Saying goodbye to summer...

Tomorrow, September 22, is the first day of fall. Goodbye summer, goodbye beaches, vacations and steamy temperatures. Hello football, prime-time TV and sweater weather.

In celebration of the new season, we’re taking a look back at the great summer we had here at Thoughts from Training Time.

And taking a look back at the posts readers enjoyed most during the past few months:

1. 10 low-cost employee incentive ideas


2. Employee incentive ideas on a budget


3. 5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy


4. Friday office humor: Olympics at work


5. Employee recognition ideas on the cheap, it’s easier than you think


6. Great ice breaker ideas start with three words


7. New icebreaker activities for meetings


8. Creative Icebreaker Games: Guess Who?


9. Taking steps to improve employee morale


10. How to have fun at work: Work like a dog

Time to revamp your training?

It’s about that time of the year again, the summer heat is cooling off and kids are checking off their school supply lists before the new school year starts.

It’s also a great time for businesses to start checking off their lists to see what areas of employee training and development need a boost.

Here are some tips for reinvigorating your organization’s training programs:

Survey employees. What do they want out of the company’s training programs? What topics would they like to see? What would get them more involved?

Take a look at your budget. Where are you spending too much? Where could you be spending more? Which programs could use some financial tweaking?

Get creative. Try training naked or take advantage of the sunshine and enjoy a team building exercise outside. Find creative ways to get employees excited about training.

Refresh your training materials. PowerPoint looking a little dated? Books and training CDs getting a little worn out? Shop around for some new, fresh training materials.

Have fun. Find new ways to have fun within your training programs. Are there any new training games you’ve wanted to try? Or new, challenging team building activities you think would work?

Train the trainer. Turn existing employees into in-house trainers who can share their expertise with their coworkers. Not only will it save the company some money, but it can also help build teamwork.

Senior executives report drop in professional development

Slightly more than one-quarter (26%) of senior executives report reductions in their company’s professional development programs in the past 12 months, according to a new survey.

Though many companies are cutting training out of the budget, another 28% of the 150 senior executives surveyed by Accountemps said their company has expanded their training initiatives.
When asked, “Compared to 12 months ago, how, if at all, have your company’s professional development programs changed?” Their responses were:

• Expanded significantly – 9%
• Expanded somewhat – 19%
• No change – 45%
• Been reduced somewhat – 17%
• Been reduced significantly – 9%
• Don’t know – 1%

"While employers may be tempted to eliminate or scale back training in challenging times, they should think twice before making these cuts," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "Skimping on employee education can dull your firm's competitive edge and undermine your recruitment and retention efforts."

"Providing targeted training enables staff, particularly those who have taken on new or expanded roles, to become more versatile and increase their contributions to the firm. In addition, employees who feel their company is invested in their careers will be more motivated to perform at a high level and less likely to resign when an improving economy spurs new job opportunities," he added.

Has your company been able to hang onto employee training during the past 12 months? How have your professional development programs changed?

Top 8 ways trainers can use Twitter

Social media and networking sites expand daily, connecting users of every age group from across the globe and in every professional industry. Corporate trainers are also harnessing the power of social media to connect with those they instruct, and aid in their own personal learning and development.

Twitter is one social network connecting millions of people by asking one simple question: “What are you doing?”

In 2008, Twitter recorded over two million unique visitors, marking a 422% increase from the year before. There are Twitter users from every age group, nationality and profession using the tool to answer one simple question: “What are you doing?”

If you’re still unfamiliar - Twitter is the free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (or tweets), which are text messages of a maximum of 140 characters.

When you first sign up for a Twitter account, you may be asking yourself some questions - Why did I sign up for this? What am I doing here? How is this thing supposed to be useful?

Before you get frustrated and quit, just stop and take a deep breath. Not everyone uses Twitter for the same purpose and it may take some experimenting to find what works for you. Try it out for about a month and then ask yourself again if you still think it is useful.

