20
Feb, 2023
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The role of a Learning and Development Director is an important, yet challenging job. In this role, you are responsible for ensuring the success of the employees and the company by providing training and development opportunities. But how do you know if the investment in these programs is having a real impact? As a Learning and Development Director, quantifying the return on investment (ROI) of your training initiatives is an essential part of your job.
When trying to measure the impact of your training initiatives, it is important to differentiate between tangible and intangible benefits. Tangible benefits are those that can be easily measured, such as increased sales or improved customer satisfaction. Intangible benefits are those that are more difficult to measure, such as improved employee morale or increased engagement. Both types of benefits are important, but they require different methods of measurement.
The classical way of qualifying intangible benefits is highly time consuming. It consists in measuring the impact of your training initiatives using pre and post assessments, surveys, and interviews to collect data from employees. You can ask questions about their satisfaction with the training, their understanding of the material, and their overall attitude towards their job. The insights you gain from surveys and interviews can help you make informed decisions about which training programs are having the most impact.
The second way involves technology and is therefore quicker and more powerful. Using an online tool to help you monitor and measure the performance of candidates after each training at any time of the year is crucial. Building a strong collaboration between the L&D department and managers is key to ensure competencies are implemented on the job. This way the pressure is distributed between knowledge acquisition and implementation. Senior leaders, managers, and team leaders’ duty is to help their employees implement what they have learned through communication and feedback. It is a proven way to measure the impact of your training initiatives using real metrics.
As a Learning and Development Director, it is your job to ensure that your training initiatives are having a positive impact on the company’s bottom line. Measuring the ROI of your training programs is essential, but it can be a challenge. By using an automated tool that tracks performance and relevant metrics both to date and over time, you can quantify the impact of your training initiatives and ensure that they are having a real impact on the success of the company.
There are many definitions of what a leadership style is, but often it’s considered to be the approach that a leader takes when creating a direction and setting goals, as well as their main behaviour patterns and the characteristics that they exhibit. Having a good understanding of your leadership style can help you to improve techniques, adjust your style depending on the situation, and achieve a higher level of success when pursuing a vision.
Over the years there have been many models of leadership style presented, with the six styles of leadership model created by Daniel Goleman in 2000 often at their core. One purpose of the six styles of leadership is to give clarity to the way that leadership approach can influence the climate of an organisation and how approach correlates to success in different situations.
Each of the six styles of leadership is very different, but which one would you consider to be your style?
Assertive leadership can create a very positive environment with a leader that’s focused largely on change and the achievement of a vision. Assertive leaders motivate others, create visions, and guide people towards positive change; they’re self-confident and very empathetic.
An affiliative leader is a person who aims to create great working relationships and encourage people through difficult situations. Affiliate leadership involves a considerable amount of communication and the development of teamwork to create a positive environment.
Coaching leadership creates a positive environment with a leader that’s focused on skill development and improved performance. Coaching leaders spend a lot of time developing the strengths of others with ready encouragement and feedback.
Coercive leadership is built on a foundation of problem-solving and is often used in an emergency situation where fast action is required. This style of leadership is very direct with the leader demanding immediate action; coercive leadership normally fosters a negative environment. Many coercive leaders have a high self-control and desire to achieve but are not very flexible.
Collaboration is an essential aspect of democratic leadership. Democratic leaders put a high value on communication and teamwork with a desire to get everyone involved in achieving a vision. The high motivation and openness to ideas created under this leadership style generally create a positive environment.
Pacesetting leaders lay out their expectations and expect others to follow them without question, which often creates a negative working environment. This style of leadership is focused on achievement and high standards, with a leader who has initiative and is efficient and careful.
In this model of leadership, there’s no single ‘best’ leadership type, but there can be a best style for every unique situation. Understanding what style is required for each situation is one pathway to success as a leader.
At WIN HR Solutions, we understand Talent is scarce and volatile, and managing the human element has never been so complex. We can turn your managers into people managers. Contact us to learn more.
Employee engagement is a proven accelerator for growth and business success. The only medium through which the engagement of employees can be achieved is a group of fully dedicated leaders.
Engaged leaders create engaged employees. Engagement always begins with the leaders, not the employees. If the leaders are trying to motivate the employees to engage and they as leaders are not engaged themselves with their employees, then any investment in engagement training will be basically lost. In most cases, the direct supervisor is the main influence behind an employee’s resignation from a company. If the manager is truly disliked and not approachable, many talented employees will listen to the sirens of job offerors and leave in pursuit of something (or someone) better.
Research shows that trustworthy constructive communication is key to employee engagement. However, communication can take many forms, so it is important that the correct media are used when delivering any message or feedback.
The vast majority of employees want to know how their efforts contribute to the goals of the company. It can be highly demotivating for employees to work many hours without really knowing what direction they are taking. Employees will accept the difficult periods if their sense of purpose is clear, and they are given a fair treatment, safety, recognition, and respect. A clear job description and role clarification will explain the essence of what is expected from the employee in the workplace, but they do not solve all problems. Employees will look for direction in their own specific way, their sense of priorities and their need for support may differ, and their understanding of their manager’s expectations may need more or less clarification based on their personality.
Regular interaction and feedback will always encourage engagement from the employee. Great leaders are excellent communicators and great coaches.
We all enjoy receiving recognition for good work and receiving regular praise will again encourage engagement; however, this praise should have meaning and value. Simply telling someone everyday well done when it’s not crystal clear what was done well can have an adverse effect. Feedback is about clarity and facts. It is an important motivator that will also boost employee engagement.
A leader may often have to make difficult decisions for the company, like introducing a major change. If employees feel free to share their thoughts, ideas, and even fears, then engagement will also be guaranteed even during hard times. The employee’s perception of a leader also changes from being the one in charge to actually being the one trying to make a difference.
Many managers often fail to engage their employees because they do not understand the mechanisms behind the way an organization functions and the synergies that can be created between its components and the available resources. The major resource, the most expensive and volatile being the human resource.
And there is no training on engagement that will deliver when given to employees. Employees’ engagement is strictly about training and coaching the managers on how to engage the employees.
We firmly believe that leadership skills, including a thorough knowledge of the structures and culture within the organization, a highly developed communication skill, and strong techniques of people management will be the cornerstone of any engagement project. Engage and develop your managers, turn them into leaders, and your employees will ultimately follow.
Desire. Having the desire to want to see the company and the inspirational leader succeed is a big motivator.
Effort. A joint effort from the team creates group engagement. If one can rely on colleagues as well as the manager for support in good and bad times, the commitment and engagement are strong.
Pride. Inspiring pride in the organization and loyalty (thus longevity) creates a natural engagement.
Communication. Taking the decision to communicate through many media will challenge the fears and pull the workforce together.
Openness. Having the ability and opportunity to speak up and provide recommendations even if they are not quite the answer allows the employee to feel they matter to the company.
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