Training and Motivation (#180)
/In this podcast episode, we cover getting the best out of staff, which training to focus on and how to deal with those people who just want to keep doing the same thing. Key points made are noted below.
Training Needs by Position
The accounting department requires lots of training for people at the top of the department hierarchy, and much less for those beneath it. For example, a tax manager needs a lot of ongoing training. Conversely, a billing clerk requires much less training. Therefore, classify each position in terms of the amount of training needed, and act accordingly.
Dealing with Employee Needs
Many employees do not want to change, which is entirely acceptable. These people deal with less grief, less travel, and have more personal time. The manager needs to honor this decision by employees. These people probably do not want to be promoted, and so should not be.
Separate out the achiever group from the mass of employees, and focus primarily on their needs. As for everyone else, they do not like change. Accordingly, use pilot projects that are run by achievers and staffed by everyone else, give them enough money to ensure success, and support these projects for as long as it takes. Doing so enhances the skills of everyone on a project team.
When to Upgrade the Staff
When there no hope of altering the department at all, then completely modify a major process and staff it with new people. The whole point is to upgrade the staff. Only have your achievers interview candidates for these new hires, to ensure that the best new people are brought in.
When employees are really refusing to go along with changes and they have been with the company a long time, they need to leave the company as soon as possible. The reason is that they have a large amount of influence within the company. Otherwise, changing anything takes forever.
Wholesale staff replacements are usually needed. Otherwise, a gradual staff overhaul results in new hires behaving just like the existing staff.
Dealing with Deadline Problems
When people cannot meet deadlines, consider altering their jobs to avoid the need for deadlines. For example, take a person away from producing financial statements and move her into cost accounting instead.