If you’re still struggling to find meaning in the social networking site, read over these 8 ways trainers can use Twitter:

1. Connect with experts. Twitter gives you the ability to connect in a conversational way with top experts in your industry from around the world. Through those conversations you can learn new processes, training tips and advice on how to improve your courses and seminars.


2. Discover new information. As you start following more people on Twitter, you’ll find that it’s a great place to find new studies, data and interesting articles to expand your knowledge.


3. Research new ideas. Having trouble finding information on a certain topic? Ask your Twitter followers to help. Whatever your question may be, Twitter users are generally happy to help. It’s a great platform for brainstorming that leaves a trail of every shared idea.


4. Connect with trainees. In the past, trainers would finish their course and send trainees on their way, rarely hearing from them again. Today, trainers can give trainees their Twitter username to follow to stay in contact after the course is complete. Trainers can share extra information, upcoming events and helpful tips on how to utilize information from the course.


5. Keep the discussion going. After you have connected with attendees, you can keep the conversations from the classroom going on Twitter. Attendees who may have felt uncomfortable speaking up in the classroom can get their point across online.


6. Get feedback. Students from your training course or seminar can give you helpful and almost immediate feedback on what they thought of the course. You can use their comments and critiques to improve your next course.


7. Facilitate collaborative learning. By connecting with you, trainees will also be able to connect with each other on Twitter and learn together. Attendees can send direct messages to find out if other classmates are experiencing the same hardships and share advice with one another on how to work through it.


8. Monitor the learning process. As trainees put what they learned in the classroom into action, they’ll probably have some questions for you along the way. Students can tweet and retweet about new things they learned, difficulties implementing new techniques, personal tips and new resources they found that help facilitation.

How do you use Twitter to add value to your training? Have any more ideas to add to our list on how trainers can use Twitter? Please leave a comment and let us know.

Investing in leadership development during a downturn

Despite deep budge cuts, many companies have found a way to refocus during the downturn and are reexamining their employee training programs.

Right now many employers are focusing their efforts on leadership development to grow strong managers, in order to not be caught empty handed when the economy turns around, according to a Wall Street Journal article from earlier this week.

Identifying and grooming leaders is important in good times, says Bret Furio, senior vice president of consumer lifestyle for Philips Electronics North America. "In times of crisis when the economy is struggling," he adds, "it's imperative."

Companies spent 11% less on training per employee last year and more than twice as many corporate and government training professionals expect training budget decreases rather than increases in 2009, according to recent research.

Philips Electronics NV is part of that group of businesses cutting back on training this year. Instead of eliminating anything, the company found ways to save on their annual leadership development program, called Inspire, and still deliver the same quality training.

In a nod to the tough times, Philips trimmed the budget for Inspire, eliminating one tutor and tapping more employees, rather than outsiders, as trainers. It's holding the program near Seattle and Boston, where Philips has many employees, saving the company transportation costs.

Another big name, Estee Lauder Cos., is also continuing its leadership development programs even after reporting lower sales and profits last quarter and the announcement that the company will be cutting 2,000 jobs over the next two years.

During better times, the company would send 120 executives to a two- or three-week summer college program. This year, it will be sending 60 and only for one week. All of its leadership programs are emphasizing “innovation and managing change in volatile business conditions.”


Saving on employee training

A well-trained employee is one of your most valuable assets, especially when your business is facing tough times.

With training, employees can will save their employers more money by making less mistakes, being more productive and being able to take on more work. Along with saving money, training improves engagement, loyalty and an employee’s confidence in their work.

Training doesn’t have to be expensive in order for it to be effective. Consider these cost-saving training options:

• Video training. Instead of sending a group of employees to outside courses that incur expensive travel costs and lost hours, find a comparable video training program to bring in house. For the cost of one ticket to an expensive seminar, you can train an entire room full of people.
• Online training. Similar to video programs, online employee training or e-learning allows you to train many for the cost of a few and eliminates travel costs. It also gives employees the ability to work at their own pace and complete courses as they go.
• Smart shopping. Tools like TrainingTime.com can help you find and compare employee training programs that will fit in your budget. Shop smart and know you’re getting the best deal for your business.

