Tuesday’s top 6 training links

There’s just too much great advice on training out there right now to break up and cover separately. So, we put it all of the latest information on training and development in a nice little list:

1. When companies hit hard times, employee training and development is one of the first departments to “feel the pain,” says Chris Ferdinandi at the Manager’s Sandbox. Yesterday Chris wrote a great post on how to get started on building a better training program and has two follow-ups planned. Go play in the sandbox and check it out.


2. A few weeks ago we covered a a Wall Street Journal article where UCLA professor Samuel Culbert denounced the effectiveness of performance reviews. Kris Dunn, The HR Capitalist, says “Kill the Performance Review - But Only If Every Manager You Have Can Coach.”


3. Why is it that the “times when you feel like you need training the most are the very times when you feel you can afford it the least?” asks Jason Seiden. He recently wrote a great run-down of the Key Success Factors (KSFs) that could help you reduce training expense without impacting the effectiveness of the program. “When financial capital is tight, human capital has got to be on.” Read the post and find out how to improve your training program.


4. Training during an economic recession can boost your competitive edge, according to Juliette Dennett in an article on TrainingZone out of the UK. When business owners tighten up budgets and put non-essential activities on hold, employee training is usually included. Read the article and learn why right now is the right time to invest in key members of your workforce.


5. Organizations fail to maximize learning retention because of 7 key reasons, including a lack of learner buy-in, poorly defined objectives and a lack of follow-up, according to a recent study by the World of Learning. Simon Cooper at Brilliant Learning breaks down each reason and examines exactly “Why Training Isn’t Working.”


6. Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR recommends checking out the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the troops and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their civilian supporters. Take a minute to check out their list of employment resources for veterans.

From all of us at Training Time on this Veterans Day, we would like to thank all of those serving our country at home and overseas.