At Reliability Solutions, we hand out a course evaluation for the attendees to fill in when we complete a round of training sessions. After a few days of intense, in-depth instruction, this is one of the last pieces of paperwork standing between a student in the class and a quick exit out the door; evaluations are not always filled out as diligently as one would like. After seven years of doing this, you tend to be able to spot a trend.
One of the questions on the evaluation is, “What roadblocks are there that would stop you from using what you have learned in class?”
The top three answers we receive about those implementation roadblocks are as follows:
- No Tools – They don’t have the necessary equipment or labor needed to carry out the training.
- No Time – There has not been any time allotted into work and floor schedules to make the necessary changes
And my all time favorite…
- They won’t let me – There is a personnel roadblock of some kind, either from the top or bottom of the funnel.
These questions are all representative of something about the manufacturing organization in general. We say “in general,” because in Reliability Solutions’ experience, similar responses have been recorded in the U.S., no matter what industry we are working in.
Usually, when we are asked to come in and do training it is because the client wants to do something different. At some level in the organization, it has been decided that there is a need to improve on the status quo. Maybe profit margins are shrinking, the competition is nipping at our heels, or there is a need to do more with less. In short, whatever the reason, training is usually a prerequisite for doing something different. Change is in the air, and if that’s the case, who forgot to tell the students?
No Tools
The first objection to the implementation of the skills learned in a training session are that the organization doesn’t have the tools. “Tools” doesn’t necessarily mean the hardware, either. Investing in a training course should also involve the expenses of buying the necessary tool or part, as well as ensuring that headcount meets expectations.
As an organization, taking in training and skill building sessions will require an investment in tools that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your employees, then you might as well just go ahead buy the tools. Buy the tools up front before the training. Actions do speak louder than words.
Nothing shows commitment to employees like seeing something concrete has been done before the class – and besides, communicating and staying onboard with an upcoming training is an excellent way to cement the team’s commitment as well. Tools that have been purchased up front are available for use both in the class and upon return to the shop floor, and shows a commitment much greater than words alone.
No Time, or They Won’t Let Me
“No Time” and “They won’t let me” are different sides of the same coin, whose sources can be traced back to the number one deficiency in reliable manufacturing today: effective communication.
“No time” and “They won’t let me” are typical responses along with the “No” being circled for “Did you have a clear understanding of the course objectives before attending this session?”
In order for a maintenance or trade skills class to be effective and culture changing, leadership should be capable of talking with individual employees about the expectations and objectives of the class. A blanket email cc’ing everyone won’t cut it. Most will only skim over the email, not studying it closely enough to be effective, and most employees believe that if it’s important to you as a leader you would take the time to talk to me face to face … and that’s what it takes.
One on one conversations that lay out where we are going and how we are going to get there, help set expectations for the class and make the investment in training much more effective.
Typically training classes are just one of many tools used to get an organization to where it needs to be, and effectively communicating how a class fits into where the organization is going can be used to set the expectations of using the skills learned in class in our day to day work.
Solving ‘No Time’
What I have seen is that in classes where leadership has had these one on one conversations, the response to the question “What roadblocks are there that would stop you from using what you have learned in class?” changes from “No time, no tools, they won’t let me” to “Nothing”.
In short, effective communication can remove the perceived hurdles that inhibit change, and results from a class are more forthcoming. Objections #2 overcome.
(No time for training? Reliability Solutions now has Precision Maintenance On-Demand)
More Tools, More Time, Better Training
Reliability Solutions provides high end maintenance and craft skills training that, with enough communication and discovery from management, lead to a floor team of satisfied employees. We close the maintenance skills gap and set your organization on the journey to reliability. Learn more about Reliability Solutions’ Performance Training today.