Training losing ground in the battle of the budgets

Financial hardships caused by the economic recession have led even more organizations to cut spending on employee training, according to two recent studies.

The average amount companies spend on training per employee fell 11% in the past year, according to a recently released research report by Bersin & Associates. Training expenditures per employee declined from $1,202 per trainee in 2007 to $1,075 per trainee in 2008.

Bersin’s data also showed that the U.S. corporate training market shrank by more than $2 billion, from $58.5 billion in 2007 to $56.2 billion in 2008, marking the greatest decline in more than a decade.

This latest report mirrors another study released in November, revealing that more than twice as many corporate and government training professionals expect training budget decreases rather than increases in 2009.

According to the study by training services firm Expertus, almost half (48%) of survey respondents expect smaller training budgets in 2009, up from 41% in 2008.

“When budgets became tight, organizations with a traditional training focus suffered most,” Bersin said in a statement. “Today’s business world demands a combination of formal and informal learning with an emphasis on collaboration, knowledge sharing, social networking, coaching, and mentoring.”

A well-trained employee is one of your company’s best assets and worthy of the financial investment. Resist the urge to take the “easy” way out by cutting development opportunities and find creative ways to stretch your training budget.

For more information on how to (and how not to) handle employee training in a recession, take a look at some of these related posts:

Cutting training, cutting safety: Is our economy causing more workplace injuries

Employee training and the budget battle

Training budgets, just another victim of the recession

‘Recession-proof’ employee training tips

5 tips for employee training on a tight budget

New program pays for job training in Michigan

In December, Michigan legislators passed a bill that will allow community colleges to create training programs for companies adding new jobs or for new businesses coming to the state.

Cost to businesses = $0

Cost to community colleges = $0

So how does it work?

Under the New Jobs Training Program, community colleges sell bonds to develop training programs for new companies moving to Michigan or existing companies creating new positions.

Employers can approach a community college with a number of jobs they need training for. The employer then signs a written contract with the community college to provide training at no cost to the trainees. The tuition for the training is primarily paid back through state income tax revenues created by the new jobs.

From the Lansing State Journal:

"This is not a hit to the state, because these are new jobs," said Michael Hansen, president of the Michigan Community College Association. "The state was never going to realize that income tax anyway. The jobs wouldn't exist except for this program."

Modeled on a successful program in Iowa, the initiative "is a win for the community college, because they develop training capacity," he said, adding that several of the state's community colleges, Lansing Community College among them, have already expressed interest.

"It's a win for the company, because they get their workers trained for free," he said.

The only catch is that the jobs must be new, part of an effort to expand business. Trainees can’t be replacement workers for existing positions.

Michigan’s law was modeled after a similar program Iowa began in 1983 where community colleges use bonds to purchase equipment and facilities, develop contracts with special trainers and private vendors and hire instructors for new training programs.

Since its inception, the Iowa program generated $600 million to finance 2,100 projects that created more than 140,000 jobs for the state.

When signing the legislation, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm pointed out that the state “must do everything we can to help our citizens get the training they need for good-paying jobs in this challenging global economy. These bills are another part of our plan to ensure that we have a strong workforce that can compete and win in the 21st century.”

Hopefully, Michigan will find the same success Iowa did in creating the New Jobs Training Program, but only time will tell.

What are your thoughts on Michigan’s New Jobs Training Program? With our current economic situation, do you think more states should develop similar programs?

Employee training and the 2009 budget battle

As we enter 2009 and our country falls deeper into a recession, a recent survey has revealed how many companies plan to cut costs this year and it all starts with HR.

Most companies plan to cut costs in 2009 through a combination of layoffs, hiring freezes, reduced employee training and reevaluating various other HR programs, according to a 2008 fourth quarter study by global consulting firm Watson Wyatt.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - employee training is one of your most valuable business assets, especially during periods of economic hardship.

