This is a summary of a chapter published in the McGraw-Hill 1997 Training and Performance Sourcebook edited by Mel Silberman-- for individual use only, do not distribute. To order a copy of the boook, Call McGraw Hill at 1-800-2MCGRAW or fax 1-614-759-3644
About the author: Diane M. Gayeski, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized researcher, consultant, and speaker in the area of organizational communication and learning systems. Through her work as a Partner in OmniCom Associates, she has led over two hundred client projects, including those described here, involving the examination and adoption of new technologies, models, and organizational structures for training and performance improvement. The author of seven books, she also maintains an academic affiliation as Associate Professor of Corporate Communication at Ithaca College. Contact: 407 Coddington Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 — phone (607) 272-7700; e-mail gayeski@omnicomassociates.com
Why are so many organizations looking to re-invent their training and communication systems?
· A manufacturer of forklift trucks was rapidly expanding its product line, and thus was also expanding the number and size of manuals for its technicians. Technicians in the field were carrying around some 1200 pounds of manuals (they needed to order larger trucks just to carry around the manuals, and often could not fit necessary parts on the trucks because the manuals took up so much room!). If technicians enrolled in each of the courses offered by headquarters that related to the product line, they would spend almost 1/3 of their first two years in the classroom rather than on the job. Despite this embarrassment of information riches, the performance of the technicians was steadily decreasing because the new computerized trucks were displaying unpredictable and complex faults that were covered neither in training nor the documentation. Technicians were not encouraged to use the help line: the only way they were able to call in was to borrow customer’s phones, and even when they called in, the staff was generally unable to come up with an answer. Customers were becoming dissatisfied with truck reliability, and technicians were becoming increasingly frustrated which certainly helped neither the turnover rate nor customer confidence.
The solution to this dilemma was to completely abandon traditional notions that training and documentation could ever completely capture and disseminate all the information that technicians would ever need. The trucks were simply too complex to be able to teach and document everything, and there is no way that technicians could somehow memorize all the procedures and fault codes. In fact, the best information was being developed in the field itself, when complex problems were identified and somehow repaired. Unfortunately, this valuable information was never captured by the manufacturer, since technicians had no incentive to call in and explain how they figured something out. A new, interactive knowledge system was needed to replace the traditional top-down training and manuals.
The company is now building a World Wide Web site that will contain dynamic information that technicians can access in the field, via a laptop computer connected via a cellular phone and modem. The information will not only provide the latest information from the factory, but will capture important knowledge from the field. Technicians and dealerships will receive incentives for sharing knowledge, and will become a community of learners, along with the training, documentation, and engineering staffs. While training classes and manuals won’t go away, they will be pared down to the basic concepts — while details of troubleshooting will increasingly be built into the trucks themselves and shared via the Web site.
· A large international bank found that tellers were actually performing worse after going through the basic teller training course than before it. They were apparently being loaded down with so much information that they literally “froze” when they returned to work and faced customers. This classroom training was not only ineffective, it was expensive and cumbersome: the bank’s 34,000 person workforce spanned over 4,000 miles, from branches in major cities to remote locations with only one or two employees in part-time jobs. On top of rapidly changing policies and bank products, the bank was completely re-structuring its workforce in an initiative that would eventually eliminate tellers’ jobs and upgrade them to customer service representative positions. Their new CEO launched initiatives to foster diversity, teamwork, and a customer orientation.
The training department realized that a re-design of not only teller training, but of their entire training philosophy was in order. They commissioned an analysis of their training methods and materials which resulted in a document defining new philosophies and practices for the training department that aligned them better with the bank’s mission and values, and oriented it to performance improvement rather than teaching. The consulting team not only worked with the training department, but also involved the advertising and employee communication professionals who had done extensive research on developing a new corporate image, on implications of national and ethnic culture on communicating messages, and on customer expectations. These crucial inputs provided important links among the various communication-providers in the company. As a model of the new philosophy, the former training courses were replaced by a series of short magazine-like training modules, each of which contains opportunities to observe and participate in the actual work and to be mentored by the branch manager and experienced colleagues. “Feature stories” for these manuals were based on actual incidents contributed by tellers within the bank and highlighted teamwork and diversity. A number of job aids were developed to minimize dependence on memorization. This new approach has fostered not only better technical performance, but a new and more consistent culture within the bank.
