In these tough economic times, with businesses expecting greater focus on improving the business numbers, it is suprising that training managers are not delivering training that will enable their managers to understand the commercial realities and make smarter business decisions. From my discussions with many Directors, form some of the UK's largest companies, it seems they are keen for this to happen but there still seems to be little appetitie within the training department to add commercial awareness and business acumen courses to their standard training programmes - any ideas why this may be?
Gyffard Yates
2 Responses
Appetite for business and commercial training
Gyffard,
You raise an interesting point. However, in my experience the training departments DO want to increase awareness and develop skills on business and commercial issues in order to enable managers to be better informed and make effective decisions. In talking to them, its the Directors or budget controllers who fail to see the commercial value in doing so!
We provide a number of courses on business awareness and leadership/management development and in the current climate are finding the desire is there from staff and HR departments – but they are being told to focus their efforts on improving performance by increased productivity, reducing costs or increasing client base.
It would seem there is a need to educate the Financial Directors of the short and long term benefits!
Would be keen to hear others experiences though.!
Lee
funding?
I agree with your comments. Whilst reading the latest edition of ‘People management’ it struck me how nearly all training focus was on government funded schemes, such as T2G. I’m sure that these schemes are useful, but they are not appropriate for everyone.
I would like to see business-focussed (generally) and industry/company specific training getting more PR. getting basic (general) skills may be good for individuals, but businesses surely want learning that deliveres tangible results to their bottom line, and quickly! Sadly, this sort of training must be funded by businesses, who are having to watch their spending at the moment.
…or am I hopelessly out of touch?