Though our budgets are stretched almost to the breaking point, now is not the time to eliminate employee training opportunities.

Why training is more important during a recession:

• Well trained employees work more efficiently, with less errors and delays.
• Training improves employee engagement, loyalty and development.
• Employees taking on more work get up to speed faster with the right training.
• Training gives a boost to employee morale and confidence.

Resist the urge to take the “easy” way out by cutting development opportunities and find creative ways to stretch your training dollars to their full potential.

In a recent article at TrainingZone, Nigel Paine, former head of training and development at the BBC, outlined ways organizations can rise to the challenge during these tough times and stay focused on L&D.

Here are a few tips from his list of top learning and development strategies for 2009:

• Don’t panic. Though many of your programs may be on notice, use this time to adjust your strategy, plan and take a close look at what is or is not working. Put your focus on the skills and attitudes will get you through the next year.


• Innovate. Restructuring isn’t always a bad thing. The old way of doing things may not be working anymore. Use this opportunity to discover new employee training ideas to take you into the future.


• Get online. E-learning has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Online resources can help you cut down on training costs and deliver learning faster, with less time away from work.


• Listen. What can you do to support those in your organization who are having a tough time? What type of training opportunities would help them succeed? Listening to your staff is the best way to determine their needs.


• Find free or cheap training tools. Do your research and find low cost equivalents for the product or service you’re planning to buy. Selling new training ideas to the boss is much easier when your idea is free.

And remember Paine’s advice: “This is the time for thought not panic … be optimistic but realistic!”

Training budgets, just another victim of the recession

As the economy continues to slide downward, more and more corporate training budgets are taking a big hit.

Most HR departments won’t be surprised by the results of a new survey providing confirmation that in tough economic times, employee training is many times the first thing to be eliminated from budgets.

Expertus, a learning-services firm, surveyed over 80 corporate and government training professionals from organizations of varying sized in 19 different industries and found that:

• For 2009, more than twice as many respondents expect budget decreases rather than increases.
• Almost half (48%) expect decreased training budgets in 2009, up from 41% in 2008.
• Only 17% expect a training budget increase next year.

From the HR Executive Online story:

The findings didn't surprise Trellis Usher-Mays, president of Atlanta-based T.R Ellis Group, a management consulting firm that provides training services.

"Most companies are cutting training budgets," Usher-Mays says. "In learning organizations today you have to show a clear line of sight between training and positive business impact. Now is not the time to ask a C-suite executive to 'just trust us to use training money wisely.' "

Usher-Mays says now, more than ever, HR leaders need to fully understand the strategic business objectives of the organization to ensure that training dollars get approved -- and to make sure those dollars deliver the best return on investment.

"During times of plenty, you could get away with what I would call non-essential training," says Usher-Mays. "Not anymore."

But, according to Usher-Mays, there’s an upside to training budget cuts. With the focus on budget cuts, HR leaders are able to highlight the value of employee training, especially when it comes to compliance issues, forming a competitive business advantage and keeping employees engaged and growing professionally.

Among the training trends in a down economy, e-learning is making a strong appearance. For companies looking to save money without affecting quality, online and virtual training resources can be the best alternative to an in-person instructor.

Consider these cost-saving training options:

• Video training. Rather than sending a group of employees to an outside training course that will include expensive travel costs, find a comparable video training program to bring in-house. For the cost of one ticket, you can train an entire room full of people.
• Online training. Similar to video training, online employee training allows you to train many for the cost of a few and eliminates any travel expenses.
• Shop smart. Use tools like TrainingTime.com to find and compare employee training programs that will work with your budget.

Employee engagement down, how training can help

With businesses across the country suffering under the flailing economy, now is not the time for employee engagement to start deteriorating. Unfortunately, experts say that’s exactly what’s happening.