· An insurance company was faced with having to continually update coverage manuals. The manuals had gotten so large that they could not figure a way to number the pages, and could not fit the manuals horizontally on the desks. Training had risen to 10 weeks in length before a customer service rep could ever perform any actual work, and often managers sent new employees back to training because their performance was not up to expectations. The training classes were so long that it was almost impossible to fill vacancies in a prompt fashion, and many individuals left the job even before they had gotten through basic training.
It was obvious that the training and documentation systems needed to be re-designed. If the manuals could be designed to be easier to use and more accurate, training would not need to be so lengthy. A first, rather obvious “fix”, was to convert the print manuals to an online hypertext form which was easier to search and update. However, more fundamental changes in the concept of training and performance were necessary. First, the notion that employees had to be “fully trained” before doing any work was questioned and abandoned. Short coaching modules were developed that allowed trainees to go onto the floors and observe, and then practice, simple skills under the supervision of an experienced representative. Self-instructional modules allowed individuals to learn certain concepts at their own pace, and to review complex material once they were on the job. Even more fundamentally, the selection process for customer service representatives was analyzed and changed; skills that were easily taught, like typing, were given less weight than a candidate’s ability and enjoyment of explaining complex material to customers. Recruiting and interviewing procedures were changed so that applicants got a better picture of the job requirements, and this resulted in better qualified employees who required less training and supervision. Once the manuals are totally converted to an on-line performance-based system, the training is expected to be reduced by almost half, resulting in significant savings as well as an improvement in trainee morale.
· Restaurant managers in a U.S. national chain reported that they were spending almost two hours a day responding just to e-mail updates and announcements — in an organization that demands a high level of contact with customers for its managers. The 3-day training course for wait staff had gotten so detailed that many servers left the job ever before they waited on a customer, thinking that they could never learn so complicated a job. Fewer employees were interested in management positions, because it meant having to spend 10 - 12 weeks away from home at company headquarters to go through management training.
This organization is in the process of creating communication guidelines to try to eliminate information overload and help individuals make better decisions about using various media such as memos, e-mail, and voice mail. The basic task requirements for servers and food preparers are being examined, such as the traditional requirement that they memorize a complex system of two-letter codes for all the menu items. Prototype electronic “knowledge banks” are being created that will allow trainers to download continuously updated manuals, and will enable managers to easily sort through and summarize daily news updates. A “pull” rather than “push” strategy for communication is being developed which will focus on enabling employees to maximize their time spent with customers rather than with new information.
· The training subsidiary of a European automobile and truck company faced declining requests from internal clients for training. In a period of about two years, their revenue had decreased some 30%, as customers looked for newer and faster solutions to their performance problems. Line managers in factories began to contract for training themselves instead of going through the subsidiary back at headquarters, or just dropped training altogether. In order to try to maintain their jobs and budgets, the training staff was increasingly recommending more expensive and elaborate courses to their clients, but this strategy backfired completely as they priced themselves out of the market.
In order to remain a relevant and competitive resource to their clients, they re-focused their service as “performance improvement consultation”. They re-organized their staff to align them directly with business lines and content specialties, and added skill sets in performance analysis and in organizational communication support, such as meeting planning and presentation media and documentation. A major program of staff development was initiated, including bringing in industry experts as mentors and workshop leaders, and energetically participating in international associations in training and performance improvement, such as the International Society for Performance Improvement. They are now becoming the experts in knowledge acquisition and management for the company’s entire international operations, and are enjoying renewed support from their clientele and management. Moreover, they have become leaders in Europe in fostering the performance technology approach.
