Figure 14-1: Refresher training survey form.
Chapter 14
Train the Troops
In This Chapter
Generating program awareness
Coming up with a training plan
Seeing your training plan through
Equipping yourself with the tools to implement an effective and compliant Records and Information Management program is only half the battle — you also have to figure out how you get the word out to everybody else. Like any new company program, you will need to generate awareness and train employees how to use and follow it. The level of understanding that employees have of the program will determine its success. Generating awareness is especially important for new Records and Information Management programs, but also applies to existing programs that need a boost.
This chapter provides you with the guidance you need to generate awareness through developing marketing campaigns and effective training methods designed for small and large groups of employees, plus tips on conducting refresher training.
I’m Aware of That!
Employees appreciate being given advance notice of new company programs, especially if the program has the potential to impact the way they perform their functions. The organization’s Records and Information Management program is no exception. You should take advantage of the opportunity to make employees aware of the program through establishing an awareness campaign.
From the top
What’s in it for me?
It’s important to generate awareness prior to rolling out the Records and Information Management program. Generating awareness of the program prior to implementation gives employees time to familiarize themselves with the important points and benefits of the program.
Greater ease in finding information: A huge source of employee frustration is not being able to locate needed information. An effective Records and Information Management program can significantly increase an employee’s ability to find what he needs, when he needs it.
Eliminating guesswork: In the absence of a Records and Information Management program, employees, out of necessity, are forced to make decisions on how to manage company information. Employees would rather be provided with consistent guidance and procedures. This eliminates the time and effort they spend wondering whether they’ve made the correct decision.
Removing clutter: A Records and Information Management program can reduce departmental clutter. This can be accomplished by introducing document imaging or through the proper life cycle management of paper and electronic information.
Processing improvements: An effective Records and Information Management program should include procedures that provide employees with clear and concise instructions on how to process related functions, such as boxing records for storage, physical and electronic filing, and information destruction. In addition, significant processing improvements can be achieved through the use of automated workflow.
Although other significant benefits can be realized through the implementation of a Records and Information Management program — increased legal and regulatory compliance as well as reductions in organizational risks, for example — employees don’t perceive these issues as directly benefiting them. However, with the appropriate level of employee cooperation and buy-in, it will increase the probabilities of achieving all the program objectives.
Creating a creative awareness campaign
You have two approaches to choose from when creating an awareness campaign: traditional and creative. The traditional organizational approach for introducing a new program typically involves a formal (boring) communication that informs employees of the new program and why they must comply with it. Employees understand that they must adhere to company policies and programs. However, they don’t like being dictated to.
The creative approach is designed to involve employees in the new program process. The employee involvement process should begin early in the development of the Records and Information Management program. For example, you can capitalize on the opportunity to inform employees about the nature and benefits of the program and seek their feedback when you are inventorying and appraising their records.
Tagline: A tagline is a catchy phrase that communicates a central topic of your program. If effective, the tagline will cause employees to immediately associate it with the Records and Information Management program. Examples of program taglines may include “For the Record,” “Find what you need, when you need it,” “Managing the Information Life Cycle,” and “Records Management — A Process, not a Project.”
Logo: Creating a logo gives the program an identity. Like a tagline, you want your logo to create immediate recognition of the program. Your logo may stand alone or incorporate your organization’s logo.
Posters: Fun-themed posters incorporating the program’s tagline and logo can be created and placed in high-traffic areas, such as break rooms, the cafeteria, and company bulletin boards.
Newsletter/intranet: You can draft a series of articles promoting the Records and Information Management program to be published in the organization’s newsletter or posted on the intranet. In the first article, you may want to take a mystery-theme approach. For example, you may discuss a scenario that involves working in an environment where employees always find the information they are looking for and where no desk is cluttered, without mentioning the Records and Information Management program. This approach is used to pique the interest of the reader. Subsequent articles are used to provide more information, culminating in the unveiling of the program.
