The 80/20 rule can be applied in every area of your business including employee training. 20% of activities create 80% of the results. Likewise, you can identify the vital 20% of training that creates 80% of the employee benefit.
The Job Description should outline the vital 20%. These are the goals or priorities that you have identified as most important for the position.
80/20 training is a process you can use to identify the result you want, and focus your efforts on those training activities that help achieve the result.
The 80/20 concept is a great tool, but it takes time and a thoughtful approach to do it right.
Here are two tips to get started with the 80/20 concept:
- Identify the goal – The 80% results you want
- Identify the training needed to achieve the goal – the 20% effort, and where to focus training
For example, if you hire a customer service person, and providing great customer service is the goal, then focus your training here.
It sounds obvious, but we often lose sight of the goal when the actual training begins. The customer service job involves computer training, trips to the post office or the bank, and a host of other tasks that are necessary but distract from the primary goal.
Connect the goal to training. Identify the 20% training efforts (customer service training, product training) that will get you the 80% results you want (excellence in customer service).
Think of 80/20 training as ‘training on purpose’
Be thoughtful about what the job is, and the results you want to achieve. Focus most of the training time on the 20%, the vital few. Focus on the aspects that will have the biggest impact. Establish a training plan that gives you the best chance to achieve the goal.
