Training and development are always used in conjugation, without knowing whether one leads to the other or not. Training as a stand-alone element for organizational growth is immaterial, unless it has an element of tangible growth attached to it. Quite often trainers, managers from various functions, tend to use these terms interchangeably or in conjugation without knowing their relevance, importance and sequencing in the whole scheme of things. It is, therefore, important to understand what is training, what are its objectives and what are the expected deliverables from a training program?
Why is training important for an organization? Sample the instance: David headed a unit which was manufacturing automobile components and which was the customers' darling till the competitors started offering better components with value-added benefits, thereby reducing sales for David's organization. A perturbed David approached his one-time pal Suzan, now a renowned management consultant, to do a fact-finding exercise to know the actual reason for the company's southward movement. Suzan studied the organization in minute details; thereafter her team also conducted a comprehensive survey of all present and potential market of auto components to understand the changed mindsets of customers.
To Suzan's surprise, the customers were changing loyalties not because the new players were providing them extravagant products from the existing ones. It was the overall package the customers experienced right from the time they ordered a product till their inputs were solicited so as to continuously upgrade the existing portfolio of offerings. Customers were vocal in saying that the employees of the new players were more proactive, customer-centric and always observed things from their own (customers) perspective. Once this detailed report was tabled to David and his team of senior employees, they simply took it as too easy a problem to be given due consideration. They felt roping in people from competitors through monetary and sop-related poaching techniques would serve the purpose. David ordered all domain heads to hire the best available talent from rival companies even if it meant providing them double or triple their present salaries. In a span of five months, 33 new employees joined his company and he was elated with the dream that his lost credibility, mind share and market share would soon be back. He was, however, astonished to note that even after half a year, his company was having the same crawling approach, new recruits along with the old ones were having very low confidence and were often shaky about their work-related approach. David decided to talk to representatives of employees across departments, levels, and a mixed blend of new and old ones to know the actual reason of the status. The discussion pointed to the fact that the company didn't have a good training culture and the employees felt deprived in spite of a better package as they realized their learning curve was static, unlike other companies, where there was a perfect blend of learning and earning. The new recruits even aired their views of going back to the old employer, even if it meant working at a lesser sum. They were categorical while saying their old companies offered them many training programs (both classroom and on job), which enhanced their confidence and understanding of new happenings in their respective areas. This was primarily because the companies were successful in creating a learning culture, which in turn would be in place, only if growth and development through training was encouraged. David realized the fact that training not only served the purpose of grooming people for future assignments and growth, but also enabled to nurture a culture in the organization, which culminated in employee satisfaction, employee retention and increased productivity.
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