Employee engagement levels are dropping across the board, revealing that 21% of U.S. workers actively disengaged, according to a recent national study by Modern Survey.

Notably fewer workers feel a strong sense of pride in their companies. Now only about half say they are willing to put in extra effort to help their company succeed and only about half say they intend to stay with their company for a long time.

“You can’t open a newspaper or surf the internet without being bombarded by headlines and stories about the country’s ever-deepening economic troubles. Month after month, we’ve all been learning about the subprime mortgage mess, plummeting property values, foreclosures, layoffs, and the collapse of some of our largest financial institutions. People are spending a lot more time worrying about how to make ends meet than they did just a year or two ago,” said Bruce Campbell, a Senior Consultant at Modern Survey.

Among a long list of unexpected costs, poor employee engagement can lead to unplanned absenteeism, a lack of teamwork, low productivity and damaged morale. Though we can’t do much about the nation’s economy, we can do something to improve employee engagement within our own organizations.


How training can help

Engage employees by providing opportunities where they can improve personal leadership skills. Leadership training gives employees who may be feeling stuck in their current position an outlet to explore the next step and the ambition needed to move up in the company.

Outside training courses and seminars can be expensive and require companies to dole out hundreds of dollars in travel expenses. The best way to keep costs low is to provide in-house employee training and put existing resources to good use.

An employee mentoring program is one low-cost and effective leadership training idea that can help boost employee engagement. Partner employees with managers and executives and have them shadow each other or work on a project together. Both partners will appreciate the change of pace and the employee will pick up valuable, hands-on leadership training that can’t be found at any off-site workshop.

Times are tough right now for everyone. Providing employees with leadership training opportunities will improve engagement and help your business come out on top when the storm clouds pass.


For more employee engagement ideas, check out these related posts:

Incentives and rewards: Now is the time to act

5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy

Corporate volunteering builds teamwork, improves employee retention

Employee incentive ideas on a budget

5 tips of employee training on a tight budget

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.

Reminder: Corporate training in a recession, free webinar

For everyone who caught our first announcement and to those who may have missed it, we would like to send out a friendly reminder that this Wednesday, October 15, Training Time will be holding a free webinar - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession.

Experienced training professionals will share:

• The typical corporate response to recession and its impact on training
• The priceless value of training during tough economic times
• How to find better training resources at less cost
• How to identify the specific training needs of your company

Whether you’re a supervisor responsible for training your team, an HR professional who regularly presents seminars and classes, or head of training for your company, we encourage you to attend.

Get the most benefit out of every training dollar and join us on Wednesday October 15, 2008 at 1 p.m. EST for Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession. Space is limited, so please reserve your seat now.

Free webinar: Corporate training in a recession

As our economy continues to suffer, corporate budgets are stretched tighter and tighter. Right now it is more important than ever to get the most bang for your buck in every area of your business - including training and development.

In response to a recession, many companies turn to downsizing, eliminating training opportunities and consolidating multiple jobs into one position. Instead of taking the "easy" way out, find creative ways to stretch your training dollar in our free webinar: Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession.

Why training is invaluable during tough times:

• Workers who perform more efficiently with less errors and delays
• Training fosters employee loyalty and encourages development
• Employees taking on extra work can get up to speed more quickly with the proper training
• Training improves morale and employee confidence
• A well trained employee is your best asset

If you are a manager responsible for training your team, an HR professional who regularly presents seminars and classes, or the director of training for your company, this webinar is for you.

Experienced training professionals will share tips and ideas to find better, more cost-effective training opportunities including the pros and cons of in-house versus outside training, the benefits of group versus individualized training, virtual training and tapping into expert talent within your company.

Times may be tough, but good training doesn’t have to be expensive. Now is the worst time to cut back on employee development, according to Management experts like Ram Charan:

“Sacrificing your future for a slightly more comfortable present is not worth it. If you keep building, you can come back strong,” said Charan in Fortune.

