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How well do you manage your training records?

Opinion & Analysis
Every forward-looking organisation values training and it is an important aspect.

Every forward-looking organisation values training and it is an important aspect. HR Talk with Paul Nyausaru

Training managers and human resource personnel dedicate a lot of precious time in identifying, preparing and delivering training. After training, employees are assessed to see whether they have benefited from the training intervention.

After the completion of a training exercise, it is imperative to keep and manage training records for future reference. The purpose of records is to document who was trained, when they were trained, and what skills they have acquired.

Training records provide documentation for regulatory authorities, information for employee evaluations, and support for promotion or salary increases.

Training records can be used as a basis for aiding in selecting staff assignments by matching their competencies with required skills. They also are useful for charting and reviewing personal progress toward annual goals.

Training records are objective. They provide the data needed for management to make decisions based on actual performance exhibited after specific training.

They provide an easy method to identify training gaps that direct future subject matter. This gap analysis assesses the needs of the organisation and the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities of the staff in relation to the jobs they perform.

Training record management can be very simple or complex, ranging from keeping certificates in a file to managing an electronic database. There is no one way to keep records, but some methods make it easier to retrieve and use the data. So there in need to put in place record management systems that make it easy for you to access training records.

Today, there are a number of electronic record management systems specifically designed for training records. These can be easily found on the web. Some offer online database management or data storage. Paper records are the most common way to manage training records.

This can be done by creating files by person, by subject, or by date. Attendees sign a log sheet which is filed or they receive a certificate.

In order to maximise the usefulness and functionality of a paper file system, consider using a single summary sheet for organising training records. If using the file folder method, this form can be stapled to the front of the file folder for ease of access; it can also be managed electronically. To be useful, summary forms must be kept current.

The use of a single summary sheet per employee allows the manager to easily see what has been accomplished, tally the training hours logged, identify topics covered and mastered, and see what training gaps, if any, exist.

This method enables the manager to easily compare year over year training. A summary sheet is useful when planning for upcoming training or goal setting for the next year. A number of such forms can be found on the internet by using a good search engine.

Paul Nyausaru is a Human Resources Practitioner. You can contact him on email [email protected] or [email protected] . Views contained in this article are personal.