Each year, companies invest increasing amounts in learning and development (L&D) to develop and enhance employees’ skills. Learning management systems (LMSs) and other platforms are used to host hundreds of eLearning modules; in-house development using professionals and consultants are bought in to deliver in-person training, and online learning is subscribed to. In fact, in 2021, the corporate training market was valued at nearly $380 billion.

But are we making the very best of this investment?

All too often, training is sandwiched between employees’ day-to-day work. It’s a passing moment, which is hoped to have an impact but quickly gets lost in the hustle of employees’ daily job roles. Managers can help by playing a greater role in the training process. Read on to learn how.

Common Mistakes That Derail Training Efforts

Before getting into how managers can support training and development efforts, let’s first consider some common reasons why training fails to make an impact:

• Lack of preparation for the training: Not taking time to get into a “learning” mindset or develop learning objectives for the training limits the retention and impact of the learning experience.
• Little opportunity to immediately apply what they’ve learned: The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve demonstrates that memory, and learning retention, declines over time if there is no opportunity to use the learning quickly after the training event.
• Perceived lack of value of the training: For training to be retained, the employee needs to know that the training has clear links and a value to their role and to the business.

How Managers Can Help With Training Reinforcement

Having specific learning objectives in mind can help the employee focus on what is important for them in the training. Ebbinghaus showed that learning retention can be significantly increased if there is early repetition of the learning, a theory which has since been backed by thinking around our memories and how they are formed. And if direct managers show an interest in the learning, it indicates that it has a real value to the business.

This is where managers can play a significant role in adding value to learning by supporting employees, both before and after training. Here are a few ways other ways managers can help maximize the impact of training.

Select the Right Training, at the Right Time, for the Right Need

• Know their preferences: Get to know your employees’ learning preferences before building a combination of learning opportunities that will suite them. Self-led learning followed by an in-person session to allow for discussion and exploration at a deeper level is a tested combination, which yields great results.
• Choose the right course: While a high-profile leadership course may appeal to the employee, this may be too much too soon for their role. Would a bite-sized single-subject course be better?
• Consider timing: Does the employee have capacity for the learning, and will they have opportunities to apply their learnings after the course?

Agree on Development Plans

Research shows that adult learners need to see the purpose behind learning which is often linked to personal aspiration and career development. Therefore, having clear links between the learning opportunity and professional development should provide employees with the motivation to learn. Consider including professional development objectives as part of annual performance discussions.

Agree on Learning Objectives for the Course

Depending on the type of course, there can be many different things “to learn.” By discussing the course outline, key aims and specific intended takeaways from the course, the employee and their manager can stay aligned and maximize results.

Pre-Arrange Post-Learning Reinforcement Activities

It is important that learning is applied quickly after the training event, so prearranged opportunities for the employee to practice their new skills or share their knowledge soon after the learning takes place should be in place. Managers should consider developing specific projects and activities for the employee that will help to reinforce and embed their learning.

Here are three post-learning reinforcement ideas to help employees put their learnings into action!

1. Post-event catch-up: Arrange to have a catch-up as soon as possible after the learning event. Ask employees about their key learnings, find out what they discovered and how they plan on using their newfound knowledge or skills in their role. Agree on short-term “application objectives” that can be followed up on and, where needed, resourced.
2. Present to the local team: Ask employees to deliver a short presentation or a lunch and learn to their colleagues and other interested parties using their key takeaways gained from the course. Sharing what they have learned both reinforces the learning for them and helps develop others as well.
3. Write it down for others to see: Ask employees to write a review of the course, what they learned and how they applied the learning for the company’s internal communications platform. This can help inform and attract others to the training as well as reinforce the learning for the employee.

Coaching Conversations

As the employee applies their learning, short coaching conversations can help to embed the learning and encourage the employee to develop and apply their new skills further.

These moments also give managers an opportunity to discuss new or enhanced ways employees can apply what they’ve learned and also allow employees to raise any challenges they have experienced during the application process.

Amplifying Training ROI With Manager Support

Training is a costly outlay in time and money, and focusing on maximizing its return on investment (ROI) takes a little more time for both the learner and their manager. However, it’s time well-invested, and if done well, will increase greatly increase the likeliness that learners will apply what they’ve learned on the job and improve training impact as a result.