Have
a big idea? Dreaming of ‘Kab Banega Crore pati’?
Driving down the road…and flash! You hit upon an idea that
could change the world. An idea that will put you into the annals
of history as a pioneer…but how and where do you start? I’ll
help you find out.
Training
options for the entrepreneur
Training
– a must?
A
significant business strategy that is often ignored by start-ups
is Training. Businesses are becoming more service-oriented than
ever before and are paying a high premium on training. Hence the
need to be specially equipped for the challenges it imposes becomes
a necessity. Operating
in a knowledge economy, start-ups need to realise that the “grey
capital” and the skills of the employees are valuable assets.
It is thus essential for training to be included in the short
and long term plans of an organisation in order to keep in touch
with the changing market scenario.
If need be
Most entrepreneurs are faced with financial restrictions, which
do not allow them to invest a lot in training. In such situations,
entrepreneurs need to use their discretion. They should provide
training only if there is an ample need for it, and it should
be restricted to the employees who need it the most. The contents
of this article could also be included in the training package.
Baltic- a company in the manufacturing business felt it’s
competitor had eaten into it’s market by providing a similar
product at a better quality. Baltic ramped up the process and
removed the glitches by providing training to the employees who
handled that particular machine. This increased both the quality
and productivity exponentially.
Reactionary training may not be the best way to combat change.
To minimise risk, entrepreneurs should to have a regular and planned
training regime in place to be able to bridge the gaps between
current skill sets and desired skill levels.
On-the-job
Some start-ups just do not have the infrastructure to train employees.
This leads them to adopt a system of on the job training. This
is not the easiest way to learn, but it is a cost-effective one.
On the flip side it could be time-consuming, and learning on a
‘trial and error’ basis could have disastrous effects
Therefore it might be a good idea to opt for a combination of
in-house and on-the-job training module. Temple Health Service
started a help line, which provided a half-day workshop for sales
executives and arranged for senior staff to mentor them for the
first three months. So if an entrepreneur can get help from an
experienced personality in that industry for free there would
be nothing like it. You can remind him of his corporate social
responsibilities which he can fulfil by supporting the budding
future of this country. Believe me it works!!
HR picks
People managers match the training requirements with the skill
sets of the employees. Employees can also be given the chance
to volunteer or recommend subordinates for specific training programmes.
Sometimes the HR Managers make it a point to keep tabs on the
training programmes being conducted and keeps the employees posted.
If the infrastructure needed for the training does not exist,
the HR department needs to make the required arrangements to provide
the necessary training to the team
Go quest
Small establishments encourage their employees to attend seminars,
conferences and workshops to keep them contemporary. Such efforts
are often partially sponsored by the company.
Outsourcing
Corporate trainers share their knowledge- albeit at a high price.
This however is worth the investment if the trainer is chosen
with utmost care. Corporate trainers should be able to understand
and meet the needs of the entrepreneurial manpower. Successful
entrepreneurs are the ones who realised the need for effective
training at the stage of inception itself, and that training can’t
always be reactionary!
You
want to be successful … you have got to train that brain.
Have
a big idea? Dreaming of ‘Kab Banega Crore pati’? 
If need be