Question

Remember Kareco, the medical equipment development and supply company? They made you an offer you could not refuse. You have been hired as the VP of Training and Development, reporting directly to the CEO. Today the CEO asked you to put together what she called “a quick email to bring everyone in the company up to speed on the new inventory system.”

Based on what you know about training, how would you respond to the CEO? Be sure to reference any issues related to learning, motivation, and instruction in your response.

Answer 1

Firstly, I would request the CEO to share the technical details about the new inventory system as well as the existing inventory system. This would help me understand the difference between the old and the new systems and analyse what training is required to be imparted to the employees.

Secondly, I would request the CEO to share the skill set data of all employees to understand how I must conduct the training session.

Thirdly, I would suggest focussing on improved communication between management and employees to inform the latter about the new inventory system in detail. The employees must be informed regarding the reason for the change, how it will benefit the organization and themselves . Thus, involving employees during the early stages of change would help not only boost their confidence in the organization but also, motivate them.

Intrinsic motivation and employee empowerment will aid the implementation of the new inventory system. Also, the process and various other procedures must be standardized and documented. They can be used to train employees and ensure they work in a standardized manner. In case if there are any lacunae in the processes, identify and eliminate them at the earliest.

Lastly, I would request the CEO to arrange a technical help to resolve any technical related doubts. The other management related issues must be resolved by management representative or the CEO himself. He must not rush with the implementation of the new system. Proper planning and strategic execution must be applied in such a case so as to ensure successful implementation which will also be sustained for a longer time.