Dear Colleague,
When it comes to Human Resources, I’m really hard-core.
Back when I was in charge of training for a large law firm in New York City, for example, I used to watch John Cleese’s training videos for fun.
I’d sit at my desk during my lunch “hour” and snarf a sandwich while watching Cleese talk about sexual harassment, customer service, or leadership development.
Frankly, I enjoyed John Cleese more in his training videos than I did in the penguin-on-your-telly routines he did for the BBC.
Off-the-shelf training has gotten even better since the olden days of videocassettes. With online streaming and interactive software, it has become a popular alternative to in-person training. More and more HR managers are finding it easier to buy a ready-made training module than to hire an actual trainer.
But like putting your baby in front of the television set instead of hiring a nanny—or ordering a mail-order bride instead of meeting the love of your life the romantic way (i.e., in a bar)—there are some drawbacks to off-the shelf training.
I can think of five things off the top of my head:
FIRST, IT’S NOT FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE. Which means you may be teaching your employees things they already know while ignoring their real weaknesses and problem areas.
SECOND, THERE’S NO OVERSIGHT OR PERSONAL ATTENTION. The software may be able to tell you the employee watched the video and answered a few basic questions about it. But it can’t tell you he was also watching This Is Us and playing the ponies on FanDuel at the same time.
THIRD, IT CAN BE TOO GENERIC. Off-the-shelf training can’t conform with your organization’s image, brand, or culture. So it won’t take long before the employee says, “This has nothing to do with our company. We’re different!”
FOURTH, IT CAN BE HARD TO UPDATE. Look at how much our attitudes toward workplace safety and DEI have changed over the last two years! That means off-the-shelf training modules produced just a few years ago—heck, even a few days ago—might as well be from the Jurassic Era.
FIFTH, IT MAY ONLY SEEM CHEAPER. When you see the list price of a training module, it may look like a bargain. But it often comes with strings attached. You may be limited in terms of how often you can use it, how many people can see it, how long you can keep it, and so on. In fact, you might have to sign a lengthy licensing and subscription agreement just to get access to a single program.
Having said all that, there are some “pros” to off-the-shelf training. As I said above, they’ve gotten better than they used to be. Employees can decide when and where they want to use them. They’re increasingly interactive and they can now be customized to some extent. They’re usually less expensive and often less labor-intensive than hiring a trainer or creating your own software program.
So you really have three choices nowadays. You can buy “off-the-shelf” training modules. You can develop your own training software. Or you can hire a good old-fashioned trainer or consultant.
Fortunately, I can help you with all three options. In the Trainers & Consultants Network, we have people who offer ready-made modules. We have consultants who can help you develop your own software. And we have over 1,000 living, breathing trainers who will work with you to get exactly what you need for any given situation.
So give me a call at 202-333-0644 or send an email to Sharon@TrainersAndConsultants.net. I’ll give you the names of at least three top professionals who can do the job you need at a price you can afford. And, as always, my service comes at no cost to you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have lunch while I watch John Cleese in his classic comedy, “How to Properly Fill Out a W-2.”
Sincerely,
Sharon Armstrong
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