Learning & Development

5 Long-Term Effects of Ill-Conceived Training Programs

Learning and development (L&D) is becoming a central hub for safety, innovation, and business growth in the modern-day workplace, especially in the era of evolving technology, big data and data analytics, skills gaps, workplace shootings, sexual harassment and discrimination awareness, and decreased employee engagement.training
Research indicates that organizations that offer comprehensive training programs have a 218% higher income per employee than companies without formal training programs and enjoy much higher profit margins, which is why so many organizations are trying to quickly implement L&D initiatives and new training programs.
However, ill-conceived and irrelevant training programs can have adverse long-term effects on an organization, so employers shouldn’t be too quick to implement just any old training program. Below are five examples of such ineffective training programs.

1. Increase in Number of Accidents and Unsafe Incidents

An ill-conceived safety training program might actually lead to more workplace accidents and safety hazards than no safety program at all. For example, if a safety training program only covers certain aspects of operating a machine and not all, more accidents could occur as a result. In addition, ineffective discrimination training could cause an uptick in harassment and retaliation over the long term instead of fostering an inclusive workplace environment.

2. Decreased Learner and Employee Engagement

Ill-conceived training programs are typically irrelevant and poorly timed, and if this is the case, employees won’t glean as much from them and will want to avoid them in the future. If more relevant L&D options aren’t offered, employees may never get the necessary personalized training to be successful at their organization.
The combination of these elements will lead to a significant decrease in employee engagement because employees won’t have access to the relevant L&D support they need and want.

3. Decline in Workplace Productivity

Without access to relevant training programs, employees won’t be able to attain and update their skills to remain competitive and complete their work, and because the modern-day workplace demands continuous upskilling and engagement, employees need updated skills to maintain and increase their workplace productivity.

4. Lack of Cohesive Company Culture

When a training program is ill-conceived, it’s often because it doesn’t embody an organization’s culture, which can lead to a weak overall company culture long term. For example, an organization that promotes a data-driven culture must have training programs that are data-driven, as well, to prevent the degradation of initiatives and culture across the company.

5. High Costs and Low ROIs

Training programs that don’t yield results will ultimately cost an organization more money than the programs are worth over the long term. These ineffective programs will only increase the likelihood of workplace accidents and harassment claims, disengaged employees, decreased productivity, a waning company culture, lower returns on investment (ROIs), and costs associated with higher attrition rates and retraining programs.
So, before implementing a new L&D initiative or training program this year, first consider the five long-term effects of ill-conceived programs mentioned here.