How to Train Your Staff

by Alex A. Kecskes

You're an admin manager and your VP has tasked you to train your staff on a new company mandated procedure. Where to begin?

Develop a Lesson Plan. This will be the lion's share of your work. Before you begin training, write out the lesson plan for the training session. Take into account your weakest employee and address the lesson toward him or her. Make sure everything is covered, then allow your VP to review the lesson plan and make any necessary changes or additions.

Don't Just Lecture—Teach. Allow for feedback in your lectures. Enroll your staff in the process. Permit them to challenge and question anything they don't fully understand. Integrate each training session with what your staff may already be familiar with. Build on past procedures and processes. Also, emphasize the positive—the time- and work-saving attributes of the new procedure.

Use Visual Aids/Props. Don't be afraid of using devices, equipment, computers and the like to make your training more "hands on." Demonstrate how the procedure should be implemented using a computer overhead projector. Use real world examples.

Provide Handouts. After the presentation, your staff will head back to their cubicles or offices and may forget more than half of what was covered. So provide them with summaries of that day's training session.

The "Week Later" Review. A week after your training session, hold a follow up session to see how your staff is doing. You can almost be sure there will be questions, problems and suggestions for improvement.

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