Question:
Funds are not available to send employees to training, but training is needed. What options are there? How can I learn more about my field of work without spending money?
Answer:
The economy has put travel, conferences, and training on hold; creating an unexpected opportunity to throw out the old model of learning and replace it with one that really works.
Neuroscientists have found that our brains learn most effectively when training is broken into small chunks. HR Magazine’s award-winning March 2008 cover story, “The Brain at Work”, points out that a series of 1-hour workshops spread over time would result in a dramatic increase in learning retention when compared to a traditional eight-hour day of training.
Here are six low-cost or no-cost options for training your employees and deepening your own expertise, with the added benefits of being easier to schedule during working hours while building your professional network of colleagues, leaders, and mentors.
Learning Exchange
Set up a learning exchange within the team. Schedule a regular coffee, lunch, or a conference call to share knowledge gained in previous trainings. That conference or training you paid for your employees to attend last year? Ask them to pull out their notes, review what was learned, and teach it to their colleagues.
Set up a learning exchange within the team. Schedule a regular coffee, lunch, or a conference call to share knowledge gained in previous trainings. That conference or training you paid for your employees to attend last year? Ask them to pull out their notes, review what was learned, and teach it to their colleagues.
Lunch ‘n’ Learns
Task an employee with scheduling a series of lunchtime workshops. They can create a workshop in their area of subject matter expertise and invite colleagues to do the same. Or they could invite leaders or experts from within your company to present.
Task an employee with scheduling a series of lunchtime workshops. They can create a workshop in their area of subject matter expertise and invite colleagues to do the same. Or they could invite leaders or experts from within your company to present.
Speakers
Find a speaker who is marketing a book or program. Invite them to present a workshop, teleconference or webinar to your team in exchange for raising their profile in your organization.
Find a speaker who is marketing a book or program. Invite them to present a workshop, teleconference or webinar to your team in exchange for raising their profile in your organization.
Volunteer
Volunteer as education coordinator for a professional association and you’ll get to choose the speakers.
Volunteer as education coordinator for a professional association and you’ll get to choose the speakers.
Submit a proposal to be a speaker or panelist at a conference. They may or may not pay for your travel, but most will give you your registration.
Webinars
Many organizations offer training programs in webinar format and there are numerous options under $100. Buy a registration and gather the team in a conference room to watch together. Follow up with a discussion on how to apply the principles in your work environment, or meet a few weeks later to review progress.
Many organizations offer training programs in webinar format and there are numerous options under $100. Buy a registration and gather the team in a conference room to watch together. Follow up with a discussion on how to apply the principles in your work environment, or meet a few weeks later to review progress.
Mentors
This is also a great time to engage a mentor (or two or three) and encourage team members to do so too.
Jo Miller is CEO of Women’s Leadership Coaching Inc. which offers women’s leadership seminars and coaching programs.
This is also a great time to engage a mentor (or two or three) and encourage team members to do so too.
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