How to make the most of staff training

Training can be expensive for salon owners, but by putting together an education plan in advance ahead you can make your money go further - and ensure everyone is kept up to date.

Leading educator Simon Shaw has the following advice for making the most of staff training; 

"When any member of your team attends a training course it is an investment and like any other investment you would expect a return on the money spent. So it is worth spending some time in looking at where and how you are going to invest your money. 

"Often I see training being offered to keep someone happy, rather than looking at the needs of the individual, and more crucially the business. Before sending a team member on a course it is worth identifying a clear purpose for the training and how it will benefit your business.

Choose carefully

Use training as a motivational tool by sending people who have performed well. Training should be seen as a reward for solid performance, not as a way to fix poor results. Generally training addresses skill shortages rather than attitude problems, so send people with a great attitude who need to further their skills.

Communicate 

Let people know why they are being sent for training and ensure they are enthusiastic. If people come to training with resentment at having been sent, then they are unlikely to gain very much from the session. Let them understand what the training will do for them.

Be prepared

This sounds obvious, but ensure the person attending a session knows where, what time and how they are going to travel to the training - as well as what tools or equipment they may need. Many people turn up late and are sometimes not sure which course they are even booked for. For instance, I've had people turning up on a presentation skills course, thinking they were coming on a cutting course.

Take notes

Even if the trainer provides hand-outs, ask the person attending the course to take notes. This will help on two levels: it helps the person to retain the knowledge that they are gaining from the course - nothing crystallises the mind like taking notes; secondly it will help the person to review their learning when it comes to reporting back.

Share the knowledge

When a team member attends a training session, there's a fabulous opportunity for the rest of the team to benefit. Set up an informal session within a week of their return so that they can share what they have learned. This will achieve two things; the team will all share in what has been learned, and the person presenting will get to know what they really learned - we often learn as much by teaching others as we do from sitting listening.