Successful training management for companies
How to manage your training and development systematically.
Quick links
- What is training management?
- Why is training management important?
- Goals of training management
- Who is responsible for training management?
- Implementing training management in 8 simple steps
- Internal vs. external education
- Methods and formats in training management
- Challenges in training management
- The bottom line
Good employees are hard to find. Rapid technological progress and various crises in the current era demand ever new skills and competencies. To remain competitive as a company, it is necessary to constantly develop and train your employees. With good training management, you can ensure that your employees meet the requirements of the labour market and work in a motivated and effective manner. Read this article to learn about the goals, benefits and challenges of training management. Learn about new methods and formats and benefit from our step-by-step guide to implementing successful training management.
Definition of training management
Training management is the systematic management of training measures in companies or organizations. This includes planning, organizing, implementing and controlling the measures. Training management thus encompasses all processes and measures that contribute to the further development of your employees.
Why is training management important?
It is certainly no longer a secret that well-trained employees contribute significantly to the future viability of a company. There is enormous potential for productivity, innovation and competitiveness in personnel development. Further training management is therefore indispensable for every company that does not want to be left behind economically. The following reasons speak for this:
Targets of training management
The goal of training management is to determine the qualification needs of your employees and to plan and implement targeted continuing education measures. This should improve the competences and skills of your employees and increase the competitiveness of your company.
The primary task of training management is to support your business objectives as effectively as possible. Depending on your strategy and your industry, the specific objectives in training management will also change. Possible objectives are:
- Promote personnel development
- Increase competitiveness
- Increase staff retention
- Acquire and retain skilled workers
- Increase productivity and efficiency
- Establish change processes
Who is responsible for training management?
A common mistake when planning training and development in companies is to only entrust the HR department with this task. Although the core tasks lie with the HR or personnel development department, training management is nevertheless a cross-company challenge. Only those who share the burden on several shoulders and trust in the expertise of the different positions will be successful. Bring other colleagues into the team for your training management:
Management
With the corporate goals, the management also sets the framework conditions for human resource development and continuing education management. The release of financial and human resources is also the responsibility of the management. Make sure you are working together towards a common goal.
Works council
Get the works council on board right from the start. Discuss all plans for training management transparently and be open to criticism. Often the fronts between human resources development and the works council harden. Be partners, not rivals. After all, you should all act in the best interest of your employees.
Managers
You receive important feedback from managers and supervisors on the development of your employees. Together you uncover deficits in training, identify needs and check the success of the measures.
Employees
Of course, employees are also part of successful training management. They are the ones who carry the measures. Involve your employees in your planning. Ask them for concrete development wishes and hold regular feedback discussions.
The HR department
This is where the strings are pulled. The main responsibility for training management lies with the HR department. Ensure regular reporting to all project stakeholders and seek input from other departments when necessary.
External experts
Further training management can be a time-consuming task. Especially in small or inexperienced teams, it means a heavy workload. Bring experienced experts into the team for your training projects who can help make your personnel development successful through both knowledge and man-power.
Implementing further training management in 8 easy steps
Continue to manage your training. Keep an eye on the needs of your employees and react to changes at an early stage.
1. Determine demand
Determine the training needs of your employees. To do this, hold discussions with the respective managers or with the employees themselves. Conduct surveys or performance tests to see where deficits exist and what strengths you can promote.
2. Define goals
Define clear and measurable goals for your training measures. They should be based on the company's objectives and the identified needs.
3. Plan actions
Plan the measures based on the needs and your set goals. Define learning content as well as methods and formats. If possible, take individual needs into account. A combination of e-learning, digital meetings and face-to-face training brings variety to the trainings.
4. Plan budget
This step should happen at the same time as the action planning. Plan your budget optimally. Include costs for rooms, trainers, materials and travel expenses. With e-learning and other digital measures, you can get more out of your budget
5. Communicate
Inform the employees about the further training management and the measures offered. Ensure that employees have access to information and contacts at all times.
6. Convert
Take the planned actions and create opportunities for practical application of new knowledge and skills. Some measures, such as mentoring programmes, can take place over a very long period of time. Do not be afraid to stop measures before the planned end if it is foreseeable that the results will not meet expectations.
7. Evaluate
Evaluate the training measures carried out and check whether the objectives have been achieved. To do this, use feedback from employees, performance reviews and key figures.
8. Optimise
Make adjustments and improvements to your training management based on the evaluation to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
Internal vs. external training
There are two approaches to training management: external trainings, which take place outside the company and are provided by external trainers and educational institutions, and internal trainings, which take place within the company.
Internal trainings
Advantages
- Cost savings
- direct practical relevance to the company
- strengthens the team through internal exchange between participants
- You have control over the specific content and formats
Disadvantages
- There are not experts in the company for every training content
- internal trainers might be less objective than external trainers
External trainings
Benefits
- Wide range of training courses
- Experts from every field
- Participants can network beyond company boundaries
Disadvantages
- Cost intensive
- Time-intensive, as travel time is often involved
- Low practical relevance
- You have little control over content and formats
Depending on training needs, budget and objectives, it may make sense to combine external and internal training. Bring external trainers into the company or allow your employees to participate in external workshops. Changing the learning environment can be quite beneficial for the outcome.
Methods and Formats in Training Management
Training management thrives on variety. While analogue formats such as classroom training have long been tried and tested, new digital methods open up new possibilities and are time-saving and cost-effective. See the training options as a buffet - take what "tastes best" to you and your staff.
Present training
In classroom training, you bring all employees and the trainer together in one seminar room. They are particularly suitable for complex topics that require intensive study. However, classroom training is often expensive and difficult to organise, as a common date has to be found.
E-Learning
Make your learning content available online. Your employees learn independent of time and place. Thanks to adaptive learning content, you can create needs-based learning worlds and thus improve the success of continuing education.
Mentoring
With mentoring, experienced colleagues and managers accompany your employees in their professional environment. For example, they guide new tasks, pass on tips and experience and promote careers. Mentoring can take place partly or entirely digitally. This makes it easier to coordinate regular exchanges between mentor and mentee.
Workshops
Workshops are interactive and practice-oriented. They usually take place in smaller groups that work together to find solutions to a problem. Workshops are particularly suitable for practice-relevant topics and for developing new ideas.
Digital skills training
There are topics that are best trained with a sparring partner. Sales talks, conflict management or support situations. With digital skills training, your employees practise with the help of a virtual conversation trainer and receive direct feedback - without unpleasant role-playing.
Blended Learning
With blended learning, you combine typical classroom training with e-learning units. Let your employees acquire theoretical knowledge digitally and then deepen the content in presence. For example, in workshops or directly at work.
The bottom line.
Training management is an essential part of successful human resource development in your organization. It helps your employees to acquire new skills and competences that they can use for your company. Good training management requires comprehensive planning and organization. Sensitivity is required when selecting learning forms and methods. Get all the key decision-makers on board right from the start, and don't be afraid to call in external service providers for support.