Join us on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, at 1 p.m. EST for our free webinar - Squeezing the Most Out of Your Training Budget: Corporate Training in a Recession. Space is limited, so reserve your seat now.

What is the most effective way to recognize and reward employees?

Yesterday, Greg Ryan posted a great question on the HRM Today Social Network Forum asking: “How do you recognize and reward your employees?”

Because employee recognition is a popular topic here at Training Time, I thought it would be interesting to share what some of today’s HR professionals had to say.

A few of the responses support the idea that rewards don’t necessarily have to be grand, lavish gifts. If employees are self-motivated, small and inexpensive forms of recognition like simply telling someone "thank you" can work just as well.

The conversation leads to another question: Can verbal recognition motivate employees just as effectively as expensive, monetary rewards?


From the HRM Today Forum:

Ron explained how no one can motivate others and that motivation must come from within themselves.

“If you hired the right employees into the right jobs and kept a positive motivational environment, they will remain motivated. I always thought that the intrinsic rewards were way more powerful than the extrinsic. Simple thank-you's and immediate verbal recognition works great.”

Dan expands on that idea, saying that a sound compensation strategy is the most important form of employee recognition next to verbal feedback.

“If everyone thinks they are getting a fair shake at the outset leaders only need to maintain this by remembering to give POSITIVE feedback on a consistent basis. I am always amazed how much of a difference this makes.”

Aimee takes a balanced approach:

“A well-deserved "good job" especially in some kind of public setting is great, but when it comes down to it, there should be a system in place to give monetary rewards for going above and beyond. A previous employer of mine had a program where someone could be receive a cash award as recognition for outstanding work on special projects, etc - which was a big motivator for those of us who were not eligible for the company's regular bonus plan.”

And Laurie will take the money whether she’s motivated or not:

“I am definitely rewarded by more money. When I'm no longer motivated, I either ask for more money or find another job that pays more money.”

What do you think? Does employee recognition have to be loud and full of extravagant gifts? Or, can effective recognition be as simple and quiet as saying thank you?

New online tool for low-cost employee training

CareerBuilder.com just launched CBInstitute.com, a new online education site designed to help workers improve job skills with online courses.

The courses are created by leading industry specialists covering such topics as computer skills, language training, business skills, management and leadership training, and sales training. Courses cost about $30 to $50 on average, with a few soft skills courses starting at $9.99 and workers can try out free demos before purchasing.

While developed mainly for people who want to make themselves more attractive during a job search, the site gives employers have the option to enroll current employees in courses.

Even though budgets are tight, there are cost-effective solutions out there like CBInstitute.com that help you keep employee training in-house and current.

In a recent Fortune article, management expert Ram Charan advises companies that may be struggling financially to not cut back on employee development.

“Sacrificing your future for a slightly more comfortable present is not worth it. If you keep building, you can come back strong.”

Especially during an economic downturn, it is more important than ever for businesses to retain existing talent. Offering employees online courses to better their job skills will not online improve productivity and the bottom line, but will also show employees that they are truly valued and the company cares enough to want them to grow professionally.

Has your company cut back on employee training? What solutions have you found that help you continue training employees on a tight budget?

5 tips to build employee morale in a down economy

The economy is down, the unemployment rate is at a four-year high and the cost of commuting is taking a toll on workers across the country. You can’t control the economy and gas prices, but your actions have a direct impact on employee morale at your company.

Especially if you’ve been through a round of layoffs or hiring freezes, keeping morale high for those employees still with the company is one of your top priorities. People who feel they are being treated fairly and honestly by an organization will be more inclined to stick it out, through good financial times or bad.

Happy employees are loyal employees who want to do their best to see the company succeed. Keep them happy and use these five tips to build employee morale in a down economy:

1. Focus on the positive. If all you’re talking about is how bad things are, that’s all your employees will be thinking about. Sympathize with employees, but remain optimistic.

2. Forbid rumors. One tiny lie or piece of conversation taken out of context can wreak havoc on morale. Squelch rumors, however small they may be, as soon as you hear them and encourage employees to do the same.

