4 global training and development strategies that work
Clarke Ricks School of Business,
Liberty University
BUSI 690: Policy and Strategy in Global Competition
Dr. Hicks
May 7, 2022
4 global training and development strategies that work
What is global training?
The differentiating factor is that your content and strategies have to be designed to cater to
a much wider audience – as opposed to a specific employee group or workforce demographic.
With teams composed of workers from all over the world, your global training
and development strategies have to be attuned to address the learning needs of all learners.
This is the point where issues arise – designing effective training and development approaches
for a diverse workforce.
There have to be specific strategies to employ if you want to effectively train your global
workforce.
Issues and Challenges of Managing a Global Workforce
There are expected challenges when you train employees from different parts of the globe.
While the advantages of having a diverse workforce will always trump its drawbacks, things do
get ‘lost in translation’ when you employ global training and development strategies.
For example, sending a distinct message through global training and development programs
can be quite a tedious task. Your learners speak different languages, come from different
cultures, and live in different time zones. There is also the obstacle of high training costs. The
cost of training a global workforce will always be much higher than that of training employees
locally. Technology can also be another factor because not every region has the technological
capacity to handle online courses or training materials.
But how can you overcome all the obstacles?
4 Strategies for Training Your Global Workforce
When you handle a global workforce, you need to formulate global training and
development strategies to address the aforementioned challenges. In this process, there are
four things that you might want to think about.
These four considerations will greatly determine your approach to global training and will
also map out your priorities. Each option has its own pros and cons too. So, you might want to
take a closer look at each option and examine the possible repercussions before committing to
a specific strategy.
Strategy 1: Standardized Approach for ALL Topics
The first strategy is to implement one learning approach for all topics that will apply to all
regions. Your course delivery and design will follow one standard method – online learning, for
example. Moreover, all courses will utilize one language and will all have the same content.
This approach makes content creation easier and less costly because a team from global
headquarters can take care of the entire training process. This does come at the expense of
addressing the different contexts of your learners. However, when you’re working on a tight
budget on a very short timeline, this option becomes the only choice – most of the time.
Strategy 2: Standardized Approach for EACH Topic
Another strategy entails using one learning approach for each topic across all regions. This
means that every course is still standard across the entire enterprise – local or overseas.
Every topic though can differ in the method of delivery. This gives you more flexibility when
it comes to designing courses. For example, some topics can be taken through a learning
management system while others can be a mix of on-the-job learning and face to face
instruction.
Taking on this strategy makes course creation less complicated as each course will be
delivered in one standardized approach. The main challenge is ensuring that the same message
is conveyed throughout all regions.
Always take note that there are preferred learning methodologies for every region or
culture. When it comes to learning approaches, what successfully works for one region doesn’t
necessarily mean it will be successful in another. Also, note that you would need to ensure that
facilitators from all regions are calibrated when it comes to the delivery of the courses.
Strategy 3: Standardized Learning Objectives, Bespoke Regional Approach and Content
The third strategy is to implement one set of learning objectives using different
methodologies and content for employees in all regions.
This does seem like an obvious choice. Learning objectives and required skills should come
standard across the entire organization – no matter where employees are in the world.
Moreover, content should also be further customized to address specific languages and
cultures.
For example, a course on Quality Compliance is dictated by global HQ. North American and
Australian sites will utilize an online learning method through an LMS. The course for Southeast
Asian sites, on the other hand, will be delivered through face-to-face instruction.
This approach is more time-consuming and would require a greater amount of resources to
execute. Each region would need to have a dedicated team or point person whose biggest
responsibility is translating the learning objectives into approaches and content that are more
relevant to the learners.
Strategy 4: Bespoke Learning Objectives and Content per Region
The fourth strategy is to implement different learning goals and content in all regions – with
direction from global HQ’s training and development team.
This means that every course is customized to suit a specific need of a target audience or
region. From the learning objectives, to the approach and content, everything will be tailor-fit
to the learners. The global training team would take on more of an ‘auditor’ role – ensuring that
learning objectives, approaches, and content still fit into the organization’s requirements.
While this is another obvious choice, this option requires a tremendous amount
of collaboration between teams separated by geographical differences. To add, a lot of effort is
required to pull this off – with most of the time and resources usually spent in the back-and-
forth between the local and HQ training teams.
