“If you think good Training is expensive, you should look at the cost of bad training”
Training is expensive. Smart companies look at training as an investment that is key to their success. They know it’s vital for employees to learn, practice, and master necessary skills. But some companies’ focus stops with the bottom line, turning training into a bare-bones affair meant to satisfy regulations or certifications, and not much more.
What the latter companies don’t realize is that the only thing more expensive than training is BAD training. Here’s what bad training gets you:
1. Low productivity – Poorly trained employees feel less confident in their skills, and spend considerable time seeking guidance. They’re not working to full capacity – and neither are the trainers taking time from their own work to assist. [Source: The Negative Effects of a Lack of Training in the Workplace]
2. High turnover – Employees who are badly trained, and not confident in their job performance, generally report low job satisfaction. This lack of fulfillment leads to increased employee turnover, and additional spending on training for the next new hire. [Source: Effects of Training on Employee Performance]
3. Errors and injury – Inadequately trained employees are liable to make mistakes – which can lead to equipment damage, injuries, or even fatalities. Factor in repair costs, OSHA fines, and lawsuits and it’s clear that bad training is the mistake that just keeps on giving – in all the wrong ways.
So it’s not a good idea to compromise on training – unless… What if there were a way to keep the cost of training low, and the quality of training high?
There is.
“Retention Is Best When The Learner Is Involved.” – Edward Scannell, University Conference Bureau, Arizona
3D interactive training embraces all the best tenets of training while offering companies a low-cost alternative to traditional approaches. And it’s BETTER than traditional training to boot. Here’s why:
Learn by doing
“If you want to learn to throw a football, drive a car, build a mousetrap, design a building, cook a stir-fry, or be a management consultant, you must have a go at doing it.” This observation by Engines For Education might seem obvious, but it’s not always the way teaching and training is approached, is it?
Learning by doing is not a new idea (think apprenticeships), but in a group setting it offers challenges that have been replaced by “easier” methods like classroom instruction instead. Unfortunately, classroom instruction is not very memorable (Unlike a Planetarium), and that’s one thing training MUST be.
“On average, students retain 5 percent of what they hear in lectures, 10 percent of what they read, and 20 percent of what they see and hear in audiovisual presentations, according to the National Training Laboratory Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. Add simulation – which enables them to practice by doing – and learning retention rates leap to 75 percent.” – Stephanie Neill, Automation World.
But that’s not the only advantage of 3D interactive training.
Make safe mistakes until you get it right
With 3D interactive training, workers can practice complex tasks and high-risk scenarios until they are confident in their execution – without tying up actual equipment or personnel. And when they make mistakes there’s no damage (or injury) done.
Better training, lower cost
When you consider the high cost of bad training – especially when things go catastrophically wrong – it’s clear it’s not worth the gamble. When companies incorporate virtual 3D interactive training into their efforts, there’s even more reason to embrace training for all it has to offer:
1. Knowledgeable workers, empowered to refresh their training anytime
2. A safe and productive (virtual) work environment
3. Savings on training equipment, repairs and personnel travel.
Bruce Manthey, at GSE Systems, posed some questions: “How much would you save if you could eliminate just one unplanned shutdown per year? How much would you save if you could eliminate one day in a turnaround? How much is one less reportable incident worth?”
The answers are obvious: a lot.
So don’t give up on training. Give up on BAD training. Your workers – and your budget – will thank you.
Is your training effective? Reach out to discuss your training roadmap objectives.
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