Multi-Site Training Foresight
June 23, 2008
How do you consistently train across multiple sites within your organization? Kindred Healthcare takes a four step approach: communication, education, implementation, and monitoring.
By Patti Bischof and Debbie Pottinger
Imagine how efficient operations would be if training were consistent across multiple sites within your organization. Many companies are facing the challenge of training hundreds of employees globally to use a new system or teach a new process. When considering the enormous scope of conquering multi-site training, you must keep in mind the ultimate goal: effective training that ensures desired outcomes. With a quest to reach our goal and be an organization that is consistent, predictable, and transparent, we quickly recognized the benefits of standardization.
But how do you determine what instructional design model is most appropriate for your company's needs? We face this dilemma daily at Kindred Healthcare, a large health-care services company with more than 52,000 employees dispersed across the U.S.
Kindred's Hospital Division addresses the challenge of communicating, coordinating, and training thousands of field staff by taking a four step approach: communication, education, implementation, and monitoring. This plan allows us to assure a standard approach that delivers a comprehensive and consistent message.
Communication
Communication can make or break any one of these four phases. That's why a good communication plan is essential to the success of training or project implementation. A well-considered and implemented communication plan provides a framework for ensuring that information is shared effectively with appropriate audiences in a timely manner.
The ultimate goal of our communication plan at Kindred is to get the word out to our employees in order to make the most of the initiative. Since we are imparting something of value—whether it is training or a new project—we want the initiative to be recognized and used. We may have the best project or educational program in the world, but if nobody knows about it, it has little value. The communication plan makes our efforts more effective and efficient and keeps us focused on our ultimate goal.
Our communication plan identifies the audience, content, method, and time line and allows us to proactively address any potential barriers. In addition, a communication plan supports our company's change management process.
Education
The education plan helps to provide answers to important questions such as who will provide the training, where, how, when, and what will be included in the content. Answering these questions allows us to determine if the initiative requires a new training program, further education of an existing program, or assessment of competency and appropriate training methodologies. The budget necessary for implementation is determined based on the education plan. Training materials are reviewed to ensure content is applicable, interesting, and sustainable to our staff. A realistic education plan is a successful one.
Implementation
The implementation plan helps us to establish a time line, decide what must be achieved, and assign responsibilities. It is essential to establish a realistic and implementable time line. Depending upon the scope of the project, the time line will vary from a couple of weeks to several years. At Kindred, we use a project management tool to determine the time line. This tool considers the tasks, duties, and hierarchical dependencies for all participants.
This is useful in managing the process and defining responsibility and accountability for work that must be completed. We consistently evaluate our time line to ensure we are on target and make adjustments as necessary.
Monitoring
It is imperative to monitor project progress from beginning to completion. This component allows the project to come full circle through evaluating the outcome of the initiative. The monitoring process includes identifying the criteria and methodology for evaluating and monitoring post implementation. The plan should identify the program areas that will be reviewed and should define methods for obtaining and incorporating participant feedback, as well as detailed procedures for communicating results. At Kindred, we use a variety of monitoring methods based upon the project or training we are implementing. Some of the methods we incorporate are program evaluations, follow-up surveys, training impact evaluation, and return on investment. We accomplish this through observation of staff on the job and review of the initiative in regard to the impact of training on organizational productivity and our strategic plan.
This model has become our road map to success because it allows us to achieve our goals of consistency, predictability, and transparency and makes our approach to multi-site training a "smooth ride." Design your own road map for success, and enjoy the trip.
Patti Bischof, MSN, RN, director of Education and Training, HD, and Debbie Pottinger, BSH, RRT, education specialist are employed by Kindred Healthcare, Inc., a health-care services company based in Louisville, KY, with annual revenues of more than $4 billion and 52,900 employees. As of March 31, 2008, Kindred through its subsidiaries provided health-care services in 646 locations in 40 states. For more information, visit www.kindredhealthcare.com.
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