Another dilemma is giving complete autonomy to your regional learning teams. Since most
topics will be dependent on a region’s learning needs, each region can, therefore, have its own
collection of courses. Global headquarters might find it challenging to keep track of everything
that is going on.
Is online learning the answer to implementing effective global training and development
strategies?
We have emphasized how online learning through an LMS can be one of the instructional
methods for a global workforce. However, is it the answer to making your training and
developing your global workforce more effective?
For example, getting an LMS can produce tremendous savings on training costs. Instead of
sending trainers (or learners) all across the globe, you can move all your training online. When
it comes to global training and development strategies, an LMS solves issues on location, time,
and even language.
Having an LMS for also allows you to scale your courses. You get to reach more people with
less cost, effort, and resources as compared to traditional face-to-face training. Moreover, an
LMS will also allow you to track training completion, issue certifications, and manage your
learners easier.
Having an LMS does not guarantee that you get to address each of your global learners’
needs nor does it promise to make your courses more effective.
What it does give you, though, is an advantage by providing a medium to easily reach out to
your global audience. That, in itself, is already taking a great, big step, in the right direction
when it comes to training and developing your global workforce.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet when it comes to global training.
So, when you choose a global training strategy to implement, always remember to put
three big things into consideration: your resources, your learners, and the role of your global
training team. Your strategy needs to balance these three aspects to ensure that you get the
most out of your global training and development programs.
Summary: Last year companies spent $70 billion on training and development. But as much
as businesses understand the importance of upskilling their employees, how effective is it? Can
you actually see a return on your investment? That’s where training and development
initiatives are vital. It’s one thing to center on training but it’s quite another to have a clear
strategy.
So how can you make your program effective for employees and managers? Here are
some strategic training and development initiatives to consider.
1. Choose a modern learning platform
Probably the most important key to conducting training and development programs for
employees successfully is how to go about your training. A great way to create this atmosphere
is with a modern learning management system.
With the purpose of employee long-term development, training and development
initiatives can be created individually or with the help of a learning management system.
Orientations, workshops, lectures, case studies, simulations, and computer-based training
(including e-learning) are all common training methods.
Continu's all-in-one learning platform will enable all your training and development
initiatives for employees to be housed in a single platform. This makes accessing files or
programs easy and flexible depending on an employee’s schedule. Plus, Continu can be set up
to foster communication and learning among team members which will bode well for these
new generational workers.
Here are other Continu features that can help with enterprise training and development:
eLearning authoring tools
Course creation and learning tracks
Personalized training programs
Training tracking software
Host webinars and workshops
Cloud-based, online learning platform
Import or upload learning and training resources
Measure employee training effectiveness
And much more...
2. Industry training conferences
No matter what industry you are in, there are conferences, seminars and talks pertaining to
key topics. A good example of a training initiative is to take advantage of these. If you are a
larger company, consider signing up employees for one of these in-person conferences. Plus,
there are also training conferences to help managers learn better team management skills.
If you are a smaller company or even a start-up and have limited budget, there are many
online or virtual conferences. These don’t come with the hotel and airfare fees and are still
great options for gaining needed skills.
3. Professional training organizations
There are training memberships (like ATD) and industry organizations that can offer a
wealth of information. By becoming members, your employees get access to webinars, white
papers and more on key industry topics.
This is one of the development initiatives employees can invest in on their own time. By
simply opting in for daily or weekly emails, employees can see what topics are trending and
choose what to read to supplement their existing knowledge.
4. Training and development books
For topics that are more complex or require more dedicated time, training books are great
resources. Create a list of suggested books to read with download links, if available. You can
then incentivize this initiative further by creating a company book club.
Team members would read the same book and then discuss it over a dedicated time like a
lunch and learn. Not only will this help enforce the topics learned, but it will offer different
perspectives and collaboration between employees. This can further drive new key skills
learned.
5. Mentorship programs
Employee onboarding is a great way to get team members up and running within your
organization. However, once they step foot in the door, it’s nice to have a more senior team
member to provide answers casually. A mentorship program is one of the training and
development initiatives that can really integrate a new employee quickly.
Mentors can help teach new skills and give the ins and outs unique to a given company.
Plus, this relationship offers a fresh dynamic than a supervisor or a co-worker offering a
different viewpoint that is often needed.
6. Guest speakers
While it’s important to hear from company leaders how the company is doing and to
communicate key objectives, it’s equally as nice to listen to industry experts or even clients.
