The Why
I’m an advocate for one to one training. It works. Let’s be honest: the Western world is increasingly individualistic. We enjoy tailored holidays; lots of people choose to have one to one personal training sessions rather than joining a group gym session; and life coaching is a staple for the individual who wishes to achieve a goal and wants to work with a trained professional to help them achieve it.
The world of Learning and Development (L&D) has been very slow to catch onto the trend for one to one training. This means that individual learning needs may not be met as effectively as they could be.
How to Get it Wrong – It Should Have Been a One on One Training Example
This is a true story about a client of mine. One of my clients had a member of staff with a need for Power BI (Business Intelligence software) training. Only one person in the organisation required this depth of know-how to build Power BI reports from this powerful piece of software. This person being the Analyst. The Analysts’ job was to tailor reports that will help their clients see their spend, usage, and potential cost savings. However, the HR person used the old-fashioned ‘bums on seats’ method to get ‘value for money’ from the one day course fee quoted by the training provider.
So what happened? It ended up being a diluted day for 8 people, instead of the focused and value-driven day for the one person who had the real learning need. The other 7 ‘attendees’ were agitated at being asked to attend, as they barely use the software. The Analyst did not get their needs met, as the course became a basics of Power BI course, so the Analyst still can’t draw the reports needed. The result being the Power BI consultant is still charging their fee to design the reports, and hence the training day was a waste of company money.
The HR person used the old metric of £1500 tutor day fee divided by 8 people = £187.50 per head, and sadly this actually cost the company much more, as there were 8 days of unproductivity, instead of one person at £1500, who would have gained real learning for themselves, and added value to the company!
This is, too often, the norm.
One to One Training is Value for Money
Every organisation needs to spend their training budget wisely, of course, and the bottom line is: one on one training benefits are huge.
Why Adopt One to One Training
Here are 9 reasons why I think you should spend your budget on one to one training:
1. The Learning Outcomes Tend to be Better One on One Than in a Group
My experience of working one to one is that the learner is motivated to learn and they turn up raring to go. They have done the pre-event work, they complete their actions, and they have pragmatic questions, real scenarios and they are eager to apply the learning as soon as they can. I’ve sometimes been shocked at how quickly learning is transferred back to work.
As an ex-holder of the training budget, I can tell you that this is a wise spending choice.
2. Learning Continues After the Event
One of the dilemmas of group work is, my time as a trainer is spread thinly, even if there are only 6 people on a course. I find that training 1:1 gives our relationship a concentration that is impossible to have on a course with others. Even one to two dilutes the relationship; of course, think of the quality time a first born enjoys, quality time that the second born will never experience.
The benefits to your L&D budget are that learners keep in touch with me; whether the question is via WhatsApp, a Twitter Direct Message, or Linkedin, I have found that we share resources, ideas and problems long after a 121, so it becomes a continuation of the learning journey together.
3. There is Less Administration Time
Course administration can involve a lot of hours of organising – liaison with different diaries, sending joining instructions, issuing pre-work, organising hotel rooms, booking training rooms, hiring equipment…the list goes on. Training administration can at times seem like a cat herding operation; it is a time-consuming and expensive job, requiring detail, systems and concentration.
One to one training is easy to organise, and I often find that the learner organises everything with me directly. Because they are motivated to do so.
4. The Learner is Often More Motivated to Work One on One
I had a client this year who signed off an amount to spend to achieve specific behavioural outcomes. How the individual spent this money with me was up to them. By the time she had contacted me, she’d scoped out her needs in so much detail, I hardly had any needs analysis work to do!
5. If You Want to be Inclusive, This is the Way Forward
One to one training fits the learners’ lifestyle.
I have learners who have worked part-time, 9.30 to 2.30, and so day events even organised to be in-company events, didn’t fit their lifestyle.
I have had learners with a physical disability who can’t travel to a course. One lady recently found herself excluded from a course because she lives with multiple sclerosis, and she gets too tired during three day events. She was delighted to be offered the chance to work one to one with myself.
I have had learners with mental ill health, who cannot travel to large cities, or drive to events, due to anxiety.
If we want to be a truly inclusive employer, one to one enables all to enjoy development opportunities.
6. Do You Really Mean You Want Staff to Have a Work-Life Balance, and That Wellbeing Matters?
Staying away means disruption to people, families, children, and pets.
A current client enjoys two-hour one to one sessions with me via Zoom. She says that by working with myself one on one, she still gets her morning walk with her dog, and gets to take her children to school each day. This helps her wellbeing.
7. Introverts Matter
One to one training means there is less stress for introverts. Courses can often be dominated by louder, extroverts; people who like the sound of their own voice.
Many people have shared bad memories of courses with me. Situations where they felt isolated, overtalked and a course ‘bore’ because they are the quiet ones. Role plays and simulations can be painful for an introvert in a group, whereas they can feel less exposed when working one on one.
8. Learning is Timely, and Straight to the Point of Need
How many years have we waited for nominations, from sources such as appraisals, one to one’s and reviews to get enough people to ‘justify’ the cost of a training day? Sometimes people wait years for a course. I once had a very demotivated delegate turn up on a Recruitment and Selection course, (quite rightly) griping that he’d asked for this when he was recruiting a member of staff – a member of staff who’d been in the team for 3 years now!
Learning should be provided at the time of need. If your child was showing some talent for boxing, you wouldn’t wait three years to buy them one to one boxing lessons, would you? So why do we make our staff wait for the training they need, at this moment in time?
