Sheridan Webb offers five suggestions to keep training alive and kicking during difficult financial times.

1. Adopt a flexible approach. Embrace methods such as distance learning, buddying, secondments, action-learning and coaching to meet clearly specified development needs.

2. Go for 'bite-sized' learning events. Taking people out of the business for two-to-three hours is cost effective, and won't disrupt the business (how many pointless meetings last this long?).

3. Use internal trainers where possible. Get your hands on good quality training material and train your own staff to deliver basic training sessions.

4. Keep it local. Use local trainers and run events where the delegates are based. Do we really need to be spending money on travel and 4 star hotels?

5. Prioritise development needs. Use the Pareto principle to identify the 20% of development that will bring about 80% of the results, and ask people to demonstrate how investment in their learning benefits the business.

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Training through a recession

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