Building a skilled and adaptable workforce is the cornerstone of success for any organization. Yet, the path to achieving this goal often presents hurdles, especially when it comes to training delivery. Many companies opt to develop and maintain in-house specialized training teams to equip their employees with critical knowledge and skills. However, this route is not without its challenges. From resource constraints and expertise limitations to complex logistics and training schedules, organizations frequently find themselves grappling with obstacles that can hinder effective training delivery.

This article will delve into the common challenges organizations face when relying solely on in-house training teams and explore how collaborating with a strategic training delivery partner can help overcome these obstacles and foster optimal employee development.

Relying Solely on In-House Trainers to Educate Your Workforce Comes With Challenges

Some of the common challenges that companies might face include:

• Resource and time constraints can lead to burnout. In-house trainers often have multiple responsibilities beyond training and can struggle to allocate the significant time and effort required to develop and deliver effective training programs, particularly during busy periods. The consistent challenge of balancing training duties with regular job roles can result in inadequate time and attention dedicated to training and can lead to trainer burnout.
• Gaps in objectivity, diversity and expertise. In-house trainers are likely closely connected to the company’s culture and process, which is a positive overall, but can lead to a lack of objectivity in training. In-house trainers may have limited exposure to different training techniques, technologies or industry trends, which can hinder the effectiveness of training, especially for a diverse workforce. Similarly, organizations often leverage internal subject matter experts to deliver training, but being an expert in a particular field doesn’t necessarily translate to being skilled in facilitating learning for others.
• Cost and retention. Creating effective and engaging training materials and curricula requires instructional design expertise, and in-house trainers may lack the skills to design effective training programs that align with adult learning principles. Developing and maintaining a well-rounded in-house training team that includes instructional design expertise can be expensive and retaining high-performing team members becomes critical, even during economic downturns. The cost of hiring, training, salaries, benefits and infrastructure can sometimes outweigh the benefits of having in-house trainers.
• Scalability challenges. In-house training teams can struggle to accommodate sudden increases in training demand or changes in business priorities, making scalability a challenge. In fast-paced corporate environments and today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, training can often take a backseat to immediate business needs, resulting in training being deprioritized or postponed.

Consider a Hybrid Approach to Solve These Challenges.

To mitigate these challenges, companies can consider a hybrid approach, where in-house trainers work in collaboration with external training delivery partners. This approach can leverage the strengths of both options while addressing some of the limitations associated with relying solely on in-house trainers.

Here are 10 reasons to collaborate with a strategic training delivery partner:

• Cost-effectiveness. Developing and maintaining an in-house training team can be costly. Hiring trainers, providing continuous professional development for them, and investing in training materials and technology can add up. Training delivery partners can offer their services on a contract basis, which can be more cost-effective in the long run.
• Expertise and specialization. Training delivery partners often specialize in specific areas, industries or training methods. They bring a depth of expertise and experience that may be lacking in an in-house training team. This expertise can lead to more effective and impactful training sessions.
• Diverse skill set. A training delivery partner often has a diverse pool of trainers with different skill sets and backgrounds. This can be particularly valuable for delivering specialized or technical training where a variety of expertise is needed.
• External perspective. An external training partner brings an outsider’s perspective to the training process. This can help identify blind spots, offer fresh insights and avoid internal biases that might exist with in-house trainers.
• Training needs can fluctuate based on business cycles or project requirements. A training delivery partner can quickly scale their services up or down based on the company’s needs, providing flexibility that an in-house team might struggle to achieve.
• Time efficiency. Developing and delivering high-quality training programs requires time and effort. A training delivery partner can expedite the process by leveraging their existing resources and expertise, allowing your company to focus on its core operations.
• Scalability. If your company is expanding or undergoing changes such as the implementation of new software, you might need to train a large number of employees quickly. A training delivery partner can often handle such large-scale training initiatives more efficiently and help balance risks from external factors outside of your control, such as slippage in the implementation date for new software leading to training rollout delays.
• Global reach. If your company operates in multiple locations or has an international presence, a training delivery partner can help ensure consistent training experiences across different regions.
• Access to new techniques and technologies. Training delivery partners are often up to date with the latest training methodologies, technologies and tools. They can bring innovative approaches to training that might not be readily available within an in-house team.
• Risk mitigation. If a training program doesn’t go as planned, the company isn’t solely responsible for the outcome. A training delivery partner shares the responsibility for the program’s success and can collaborate on improvements if needed.

In summary, engaging a strategic training delivery partner can be a cost-effective way to overcome common training challenges and allow organizations to capitalize on specialized expertise and global scalability. Ultimately, the decision to leverage a training delivery partner comes down to your company’s specific needs, resources and goals. It’s essential to carefully assess your options and to thoughtfully select a strategic training delivery partner who will support your long-term goals. Determine the approach that will best help you meet your company’s desired learning outcomes, at the lowest cost and with the greatest efficiency, in order to create a training delivery strategy that is flexible to fluctuating and evolving learning needs and helps drive the overall success of your organization.