9. Confidentiality
The word ‘confidentiality’ often comes up as part of the ground rules when I am working in a group. I once attended a conference where the Professor said it is impossible to grant confidentiality, as human beings are notoriously forgetful. So if a colleague has shared a story, fear or concern then how can we remember what was told to us on a course – confidentially? Most of us can’t remember clearly what we did yesterday. It means the wiser people hold back on information, fears, and issues. This means the trainer doesn’t get to work on the root causes.
Working one to one with a skilled listener means learners can share their deepest annoyances, fears and concerns – and feel safe doing it.
So You See the Benefit (the Why)… So What is One to One Training?
My experience is when a learner is given the budget to spend money on their specific learning need, they spend it wisely. They (mostly) know their needs, so the needs analysis has already been covered.
A recent learner I worked with on a one to one basis, needed to be skilled to be the Master of Ceremonies at a company conference. She had never done this before. She appreciated that what and how she learned had been delegated to her, and she had completed a comprehensive needs analysis.
Firstly, we agreed the what – was it knowledge, skill or attitudinal?
In training, there are three main areas of learning we cover: knowledge, skills and attitude. One to one training covers the same – knowledge, skills and attitude. Except we have the luxury to be able to tailor the learning to the individual. The three areas, broken down are:
Knowledge
Learning facts, concepts and models in order that the learner can do their job effectively.
I produced easy videos for her to gain the gaps she had in knowledge. I also signed her to great videos on YouTube and sent handouts to her. We communicated via WhatsApp, and soon she was sharing resources with me!
By working on the knowledge as pre-work, and in between learning sessions, we ensured our time together was spent on the bigger things, of scenarios, discussion, reflective learning, and skill practice.
This model works in our personal lives, too. I recently committed to personal training one to one, and I was amazed at the knowledge received by my personal trainer.
Skill
All jobs have skills that we need to learn to perform effectively. Skills can include using a till, entering invoices onto an accounting package, and problem solving why the printer isn’t working. With my learner, we spent time developing and practising new skills. These included using the voice effectively, eliminating unnecessary words, confident body language and simulations of real situations. Time was also spent on presenting, handovers, summarising, and methods of keeping to time.
My one to one fitness training at home has improved my skills in a way that group gym work never has!
Attitude
Attitudinal training is when the learner changes their belief, or views on a specific subject. She realised she does have the confidence to stand in front of a group at a conference, and she also realised she wants a career in either Learning & Development, or Speaking. Her attitude of “I’m standing in for my Boss who normally does this…” completely changed to “I loved it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as alive at work!”. A true attitudinal shift.
Again, in my personal life, I have noticed a real shift in my attitude toward my fitness due to choosing the right online one to one personal training
The Transfer of Learning
One to One training involves a tailored training plan, stating a measurable behavioural objective, or objectives, with details of applied learning, and changes in behaviour recorded. I find more of my one to one clients gather evidence of the transfer of learning back at work, mainly because they are motivated to get more one to one development! Methods of evidence can include feedback from their Boss, the customers, suppliers, stakeholders on changes in knowledge, skills and attitude, which can be behaviourally measured. The whole point of evaluation is to produce evidence to show the one to one training has been effective.
Example:
I provided one to one training for a Training Administrator. Her Return on Investment included:
- Saving 5% of the time per week minimum by slim lining the method and timing when sending out joining instructions.
- Linking systems, so automation of processes reduced errors.
- Enhanced and timely communication with external providers using WhatsApp groups.
- Happier delegates as better quality hotels used. Report with considerations escalated, as she identified delegates as key stakeholders, something she had not thought of before we analysed the stakeholder matrix!
- Trainer feedback gathered, something not done before.
- Trainers meeting held, and expectations agreed.
- Service level agreements implemented.
- Standard payment to suppliers agreed, saving Finance time and reducing trainer stress.
Her Manager called me to say he was overwhelmed with the Return on Investment, and that he was planning to use this as a case study to use one to one training more!
The How – What Methods Can be Used to Train Staff in the Workplace?
I am often asked what are the types of training on offer when someone has a budget to spend with me one to one. What are 6 types of on-the-job training? (the list is not exhaustive):
1. Mentoring
Mentoring involves working with an experienced advisor. A mentor is often someone who has more experience than their mentee in an area, and they will listen, reflect and provide guidance to the learner. The learner may leave with an action plan. Mentoring tends to be longer term than coaching.
2. Coaching
Coaching does not rely on training courses or workshops. The coach and learner control the topic, time and learning environment. The learner owns the goals, and the coach works with a recognised coaching framework such as GROW. It tends to be shorter term than mentoring, as there is usually a specific goal the learner wants to achieve.
3. Online Learning
As part of the tailored one to one learning plan, the learner may select an online course or resources. There are some excellent virtual courses, and lots of online resources to source.
4. Secondment
The individual may choose a secondment for part of their one to one, where they can work in a different environment for a period of time as part of their one to one training plan.
5. On the Job Training
On the job training involves activities which occur in the workplace as part of normal working, such as a skills based session on how to process a refund to a customer.
6. Research
The learner researches a subject and presents their findings to you, their Manager, and/or the Board.
Summary
I hope this article has inspired you to think of the value of one to one training in the workplace. As an advocate for tailored, one to one training, I do think it is the best return on investment you get in Learning and Development. I look forward to hearing about your experiences, any questions you may have, and observations.