· The staff development department for a regional healthcare system was so occupied doing time management and sexual harassment training that it had no time left to even consider courses on the new economic realities of managed care and capitation which were concepts necessary to the organization’s survival. Not surprisingly, this department received little support from management, and became less and less involved in strategic decisions. Employee morale throughout the company was declining, both because of the uncertainty of the environment, but also because of a perceived lack of credibility of management messages and training.
To remain competitive, it was clear that the organization needed to foster continuous learning (not just about new medical technologies, but about management and economics), and to muster all the energy and enthusiasm available. The CEO formed a strategic planning team, including representatives from human resources, information technology, media production, staff development, corporate communications and finance, to develop a plan to implement concepts of the “learning organization” and of performance technology. After a four-month period of meetings, study, and mentoring by external consultants, they have received approval to re-organize themselves into a “human and organizational development” team that will provide integrated solutions to performance problems in the organization, to identify the skills that the company will need to survive in the new marketplace, and to implement individual development plans for all members of the organization, from groundskeepers to the executive team. However, staff reorganization and some new projects are only the surface changes that are occurring: a new philosophy of openness, valuing diverse opinions and approaches, acknowledgment of everyone as a learner and a mentor, and for celebrating mistakes as well as successes is being promoted. New infrastructures that will make it easier for employees to collaborate and to communicate with management are being implemented, and methods of performance appraisal and compensation are being redesigned.
1. First, define the current gaps and opportunities that exist. Some of the symptoms of a training and communication system that don’t work include the following; check off those that describe situations in your organization:
3. Get the support of at least three internal and three external colleagues. You need other employees to add perspectives and endorsement. You need at least one unbiased and well-credentialed expert to echo your views; this might just mean giving some key managers a great book to read or videotape to view, or it might help to bring in an expert to give an executive briefing. Finally, colleagues in similar organizational situations who have successfully adopted some new performance-based strategies will provide a sanity check and a morale boost. Join organizations such as the American Society for Training and Development, and the International Society for Performance Improvement (both have headquarters in the Washington, D.C. area). Their conferences and journals will provide ample stimulation and references.
4. Get management endorsement to form a study team or task group. This should be a cross-functional group with representatives from training, HR, employee communication, information systems, and media production. In many organizations, the marketing and advertising departments should also be included. This team should look at what each department is doing to promote performance improvement, and how the various teams could work together more closely. Establish a firm but simple charge and aggressive time schedule.
5. Execute a prototype intervention. Take a significant organizational performance gap, and with the team, develop an intervention that includes a wide range of coordinated performance improvement activities. Examples of this might be:
6. Spread the word of your study and prototype undertakings. Gradually make others aware of these new approaches by highlighting courses or professional meetings and by publicizing the success of your intervention. Consider writing up your case study and presenting it at a conference or publishing it in a trade journal.
7. Develop a new vocabulary. Change the name of your department, or at least your job title to remove “training”. When you meet with clients and sponsors, talk about “interventions” or “projects” rather than “courses”. Don’t refuse to develop training; rather, suggest alternatives or additions.
8. Generate enthusiasm for a new way to do things. Dispel the fear that trainers will lose their jobs, or won’t be able to function in new roles. Celebrate successes and accurately reflect how you stand with respect to benchmark departments or professionals outside your own organization.
9. Get the buy-in of at least one top executive. When she or he thinks the time is right, develop and present a white paper with your recommendations for organizational change.
Although these recommendations may sound ambitious, numerous trainers and consultants have applied just these steps to re-design and renew their training departments and individual careers. Although no two results are (or should be) the same, this process has been demonstrated to produce quick and dramatic improvements. As one professional who participated in a four-month intensive strategic planning committee and prototype intervention said, “there’s no going back — I’ll never do my job the same way again.”.
Gayeski, D. (1993) Corporate Communication Management: The Renaissance Communicator in Information-age Organizations. Woburn, MA: Focal Press. (800) 366-2665
Robinson, D.G. and Robinson, J.C. (1995). Performance Consulting: Moving Beyond Training. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. (415) 288-0260