Features

Published May 2008

Recession-Proof Your Training Organization

Charlie Gillette

When times turn tough, your colleagues in the C-suite have two things on their mind. The first is creating top-line revenue. The second is driving down costs. Everything else is tertiary. Unfortunately, that’s where they typically lump training.

An economic downturn, however, can be a golden opportunity for strengthening your training department. Here are five ways to make training a more integral part in your organization’s survival, so your team does not get the axe during a budget crunch.

1. Right-size right now
Don’t wait for a recession (or its official announcement ) to do a thorough review of your training organization. Perform an objective review, evaluating whether every individual is pulling their weight and adding value.

This question is not always easy to answer. Many of your trainers and course developers may be working long, hard hours. What’s crucial is determining whether their efforts are making a direct impact on the company’s top or bottom line. Is every class that they teach or develop helping to produce revenue? Are they instrumental in driving down costs?

Of course, letting capable team members go is painful. But it’s better to lay them off earlier rather than later, so they have plenty of time to search for another position. Also, if you’re already lean, you win respect from other groups, and you’re less likely to be targeted when the right-sizers search for fat. Be proactive now, and the budget folks will notice.

2. Deliver high-quality programs, on time, that align with business objectives
The first thing to go during corporate belt-tightening is anything perceived as “fluff.” Take a good hard look at the programs you offer. How well do they align with the two universal goals mentioned earlier, increasing revenue and cutting costs? Clearly, any training that improves employees’ critical skill sets will be a must-have. So will compliance programs and other mandated training initiatives, since they allow you to stay in business.

Other programs may require revisiting. Do sales numbers actually go up when you do a company-wide sales conference? Do you have a product launch that’s two months late because the training isn’t ready? Inspect your organization for indications that training quality is slipping, and fix issues fast. In many cases, Pulitzer-quality text or sophisticated graphics are less important than timely delivery, which lets the organization start realizing value immediately. A perception of being slow and unresponsive will doom your group, even if there are really good reasons for delays or changes.

You probably already have a tool in place for checking quality, timeliness and alignment to business objectives, namely your post-training evaluations. Read each and every one of them, taking suggestions seriously. The evaluations are your windows into the classroom, showing how well respected your group is throughout the corporation.

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