A good range of training courses is only half the battle
Last autumn, the HR team proudly presented our new training programme to a packed room of colleagues. With over 200 courses covering a wide range of skills, profiles and levels of experience. A flexible programme that will evolve alongside our people, and which we fully support as a team. Knowing full well that the real work is yet to come. Because personal qualities have a far greater impact on the growth of an individual and an organisation than any training plan.
The drive to grow
It actually starts right from the initial interview. Here at Encon, we consciously and purposefully look for what is sometimes referred to as a ‘growth mindset’. Candidates with a growth mindset believe in developing their own skills and actively take steps to do so in order to grow. This is also part of our organisational DNA. Encon is constantly innovating and growing. We have to, in order to remain relevant in the sustainability market. And to offer our clients a bespoke solution. We also communicate this to our people, right from day one: ‘the job you’re doing today isn’t the job you’ll be doing in two years’ time.’ This means they join an organisation that encourages growth, with managers who are also coached in this regard. Combined with a motivated personality, this ensures that, as an employee, you can grow to your full potential.
The courage to grow
Making mistakes is an inherent part of the learning process. Accepting that you will make mistakes does not mean that growing is easy. It takes a great deal of courage, commitment and perseverance. It means that you will sometimes fall flat on your face. And that you must be able to admit this, first and foremost to yourself, but also to your colleagues. Open communication is vital here. People also need to know who they can turn to with their experiences, insights and frustrations. As an organisation, you must listen to this feedback. And dare to admit: ‘This isn’t working; we’re going to do things differently from now on’. Your training programme can help with this too, by not focusing solely on the so-called ‘hard skills’ needed to do a job. ‘Soft skills’ are also important, such as interpersonal communication, giving feedback, coaching people, and so on.
Support for growth
Even if you are confident in your own potential to learn and accept that making mistakes is part of the learning process, you may sometimes feel a bit daunted. That is why investing in support is so important. A training plan is a very valuable tool, provided you motivate people to put it into practice and continue to follow it up even after the training course in question. Have they been able to put the insights into practice? Is further training needed? We also link specific objectives to this, tailored to the employees’ development path. We revisit this regularly, so that the insights gained become second nature and we can build on them further.
All feedback regarding the training courses is also fed back to our HR team, allowing us to adjust the plan again. A training plan is never finished.
So, as an HR department, you too need a growth mindset.
Martine Daemen
HR manager Encon