Virtual Training- Pros and Cons?

[Joe Marconi]

Premium Member Content 

This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.

[rpllib]

A year and a half ago, my lead tech, in his early 50's),  came to me and said he was done, after 30 years with us. He had an especially frustrating few weeks with diags that did not go well. He knew he couldn't quit working, as he has young children still at home, but he was going to find something less frustrating, even if it meant taking a big pay cut. He had already discussed it with his wife, and they were in agreement that they would do whatever was necessary to get him out of this industry, that he felt he was too old to manage any longer. 

I could tell he did not want to quit, he could just not see any way out of this frustrating situation. We made a few small changes, one of which was to implement 1 hour virtual(mostly) or live(occasionally) training sessions weekly, with all techs, grouped by primary job duties.

I see this as a retention and growth tool. If nothing else, it puts the owner in front of them weekly to discuss any variety of opportunities/challenges, and provides them an opportunity to express concerns in an open environment without front counter involvement, well training on actual  challenges we are seeing in our shop. 

It serves to help me understand the difference between what my techs want and what my leadership wants from them. Here is some data regarding this thought, that came across my desk recently:

Essentially the survey discussed in the article shows what aspect of employment managers believe is important to staff,  and then the comparison of that list,  to what 396,000 employees answered as most important to them 

 

The answers given by managers were ranked as:

1. Good wages
2. Good benefits
3. Job security
4. Promotion opportunities
5. Good working conditions
6. Ample time off for personal reasons
7. Good training
8. Appreciation of work
9. Sympathetic help/leniency for personal problems
10. Effective leadership

VS.

 

the following answers have been given by 396,000 employees who have taken SESCO’s Employee/Management Satisfaction Survey:

1. Appreciation for work done
2. Feeling “in” on things
3. Fairness/no favoritism
4. Job security
5. Good benefits
6. Good wages
7. Promotion and growth opportunities
8. Good working conditions
9. Effective communications
10. Sympathetic assistance on personal problems/flexibility

 

There is probably lessons for many of us here. Me for sure.

 

sescomgt.com/sesco-report

[Joe Marconi]

Premium Member Content 

This content is hidden to guests, one of the benefits of a paid membership. Please login or register to view this content.