These training and development keynote speakers can give advice on a certain subject matter,
key skill or speak to challenges they experience on a day to day basis.
This offers a different perspective and can help drive employee development. Plus, it will
strengthen these outside relationships, making it a win for all involved.
7. Lunchtime learning sessions
Lunch and learns are another great idea for employee training and development. Select a
few topics that are beneficial to a wide group of employees and invite everyone to bring lunch
while they listen.
This is an informal way to train employees and also a great setting for peers to discuss what
they have heard once the speaker is finished.
8. Social media
There are many great social media platforms where training materials can be found like
LinkedIn Learning, Quora or YouTube tutorials.
Incorporating social media into your program will give your employees a wider range or
topics to learn.
9. Training blogs and industry publications
Although the days of subscribing to hardcover trade magazines may be gone, there are
several online resources for training and development worth exploring. Making a list of top
blogs to follow, both from hard industry skills as well as soft skills like keys to great corporate
communication, are great for a well-rounded development initiative.
Also, many trade publications can now be found online and offer another valuable source of
industry information in terms of upcoming trends to watch.
10. Engaging training program design
Training not only has to teach, but it has to hold an employee’s interest. Otherwise, it will
simply be a motion and new skills learned will soon be forgotten. So take time to look at your
training program design.
How can you enhance your modules? For example, can you use more multi-media like video
or voice overs or interactive training sessions? Or maybe you need to examine your system for
training. Could the user-interface be more engaging or the navigation tightened a bit? Looking
at these factors through the eyes of your employees will help overall knowledge retention. And
the more employees learn on the job, the better they will perform.
11. Incorporate blended learning
Although there is a general trend of moving online as technology advances, there is a place
for in-person training. So training and development programs for employees should include
some form of blended learning. This may look different company to company, but every
organization will have skills that are best learned in person and are learned better online.
For example, if customer service needs to learn a new product to field customer questions,
this training may work best in a classroom setting. That way, they can walk through the process
themselves which will help them better explain it to customers.
12. Learning styles
When you give someone directions, do you do so by mile markers or do you give visual
clues like turn at the corner gas station? Although both sets of directions get you to the same
end location, they are two different styles. Learning styles also vary person to person so it’s
important to remember this when developing a training program.
Since not all employees are going to be one type of learner solely, it’s best to create a wide
range of training and development programs for employees. That way, no matter what learning
style an employee has, the training material will be absorbed.
13. Training styles
Training can get monotonous and when it does, employees often tune out. A good way to
keep everyone focused and retaining information is to vary training styles.
For example, there is peer to peer training, gamification in training and role playing. By
using different methods like these, it keeps topics fresh, employees look forward to training and
information learned actually gets used in day to day operations.
14. Employee coaching
As we’ve said before, there is a push for making training more individualized per each
employee. That’s why one of the effective training and development initiatives is employee
coaching. Even if you don’t have the budget to hire a third-party coach, you can still use the
same principles and assign a manager this responsibility.
The goal is for the coach to walk employees through goals set by the organization as well as
their personal on-the-job goals. Then, together they can create a plan for meeting these
through the necessary training and development.
Not only does this clearly communicate what is expected of each employee, but it puts a
plan in place for adding training value for each individual. So it’s a win-win for both employees
and companies.
15. Recognition and awards
Another way to improve training and development is through employee recognition. This
offers a motivating factor for completing training and also builds healthy competition. For
example, employees could earn badges for training completed or an online board of top
performers could be displayed for the company.
Awards and recognition could also be tangible. Employees could earn an extra personal day
or receive a gift card. Whatever the vehicle is, the end goal is to recognize employees who go
the extra mile during the training process.
16. Employee and manager feedback
No training or development initiatives are complete without improvement. Training
modules need to let the learner know why they are learning what they are being presented.
What do employees do if they have issues understanding what is being taught and where
they can express to peers what they got out of the training. With this said, building in online
forums and chat rooms helps elicit employee feedback during training.
On the other hand, getting feedback from employees on what can be further improved
during the training process is equally as important. Creating an employee training survey and
asking questions about training design, delivery, access to information and skills learned is
extremely valuable to tweaking the process.
Plus, including some open ended questions about how training can be improved is also
valuable. You may get some great ideas for improvements you had not considered plus
employees will be more vested in training they had a hand in creating.
