BTSR guidebook ~ Training & skills self-evaluation

What provision at this level looks like and feels like

For the organisation

In 2008, 44% of broadcasters, evaluated at this level. 34% were lower and 22% were higher.

At this level, training arrangements and individuals’ responsibilities are well understood. There’s a positive vibe surrounding training. Both management and employees feel content about training, but not necessarily enthused.

For the training function

This is arguably the level where trainers carry the greatest responsibility. Employees’ expectations are high, management is supportive but a little distant. It’s a great arena for proving yourself.

Benefits & risks of provision at this level

Benefits

At this level, benefits include:

• Focus on performance as a result of a general acceptance that training is part of what we do around here
• Efficiency resulting from good take-up rates for training offered
• Further efficiency arising from an open approach to stating and addressing training needs.

Risks

Rivals at Level D might out-perform and out-recruit the organisation. This aside, there are no major risks associated with this level.

Processes & benchmarks for evaluating provision at this level

Distinguishing from «base« provision

The differences between base and medium provision are mainly to do with the clarity of employees’ understanding of the training offered and its business purpose. At this level:

• The business relevance of training is generally understood
• It is generally known whether training is broadly successful or unsuccessful
• Line managers permit their people to participate in training, albeit sometimes with an ill grace
• Employees guardedly discuss their learning needs
• Employees generally manage to participate in relevant training.

Distinguishing from »high» provision

The differences from high provision are mainly to do with the commitment of senior management and their determination to communicate – in both directions – to the highest standards. At this level:

• Senior management is supportive of initiatives to communicate about training
• Communications about training are planned and delivered carefully, but not necessarily in concert with communications about other matters
• Communication about training needs, training interventions available and training outcomes is encouraged
• There is a commitment to training in much of the organisation.

Processes

Here are some diagnostic questions:

• Does senior management support communications about training?
• Is help with planning and crafting communications available to trainers?
• Is more than one channel used to communicate information about training?
• Is information about in-house and external training opportunities available to employees? And about how to access them?
• Are job descriptions explicitly linked to relevant training interventions?
• Does information about training needs flow from performance evaluations to training planners?
• If there is a mechanism for channeling employees’ views to management (staff meetings, team days and so on), does it embrace training?
• Are employees’ line managers sometimes reluctant for them to participate in relevant training?
• Is information about the success or otherwise of training interventions provided to trainers and their line managers?

If the answers are mostly Yes, that’s a fairly strong indication that the organisation is providing at this level.

Reference material relevant to this strand and level

Need it meets	Title	Words	Link
Introduction to the principles of successful internal communication	What makes for successful internal communication?	2,123	www.ecademy.com

Examples of provision at this level

Here are some examples of evidence used by broadcasters, in previous years, to demonstrate provision at this level:

• Training communications on the intranet
• Email invitation to MD’s roadshow
• Job descriptions, person specifications and competency checklists that embrace training provision
• Lists of training sources
• Product knowledge sheets
• Widely circulated training updates
• Email follow-up to performance evaluation supporting the implementation of planned training
• Individual learning accounts.

The wording is broadcasters’ own, and does not necessarily follow our usage preferences

What it takes to get to the next level

A quick win is to integrate communications about training with all the organisation’s other internal communications. This is especially beneficial if that brings them within the ambit of communication specialists. Their usual disciplines – who’s the audience? what’s the message? can we personalise it? and so on – should lead to an immediate lift in the quality of training communications. Assuming you are at the higher levels on most other strands, you already have a good story to tell.

Beyond that, the key – as with so much of training provision – is to get senior management enthused about the benefits. Short-term, they’ll have to invest care and effort in creating a culture of open and enthusiastic support for training. That will likely include making their presence felt at induction and other major training events.

But if these efforts are successful there’s a good chance of establishing a virtuous circle that spreads ownership of training across the organisation as a whole, leaving management with less effort than at this level.

You also need to target line managers. Sell them on the benefits of proactively discussing training opportunities with staff during performance reviews, and of encouraging course enrolments where needs are identified.

And don’t forget that your set-piece publications – such as an annual training guide – form part of your communications mix. If they are dull or cold, they can quickly negate the brilliance of all your emails, posters and feature articles.