored periodically, not just at the end of the training. This allows the organization to gauge the level of knowledge transfer from the training room to the workplace. Obstacles hindering the effective use of the knowledge gained can be identified and either removed, or further training can be developed to ensure long-term effectiveness.