What’s in it For Me?

Let’s start with number one – WIIFM? As in, “What’s in it for me?” Right off the bat, the relevance and benefits of the training need to be explained and understood by all potential attendees.  Why should any employee take time out of their already-busy work schedule (or lunch break, or free time with their family and friends) to undergo this training?  Will it be beneficial for their current position?  Help provide new skills that would give them an advantage when it comes time to promote from within?  Frame the training on how it benefits the employee, and you’ll have a captive audience.

Learning (and especially, constant learning) is a process. Initially, you may train employees on their basic job functions, and they, in turn, go out and execute with those initial skills. But the key to continual learning and development (and in the process, enhancing employee satisfaction and retention as a byproduct) comes with your subsequent follow-up and building upon those initial skills. And right here is where you need to frame additional training based on what it offers for your employees.

Many employees may say, “I already have the skills to do my job. I’m good.” But if you present additional training by how it can help them do their job better (or faster, more efficient, less error-prone, etc.), now their curiosity is piqued. If you let them know that the additional skills they will learn may help them with a future promotion (or help them to gain additional skills that are very in-demand right now in the business world), now you’re offering them a chance for a brighter future (and who is going to turn that offer down, right?).

Read more about this on the CoSo blog here!