The American economy is progressively service-based, meaning that human capital is one of the most important resources a company can have. So, hiring top talent and effectively training them is the most important thing to do.
Many companies have some internal training & employee development programs, but some incorporate external training resources. Here, we have input from the experts we have discussed.
New Perspective
One of the drawbacks of internal trainers can be that they are internal. Internal staff trains people on changes in the industry. The internal staff unavoidably have their perspectives colored by their experiences in the organization that the trainer and trainee both work for – which means they could be missing out on significant external environment instances.
After all, the fact that a company is offering training on all emerging world trends suggests the organization recognizes it is not as updated as it could be. In such cases, bringing in somebody with external expertise and perspective may make sense.
The Cost
Many people may disagree, but the cost is one of the most important and apparent reasons most companies avoid hiring resources from outside. Why not utilize staff on the payroll already?
Employers should keep the cost of internal training in mind, including taking time away from internal subject matter experts or employing full-time training personnel.
Sensitive Topics and Relationships
We must understand and consider the sensitivity of the training subject and the dynamics of the trainee/trainer relationships. For instance, most companies favor external trainers for offering training to top executives. It can get a little awkward for the trainer and trainee when moderately low-level staff instruct company leadership on the topic.
Trainers may hold back, afraid to be seen as the “talking down” to some top officials on whom their success in the company depends. The executives may observe a lack of integrity in the staff that works numerous management coats below themselves.
Correspondingly, training any organization’s level on any sensitive topic helps to have an external resource engaged. Workplace civility, management issues, or sexual harassment are better suited for external resources. The cases are a little more sensitive and require a subject and delivery expert to bring expertise and credibility.
Fit
We have already discussed enough to know that there are pros and cons of external and internal training – all we must consider is the best fit for a given situation. For instance, the same community may believe it makes the most sense to use internal staff to train new hires on the bank’s customer services and relationship-building tactics when bringing in external industry experts to help educate the team at all levels.
Understanding that cost should not be a “fit” factor element is essential. Option A costs more than B and does not impact if option A fits a training needs better. We don’t mean that cost is unnecessary, just that it should be weighed against the fit and must be considered independently of cost concerns.
Eventually, a company may choose internal vs. external training for cost motives even if it identifies that the outer option is better in the perfect world with unlimited financial resources. The effort, time, and help put into employee training can pay off significantly – whether in the form of more outstanding quality and efficiency or avoiding expensive mistakes or errors in judgment.
All in All
It is nearly impossible to make a blanket statement on whether the training should be directed by staff or outside personnel. Internal and external, both environments have their places within the organization, and corporations must consider the underlying requirements when considering which is the best option.
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