Does this sound familiar? You had high expectations so you sent your employees, or yourself, to a personal development or training program. Six weeks later and you still don’t know whether it was worth the cost. For more info you can visit this website.

It is important to be ready for whatever comes your way in an ever-changing workplace. That idea is universally accepted and questioned by most people. Why is it that so few people find training to be effective? People are often sold on the idea and don’t know how they can make it work. Let’s review 10 factors that can help you achieve lasting results from your training.

1. Do a comprehensive needs analysis.

Make sure training is the answer. Perform a thorough needs assessment first. Sometimes, the apparent cause of a problem is not the main reason. Doing skills-related learning when there is no skill problem won’t make a difference in the long-term. It will also lower your employee credibility, which can result in lower morale.

2. Don’t get caught up in the next fad.

Ok, you’re aware that training is the way to go. Not someone else’s, get the solution you need. Be sure to find the right program for your specific goals.

3. Don’t get involved in every fad.

The seasons don’t affect your focus. If you did not get results with other programs, the latest and greatest will probably not work. Look at what you really need. If other programs don’t work, find out why. You might be able to think of what you would change if you started a program.

This brings us…

4. Get support.

It is important that your entire organization supports the effort to change behavior or a process. People must be able to support and reinforce new behaviors and processes with their positive words. This will ensure that you achieve lasting results.

5. Consider delivery.

Once you have determined training is the right solution, now you must think about how it will be implemented in your workplace. Here are some questions to consider: how will it be conducted? Lecture, discussion, hands-on? Training should be fun and interactive. People learn through doing. How large is the group? A larger group is more difficult for interaction and can discourage participants from participating fully. Keep the participants’ numbers to a maximum of 12-15. So no one can get lost in a crowd. Everyone can gain equally.

6. The individual is important.

If you have chosen an in-house option and will be attending multiple sessions, think about mixing personalities to create synergy. Remember that the whole can often be more than the sums of its parts. Participants learn from one other. Offer plenty of opportunities to discuss.

7. Schedule class time to maximize learning.

If possible, it is best to schedule training outside of work hours. Remember that people are not able to work in a vacuum. They’ll benefit from the program more and be more focused if they don’t worry about their children, parents or spouses. Split the difference if necessary. Office hours are 9-5. Training class is 2 hours. Start at 8AM. It is important to give everyone plenty notice if you are required to schedule work outside of your regular shift.