PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
...discussion and conversing with a mentor will help to clarify ideas and actions...
provisions lean more towards supporting in-house payroll processes.” Priest points out the importance of ensuring there are no distractions, so programmes separate from the normal work and there’s no difficulty in juggling both: “no pressures of thinking I need to be getting on with normal work”. Also, it’s essential to draw up a realistic programme timetable that allocates enough time to each subject and learning – and confirmation of learning – can take place. A key question to ask is who will be delivering the training and how many trainers might be required. In addition to being able to engage and inspire their audience, trainers need technical expertise to ensure practical advancement. Consider the balance of trainers to trainees in case additional support is required by anyone. Also ensure content is up to date and accurate, and review this regularly if required, particularly in line with the inevitable and regular changes in payroll legislation and industry regulations. Priest observes that something as simple as the timing of the session can have a significant effect. “No one wants a heavy theory session first thing in the morning or straight after lunch” she says. Equally, feedback from each trainee on how they are finding the training is vital to understand whether the delivery is compatible with their learning style. Be prepared with a mixture of delivery styles from the outset. Given today’s focus on flexible and
remote working practices – not to mention the COVID-19 effect – a crucial consideration is making training efficient for staff to complete. Claire Conlaund, managing director of training organisation The Skills Network, believes it’s important for employees to be able to complete their education on their own terms, so make sure training can be undertaken remotely. “This means trying hard not to rely on huge training sessions, which take time for human resources departments to arrange, often involving staff having to be diverted from key tasks,” she says. Conlaund does concede, however, that some key training such as health and safety or coaching sessions will likely need some form of face-to-face training instruction. The truth is, though, that development often takes a back seat as we prioritise day-to-day deliverables that simply cannot be placed to one side. In fact, 53% of employers view traditional face-to-face workplace training as disadvantageous, diverting staff away from their regular tasks. Therefore, it’s extremely important to utilise flexible distance learning or online learning where possible, insists Conlaund. “Rather than struggling to find the time or organise training and then waiting months for the scheduled sessions, we can harness online training programmes,”
she says. “Utilising distance learning allows staff to complete training on their own schedule, either at the office or home, often without having to sacrifice any quality instruction or academic rigour.” Another key consideration when devising workforce training is ensuring staff have access to online resources or templates that they can return to, post training. Then trainees can reinforce learning back into their working practices and refresh themselves when needed, says Conlaund. Mentoring can be a very useful feature of a training programme, observes Smith. However, she also points out that it is often difficult to establish a successful mentoring scheme. “There are many factors to consider and organise for it to be truly accepted and work well, but if a trainee can have someone to discuss issues with and learn from their experience and knowledge on the topic, this will help to consolidate the learning.” Smith insists the act of discussion and conversing with a mentor will help to clarify ideas and actions, while also providing useful insights into how to implement ideas successfully and learn form others’ mistakes and successes. “I believe mentors do not have to be from within the same organisation but do need to have similar experiences to get the best from the relationship,” she adds. Gibson, meanwhile, says mentoring is “extremely important”, and “an essential way to understand how the learners are progressing”. The mentor role completes a “triangulation of communication” between the learner, tutor and employer representative (mentor). “The learner will be exposed to generic and core information, so to a certain extent the employer should take some responsibility for the learning progression,” explains Gibson. “If the employer just pays and walks away, you might as well tip your investment down the drain. The employer must take an interest in the learner’s progress because there is such a gap between the core learning – which is essential for compliance – and how the learner will apply the learning in the workplace.”
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | July/August 2020 | Issue 62 18
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