3. Recognize employees without breaking the bank. Studies show that simple employee incentives work just as well as handing out raises. Read one of our past posts with creative employee incentive ideas on a budget to help you get started.

4. Keep training employees. Employees who participate in company-sponsored training are more loyal and engaged. Training shows employees that the company cares enough to invest time and resources in their career development. Review our tips for employee training on a budget.

5. Start telecommuting. Telecommuting is a proven way to improve employee morale, productivity and retention. By allowing employees to telecommute just one or two days out of the week, you will cut business costs and employee stress.


There’s more than one way to improve sentiments in the workplace, but all involve hard work and dedication. Overlooking the impact of how workers are feeling during tough economic times will drain employee confidence and have many looking for greener pastures. Be careful not to kill morale with promises you can’t deliver on, skimping on necessary business tools or creating distrust among employees.

Tough times will test employee dedication and only the best will stick it out. Ensure you’ve done all you can to keep enthusiasm high, even while the going gets tough.

Learning and development: More carnival fun

The very first learning and development carnival is up at Learn2Develop. Chris Morgan focused the carnival on three main areas: developing and managing talent, learning 2.0, and the credit crunch.

So, take a little trip over to the carnival for a little bit of fun and some great ideas from across the blogosphere. See you there...

5 tips for employee training on a tight budget

The economy is down and the squeeze on your budget gets tighter everyday. Human resources and employee training budgets are the first places companies go to cut down spending, but don’t let go of hope just yet.

With some creative thinking and determination, you can still provide quality employee training even when your budget is taking a hit. Here are five simple tips on how to cut training costs without losing quality:

1. Instead of sending your team to an outside training course, where you have to buy a ticket for each person and pay for travel expenses, find a comparable video training program to bring in house. You can train an entire room full of people for the cost of one video.



2. Enroll your group in online training seminars. Similar to purchasing a video, you can train many for the cost of one and avoid those pesky travel expenses.



3. Find trainers within your organization. In any organization there are those who already play the trainer role. Develop your in-house resources with “Train the Trainer” training programs.



4. Use the company as the classroom. Look at different jobs in the company as training opportunities. If you’re training employees on leadership or teamwork, place employees in new roles around the office for a hands-on learning experience.



5. Become a smart shopper. Use tools like TrainingTime.com to find and compare employee training programs that will work within your budget.

Just because your budget is shrinking, it doesn’t mean the quality of your training and development programs have to shrivel up with it. If you take the time to do some research and get a little creative, your training budget may not look so small after all.

Ideas for everyday training on a budget

Keeping communication lines open and employee training on track during tough times are vital to employee satisfaction. Organizations that communicate effectively are four times as likely to report high levels of employee engagement, according to the 2007/2008 Communication ROI Study by Watson Wyatt.

During times when budgets are strapped, it may take a little creativity and ingenuity to keep daily employee training from falling by the wayside. Some easy communication and information sharing ideas can help you provide valuable employee training.

By implementing just a few simple and cost-effective ideas for everyday training, you can enhance employee communication and boost job satisfaction. Here are a few to get you started:

Start a book club. Get a group together, possibly by department, and select business or career development topics everyone is interested in. Hold club meetings in a large lunchroom or meeting room and order some food. Buy the books at bulk discount and have employees pay their own lunch tab to attend. Generate discussion based on reading topics and allow everyone to share their opinions.

Begin a lunch program. Get employees together for a structured lunch meeting. It could be pizza or a nice lunch downtown, depending on everyone’s workload. Prepare an agenda including the latest industry-related news, interesting new articles and informative websites relevant to your business. Encourage all employees to come to the meeting with discussion topics and opinions. Plan for a question and answer period at the end of the lunch meeting.

Both programs should be completely voluntary, employees may turn away from anything extra curricular they’re asked to do. And remember, keeping it fun and interesting will keep employees coming week after week.