TRAIN YOUR PEOPLE
ROLIN LINTAG, CPBE
Most of us will claim that manpower is the most important asset
that our broadcast organization has. We don't need anyone to
convince us of this fact. However, station management can be
perceived as doing lip service only when we don't give enough
thought to manpower training and development. Worse is, our
budget may not even show investment on people. We can be so
trapped with our broadcast operations activities that little thought
is given to training. We just depend on whatever training our
people get on their own.
Let us look at a few thoughts on training.
EXPERIENCED-BASED TRAINING
There is a need for broadcast enginee ring staff to apply
fundamental principles of electronics to complex equipment.
Observation and analytical sk ills are important to develop in order
to maintain equipment and broadcast systems.
The workplace should encourage experience -based training. This
is known to us as one -on-one or mentoring. We need training that
seeks to achieve specific competencies. Training plans must be
carefully set up, with lots of w orkshops and hands -on
opportunities to ensure achievement of training goals.
PEOPLE CAN BECOME OBSOLETE, TOO!
Technology advances cause us to replace equipment after a
specified period of service. Technical and parts support for analog
equipment, for example, has a definite end. This should not be so
with people. People need to be trained in order to have the skills
relevant to what our industry needs.
We may have the false belief that new equipment solves all our
problems and therefore can dispose of manpower training. On the
contrary, new equipment REQUIRES manpower training. The long
term success of the use and maintenance of the equipment
depends so much on the people who would use and maintain it.
Without proper training, people become obsolete, too.
Since continuous learning is needed to cope with technology
advancements, personnel officers should be keen in hiring people
who have good understanding (Comprehension) and learning
capabilities (Aptitude).
Be aware that we can only develop that which is already there.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The workplace should also foster an environment conducive to
learning. Senior workers must be required to "pass on" their
know-how to the next generation. Technically, it is part of a
supervisor's job to be a coach and a traine r to his subordinates.
Therefore, it should be clear to all levels of management in the
organization that transfer of know -how is not an option but part
of their responsibility.
One effective way of familiarizing technicians with components
and circuits that are being used in equipment is to allow them to
"play" with a breadboard using spare components. If they commit
mistakes, they burn the component on the breadb oard and not
while operating an on-air equipment. Familiarity builds self
confidence that will enable technicians to restore equipment into
operation. Definitely, we don't want our technicians to commit
mistakes on the real thing so "playing" with a dummy is not a bad
idea. This way, they are not afraid to commit all the mistakes
they could possibly commit on a breadboard while they learn .
INVEST ON PEOPLE
"The best time that I use is one that I invest on people. "
This should be the mantra for all supervisors.
It is people who get things done, make things work and perhaps
keep the revenue coming in. We should love people and use
things, not the other way around. Off -course, you can always do
it the other way around but don't be surprised with the outcome.
The principle of "what you sow is what you reap" also applies to
people and training.
In spite of all the above, the management team may still not have
enough resolve to go thru with all the difficulties that go with
training. Training appears to be nothing but an expense account
on our balance sheet. The "receivables" or "revenues" from
training is somehow intangible and hard to quantify. Oftentimes
we think that if we can not satisfactorily relate training to the
income side of the budget, then training does not sound like
"good business".
However, training does improve the asset side of our business.
Let us look at the "account receivables" of implementing an
effective training program for our staff.
TRAINING ADDS VALUE TO THE ON -AIR PRODUCT
Practice makes permanent! Train on-air personnel so that they
don't need to practice on the air where mistakes can never be
undone. Technical staff should be trained on the equipment even
before they are made responsible for its operation and
maintenance. Cueing on -air, dead air, transmitter mistuning and
other on-air product "defects" should be minimized by an
effective training program. The broadcasts should be manned
directly by people who have been trained for specific
competencies. If the station comes up with zero -defect on-air
broadcast, then that is good business!
TRAINING MAKES THE WORKPLACE A WORTHWHILE PLACE
TO WORK IN
One major benefit of training that could hardly be measured
financially is increased employee involvement and morale.
Training builds self -confidence which in turn produces higher self
or team esteem. High morale results to more work satisfaction
and less turn-over. Off course, all of these means peak
performance from your staff.
TRAINING MEETS THE NEEDS OF RAPIDLY CHANGING
TECHNOLOGY
Since new technology requires a wider variety of basic skills like
higher level mathematics and digital concepts, it creates the need
to retrain and update worker skills. If the technical staff are
trained on complex equipment, for example, then the station will
realize savings from not hiring consultants. The workers on the
front-line SHOULD be trained to understand and fix the new
equipment themselves. Now if savings are realized because
training was given to the staff, then it is good business to invest
in training.
Do your business a favor. Invest in training and reap the
dividends in the future!
