HOW IN-HOUSE TRAINING CAN BOOST YOUR TEAM’S MORALES (Courtesy Mark Arnold)
Have things gotten stale around the office lately? Something is missing, and the fire just seems to have gone out. Even worse, it is hurting your bottom line. This kind of situation, left unattended for too long, will lead to disaster. You have to do much more than just organize an office picnic to reestablish morale. In-house training can be the solution you are looking for.
Old Dogs Learn Old Tricks
Retraining might sound counterintuitive at first. You are trying to rejuvenate, so how does re-learning the old stuff help? First of all, retraining reestablishes the vision of your organization. The whole reason for being must be deeply understood and adopted by every team member.
When marital artists want to advance to higher levels, they always perfect the basic punches and kicks. Higher levels of performance depend upon a solid foundation. You are likely to find not only errors but also great ways to streamline productivity. So if you want a team of black belts, retrain with vigor and imagination.
Make sure you listen to new ideas from your staff. The old way of doing things might be inefficient. Also, when team members contribute to the process, it gives them a sense of ownership which is a big morale booster.
Cross Training
If we take the sports analogy further, we find many athletes participating in sports outside of their field to improve overall performance. Why is this? Because it forces them to develop other skills and reflexes that help their game. The same goes for the office setting. When you give team members a different point of view their work effort becomes much more developed. This is especially important for those in leadership positions.
One strategy is to have people shadow a work mate or change positions for a few days. Not only will they get special insight into the other person’s environment, but they also will find ways that their own tasks can be improved. This personal contact also helps generate team spirit since the people in other departments become real faces not just names.
Industry Training
Your organization falls under a certain industry. It doesn’t matter if it is health care or IT, the norms and standards of the industry matter. They also change with the times. In-house industry training gives your team confidence that they are up to speed on what matters to your particular industry. Confidence instills morale.
Skills Training
Each team member is a specialist. The skills they need to get the job done can be perfected, and this boosts productivity and confidence much like industry training. The difference here is that it is personalized. For example, your database team might need advanced Excel training that will make their job easier. They get special attention which lifts the spirit of the team overall.
General Considerations
In house training can fall under multiple categories such as:
- Commercial
- Public relations
- Sales and Service
- Director, governance and leadership
- Facilities management
- Financial
- Health and safety
- Human resources
- Information & technology
- Project management
Conclusion
Remember, training is an asset, not an obligation. Let your team know that you are investing in them as individuals. Education of any kind will make their job go smoother. And go ahead, throw an office picnic or splurge for a day at the amusement park. A team that socializes and has fun together will have better morale.