What concerns should you be aware of in managing the training function?

Management of any function in today's highly competitive and changing business environment is demanding and requires discipline, skill, specialized knowledge and dedication. Managing the training function has, in addition to the demands of management, special challenges including:

• Isolation. Trainers may not understand the industry and the business as well as line management thinks they should. Trainers typically seek information, education, development experiences and networking from training groups and may not identify with the industry and business. Trainers may not be visible in the workplace outside of the actual training forum Make sure your trainers understand your business.

• Cost. It's too often true that training budgets are the first to be reduced, outsourced or eliminated. Training programs, whether purchased or designed in-house, typically are expensive. Delivering myriad training and development programs is staff-intensive, and high overhead work is not highly visible.

• Productivity. The conventional wisdom is that every training activity should have a direct and positive relationship to improving the bottom line, or the activity shouldn't be done. In the real world, it's sometimes very difficult to quantify the value of programs. In addition, sometimes programs are mandated by executives or regulatory bodies without initial consideration of the costs. Technology is rapidly out-of-date and costly. Too often programs are offered because they're available and not because they're current and needed.

• Change. Training techniques evolve to use the latest learning theory and research; delivery methods, especially the technology and content of training programs, are constantly changing. Trainees might have the expectation that training must be on top of changes in the business and industry (job-specific), educational and psychological developments, and must adapt training programs and content to changing technology at all times.

• Measurement and evaluation. Traditionally, training programs weren't measured with the same standards, methodology and rigor as line activities. Not only does this cause resentment by line managers and supervisors, its unfair to investors and owners to spend dollars using unequal standards of value.

• Professionalism. Trainers are specialized HR staff (whether a part of the human resources function or not) and must accept the demands of confidentiality, objectivity and commitment required of human resources.

• Perception of value. Too many managers and supervisors do not perceive that trainers add value equal to the cost of the training function.