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Having the very best managers is something every company should strive to achieve. Managers are on the frontline of communication and have a direct impact on the morale and productivity of the team. An underperforming manager can have damaging effects on a company. This includes increasing staff turnover, causing stress for employees and creating confusion over tasks.
Managers themselves feel they need more training on issues such as time management, professional development and employee conflict. With managers playing such a crucial role within companies, there are many reasons to invest in management training. But in order for your managers to get the most out of management training, there are things which should be done before, during and after the training course.
Use Performance Management to Highlight Areas of Improvement
Organising management training isn’t as simple as signing up managers to a course and sending them off for the day. In order for them to get the most out of it, training needs to be relevant for each manager. One manager might be great at engaging employees, but struggle with creating budgets. Tailoring training to address areas for improvement is an important part of the entire process.
Effective performance management reviews are an excellent way to identify these areas that training courses need to focus on. Many businesses are now moving away from annual performance reviews to continuous performance management. This enables regular feedback from both employers and employees. Through this regular feedback, employers can determine what skills or subjects each manager needs to work on.
Choose Relevant Training for Each Manager
After determining the areas for improvements from your manager, the next step is to find the most relevant training. There are so many manager courses available that it can be difficult to know where to start. Specific courses are available for a variety of sectors, working environments and workplace issues. Whatever area you want your manager to train in, it’s likely that you’ll be able to find a specific course to suit their needs.
Find an Experienced Training Company
There is a real maze of training companies out there, so how can you figure out which is the best? Budget may dictate some of your choices, but effective management training can be worth paying extra for. When conducting research, the best companies will have testimonials on their website and tell you about the trainer of each course. Does the trainer have experience? Do the testimonials sound enthusiastic about the day?
Most companies will be more than happy to talk you through what the day will involve before booking any course. You want to find a training company who will teach practical skills which will be practiced during the day, as well as learning theories about management.
If numerous managers require the same skills, it could be cost-effective and more beneficial for a training company to organise in-house training. The important thing is to remember what you want the managers to gain from the day and the skills you want them to learn.
Engage and be Open Minded During Training
When a manager finally attends the carefully-selected training course, they need to be open minded. Some managers may feel apprehensive about missing a day of work, but it’s important to engage with the content. Encourage managers not to check work emails or take phone calls.
Managers should ask questions, interact and socialise with others on the course and be open to new ideas. Managers who put a lot into management training will get the most out of it.
After the training, managers should give feedback to the company about how effective they found the training. If it was a success, find out what other courses are available and sign your managers up. The process of improving performance in the workplace is never complete. Having identified a training course ideally suited to your managers, they should be very open to the idea of attending plenty more in the future.
Also read: The Importance of Training in Project Management
About the Author
Christine Macdonald is the Director of The Hub Events. For eight years, The Hub Events have run a variety of leadership and management training courses. They focus on quality and practical tips which managers can use every day.
