Investing in People: How Staff Training can Leverage the Full Potential

of Technology

NPower

The Value of Technology Training

• Tapping into potential of current technology

• Planning for success with future technology

• You have to spend money to save money

Session Objectives

At the end of the session, you will:

1) Know how to assess staff’s training needs and technology strengths using proven strategies and tools

2) Understand how to choose technology-training programs that fit employees’ training needs as well as organizational priorities.

3) Implement strategies that hold staff accountable for their training experiences and create an organizational culture that values staff development.

Cultivate a Culture of

Training

Assess Training Needs

Define Training Priorities

Find the FitShop

Train

Monitor & Evaluate Training

Agenda – Full Circle Training Model 

1

4

5

3

2

6

Step 1: Assess Training Needs

• Organizational culture• Organizational needs• Staff perceptions• Staff skills

Assessing Organizational Culture/Needs

• Tech Training Assessment at www.techatlas.org

• Create custom surveys using online survey tools www.surveymonkey.com www.zoomerang.com

• Facilitated discussions with staff

Assessing Staff Skills

• TechSurveyor Staff Skills survey- www.techatlas.org

• ACE Training skill assessments- www.acetraining.co.nz

• Use MS MOUS certifications as guidelines

Assessing Staff Perceptions

• Surveymonkey.com

• Zoomerang.com

Step 2: Define Training Priorities

What did you learn from your assessments?

Step 3: Find the Fit

Match training needs with appropriate solutions options

Training Methods to Consider

• Training classes- distance learning programs- live classroom workshops

• Customized training- one-on-one coaching- classes developed for your staff’s needs

• Do-it-yourself training- CD ROM, videos, books, websites,

listservs

Factors to consider the appropriate training solution

• Learning style of employee• Level of expertise• Time and flexibility• Budget• Access to classes• Internet access

Information from “What Type of Training is Best for You” Anna Mills,TechSoup

What’s the fit?

Newsletter requires ramping-upThe organization has just decided to do a significant

overhaul of its current newsletter, which up till now has been produced quarterly using MS Word. Jared, the Communications Coordinator who publishes the newsletter, must learn Adobe PageMaker so he can design a more professional and sophisticated newsletter. He has never used PageMaker before, or any Adobe product for that matter. He has 6 weeks before the first of the “new & improved” newsletters needs to go out the door, and definitely needs to allow some time for hands-on practice. What training solution would you suggest for Jared?

What’s the fit?

Training through a transitionAfter 4 years, the Development Director is leaving the

organization, and taking with him his expertise of the FileMaker Pro database that holds much of your mission critical data. The database, designed 3 years ago by a volunteer, has lots of customized features, queries, and reports that help your organization get the most out of the tool. The incoming director, Danica, has rich experience using databases, but is brand-new to FileMaker Pro, and certainly not familiar with the unique twists and turns of your homemade database. She is a seasoned and competent Development Director who wants to have a smooth transition; she is motivated to learn your system quickly and fully. What training solution would you suggest for Danica?

What’s the fit?

Senior program manager needs to be self-reliant during travel

Charlie is a senior program manager on the road more and more lately. He relies on PowerPoint presentations to share the mission of his organization with possible funders and program collaborators. Up until this point he has relied heavily on one staff member to make edits or add graphics when needed. Charlie is experienced in Microsoft Word and Outlook software only. He has the incentive to learn so he can make quick adjustments to his presentations on the road but is resistant to devoting large chunks of time to training. What training solution would you suggest for Charlie?

Step 4: SHOPSelecting Quality Training

• Training methods • Identifying appropriate training solution• How to assess training program for quality• Where to look for training programs

Where to find training

Where is training available locally?

Let’s review some training resources together that are in your handouts.

Evaluating Training Providers

• What will the learner take home? Are there any handouts?

• What is the trainer's background and experience? • What kind of curriculum do you use? • What is the student to trainer ratio? (12:1 is ideal,

less is preferable when the class is hands-on) • Is there any kind of placement process for

classes offered at a certain skill level?

Step 5: Train

Make time for staff to attend training

Step 6: Monitor & Evaluate Training

ALWAYS: Cultivate a culture that supports training and learning

• Make training an organizational value

• Low cost strategies that can increase

impact of tech training

Develop Training Plans

• Plan based on overall program and service goals and employee skill assessment results

• Each employee should have an individual training plan co-created by employee and direct boss

• Training plans hold employee’s and managers accountable for development goals

Coach and Prepare Employees

Spend 5-10 minutes talking with the employee about the upcoming training:

What specific skills are you hoping to learn to help you back at work?

Do you have any reservations or questions about the training?

 Here are a few skills I would like for you to focus on…I believe they will help you with (list specific tasks)

Clarify the location and time of the training. Be clear about any expectations you have for the employee related to the training.

Follow Up

Each time an employee returns from a training experience, debrief for 5 to 15 minutes

How do you feel about the training? What skills did you learn that apply most directly to

your job? What do you still need/want to learn? Is there anything I should know about the quality of

the training? What skill/information are you most excited to share

with our team?

Peer Teach backs after Every Major Training Experience

• Teach backs reinforce what trainee has learned

• Assess employee’s comfort level with teaching to determine group or one-on-one teach back

• Great way to bolster collective memory and problem-solving abilities in the workplace

Make Training Resources Available and Visible

• Organize a collection of software manuals & reference books in a visible, easily accessible location

• Promotes and supports self-paced learning

• Work with staff to identify desired materials

• Order additional reference materials as your budget allows

• Set up a simple checkout process

Build Training into Grant Proposals

• Whenever possible write tech training into proposals

• With each grant you write, ask: Do we need technology to provide this proposed service or program?

• If “yes”: What training do we need in order to use the technology effectively?

• Now. . . Ask for the funding to support it!

Designate a Training Budget

• Make training a priority by including it in your operating budget

• Staff should know the training budget and how to request training opportunities

• Starting with a small training budget is better than no budget!

• Utilize training solutions that do not require direct monetary resources like peer training and self-directed tutorials

Institute Training Standards when Adopting New Technology

• Create systems and checklists to follow when training internally

Here are two examples:• After loading new software on an employee

machine, employee should be given proper training to utilize software effectively

• While signing over a new cell phone to an employee a checklist of cell phone skills should be reviewed and addressed

Broadcast Every Success to Everyone

• Highlight employee training and development at every staff meeting

• Include training and skill building accomplishments of staff in org. newsletters and reports to the board

• Find opportunities to correlate employee performance and agency success with staff’s technical and critical skills