At HGS, you don’t just hire a team, you invest in a future. In an office that fosters a fun and engaging work environment, while also offering quality professional offshore training. We strive to go beyond providing talent; we offer a personalised development roadmap that takes your business to leaps and bounds of success. Through this, we hope to journey with you as we empower your team to unlock their full potential.
Today, we are lucky to hear from HGS’s Training & Quality Supervisor, Zein Mariano! She, alongside her fantastic Training & Quality (TNQ) Team, gives us a low-down on the ins and outs of offshore training. Of course, we will start by knowing how the offshore training process works.
The Offshore Training Way
1. What are the Gaps? Effective communication is the cornerstone of our training process. In understanding your team’s needs, Our TNQ Team conducts surveys on both the offshore team and the clients to identify the gaps that need to be closed. After all, our training process is a systematic approach that emphasises needs-based training.
2. Let’s Pick a Program. The survey data forms the bedrock of our training program decisions. We target the training program based on data analysis, as well as the supplemental activities to facilitate learning. This ensures that the offshore teams’ learning experience is tailored to the identified gaps and needs.
3. Client Coordination. We don’t do cookie-cutter approaches. Our dedicated TNQ team closely collaborates with you to better personalise the program to seamlessly integrate with your business’s unique goals. We also align your teams’ schedules to facilitate feasible and tangible results.
4. Training Time! Equipped with the understanding of your team’s needs and your goals, our TNQ team conducts the training program based on the chosen mode, schedule, and duration.
5. Let’s Evaluate. The TNQ team “[follows] Kirkpatrick’s methods of evaluation,” which we will discuss further in the article. The team gathers further data through diagnostic assessments, and asks clients for feedback. This keeps our TNQ team consistently improving through actionable insights.
Collaborating with Training for your Offshore Team
Zein and her team conduct an annual needs analysis for you and your team. “As the results are shared with the client managers, we are also given insight on some behaviours of the staff that uncovers hidden needs.” These hidden needs may range from skill gaps to productivity training. To leverage this analysis, Zein urges businesses to truly collaborate and openly communicate their needs.
Open communication is the secret sauce to pinpointing goals and delivering impactful programs. “[It] is extremely important, as it encompasses probing into [your] needs, and for us to provide relevant training programs.” Openly discussing and fostering a dynamic partnership with the TNQ team ensures that your team performs to your standard. For this, you’d need to evaluate your training considerations.
Before Training: What to Consider
According to Zein, businesses need to first discuss the teams’ pain points. These pain points may range from technical issues such as skill gaps, to soft skill issues like productivity or professional behaviour.
Once gaps are identified, ask “Is training the appropriate solution to fill in those gaps?” While professional training offers undeniable value, it’s not the only path to enhancing your team’s skills. Our offshore training team can connect you with a rich tapestry of local workshops, programs, and initiatives, helping you choose the most effective approach for your needs.
Ways to Facilitate Training
Effective training demands a tailored approach. There are a lot of modes available, each with its strengths and weaknesses. It’s best to learn about each to make informed decisions that drive impactful learning.
Facilitator-Led Mode
A staple in the field of Training, “[Facilitator-Led programs give] that human touch that one cannot get from online learning modules.” Here, the instructor leads the learning experience during a live and interactive training session. Think of the usual school classroom or lecture.
Strengths:
- Facilitator-led classes act as a great avenue to demonstrate foundational skills in real-time.
- Not everyone learns at the same speed. The discussion pacing can easily be adjusted based on the observed sense of understanding by the trainees.
- Easy to facilitate collaboration between other trainees to learn different perspectives and ensure cohesiveness of learning.
Weaknesses:
- Not ideal for trainees who prefer self-paced learning.
- May be limited and inconsistent if schedules are consistently in schedules.
- Takes up hours that are dedicated to work.
Online Module Mode
Here, trainees progress through interactive digital modules designed for specific skills or knowledge areas, at their own pace and on their own schedule.
Strengths:
- Visual learners and individuals with hearing impairments can enjoy the accessibility of online modules.
- Trainees can return to the materials, reread, and take notes whenever it suits their learning schedules.
Weaknesses:
- It is not as effective for those who prefer guided or kinaesthetic learning.
- May also be less effective for those who prefer non-technology-based learning.
Blended Mode
This approach blends real-time, facilitator-led sessions with interactive online materials. It gives the trainee the flexibility to learn independently while benefiting from training guidance.
Strengths
- Not only does this mode require self-learning management, but it also cultivates this ability, equipping you for lifelong learning.
Weakness
- Much like online modes, those who struggle with purely online learning environments will find it challenging to adjust to the digital modules.
Measuring the Training Success
Sure, the success of a training program depends on its specific goals. But regardless of its focus, general signs of a positive impact are fantastic indicators.
We previously mentioned Kirkpatrick’s methods of evaluation. Developed in 1959 by Donald Kirkpatrick, the Kirkpatrick Four-Level Training Evaluation model is a globally recognised standard to test the effectiveness of training and learning initiatives.
The Kirkpatrick Levels of Training Evaluation
Level 1: Reaction. The main goal for this level is to see if the trainees found the program delivery to be relevant and engaging. This guides any improvements in the design or delivery of our programs through surveys or feedback forms.
Level 2: Learning. This assesses if the trainees gained knowledge that was intended by the program. Methods of assessment involve quizzes and practical exams. We recommend pre and post-tests to effectively assess trainees.
Level 3: Behaviour. This level focuses on behaviour, not just knowledge. Zein states that “...a training program is successful if the learnings are applied and there is a change in the participants’ behaviour.” It’s the ultimate gauge of training effectiveness. This requires a significant amount of post-training period where skills can be observed to assess change.
Level 4: Results. This level assesses how effectively training translates into positive changes for the organisation. Zein uses a customer service trainee as a case study. If the staff has changed in behaviour and increased Customer Satisfaction scores, “[and it eventually results] in customer retention or increase in sales, then that contributes to the ROI.”
Offshore Training and You: The Ultimate Collaboration
Zein and her Training and Quality Team leave us with one tip. According to Zein, “Communication and collaboration are the foundations of any undertaking to make [training] successful”. We may have mentioned it multiple times, but collaboration is truly what makes training effective. Communication between you and your provider, you and your team, your team and your provider.
Don’t settle for a static team. Maximise the value of your offshore partnership by partnering with HGS. We value your teams’ development by fostering a patient and collaborative culture of mutual success. Contact HGS today, and invest in the team that will empower your business dreams.