Scavenger hunt: A fun approach for generating program awareness is to develop a virtual scavenger hunt. Usually, the company intranet is used for this purpose. The objective of the scavenger hunt is to educate employees on key points of the Records and Information Management program. It involves developing questions related to Records and Information management and distributing the questions via e-mail. The e-mail contains a link to an intranet page containing the answers. The first person to correctly answer all the questions can be recognized and awarded a prize.
Lunch and learn: Sometimes referred to as brown-bagging, lunch and learn involves conducting an awareness session where employees can bring their lunch and discuss the new program. Lunch breaks can serve as an effective time to bring employees together when their schedules would not otherwise permit.
Vendors: Records Management vendors can be a good source for communication material that promotes Records and Information management. This includes educational material, posters, and quick-reference guides.
Free stuff: Last but not least is free stuff. Free stuff is one of the most effective ways to generate awareness. Many Records Management and Office Supply vendors are happy to provide you with trinkets and samples emblazoned with their logo. You can conduct an awareness session in a conference room or cafeteria and provide the freebies. However, it’s important to announce prior to the meeting that you will have free stuff to maximize attendance — and don’t forget to order the pizzas.
Developing a Training Plan
Records and Information Management training should be viewed as a continuous process and not a one-time project. A need for initial training exists when the program is first introduced to the organization, but a need also exists for periodic refresher training as well as training on new Records and Information Management requirements.
Prior to training employees, you need to plan the process. This includes determining your curriculum, figuring out how to tailor training to different audiences, and identifying additional training needs. The following sections help you examine these issues.
Deciding on the curriculum
Vital record identification and protection
The information hold order process
How to use the retention schedule
Onsite and offsite storage requirements
Proper destruction methods
E-mail management
The information life cycle process
Filing electronic information
Records Management or Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software (if applicable)
Depending on your organization and industry, additional Records and Information Management topics may require employee training, such as how to properly safeguard HIPAA (personal health information) records and other privacy-related matters.
One size doesn’t always fit all
A training plan for management employees may consist of an overview of important topics, with an emphasis on management employee responsibility for ensuring compliance. This may include areas such as information hold orders, vital record identification, and approving the destruction of records. The training plan for other nonmanagement employees may include specific procedural instructions for how to use Records and Information Management software, how to process records for offsite storage, and how to use the retention schedule.
How refreshing
Over time, some employees transfer into different roles, some leave the company, and new employees come on board. Laws, regulations, and software upgrades create changes and new requirements. This fact of corporate life means that Records and Information Management training has to be a continuous process.
Records and Information Management Program procedures can help employees understand how to perform some of the related tasks. However, in many cases, refresher training may be a more effective tool than relying solely on procedures — especially if the procedures haven’t been updated. Refresher training can consist of current or new material.
Figure 14-1: Refresher training survey form.
Training the Masses
Training is essential to the success of the program. Employees need and want to know the correct way to manage the organization’s records and information. For small businesses, the challenge of finding time to train all employees may be minimal. However, for medium- and large-sized organizations, the challenge can be significant. Therefore, you need to look at all your training options.
The following sections examine training issues, options, and recommendations for ensuring that all employees receive the necessary Records and Information Management training they need. This includes time constraints, webinars, and the use of the company intranet.
How much time do I have?
Face-time training
Training is traditionally conducted in a face-to-face conference room setting — far and away the most effective training method. This approach may be possible for organizations with one location and a manageable number of employees.
Face-to-face training works so well because it allows the trainer and the trainee to interact. The trainer is able to monitor employee body language, which helps to identify the level of interest and whether the message is sinking in. Identifying these issues allows the trainer to quickly alter the content delivery or reiterate certain points.
Face-to-face instruction can also work for a large number of employees, but will typically require conducting multiple training sessions due to lack of conference room space. Organizations that have employees scattered in multiple geographical locations may decide to conduct face-to-face training, but then they probably need to budget for related travel expenses.
Webinars
Advances in technology have made webinars (live web-based training) a viable alternative to face-to-face training. Webinars typically involve sharing your desktop PC screen with attendees and using an audio connection. This approach allows employees to visually follow the training material and ask questions through the audio or by typing questions through the webinar interface. Several vendors such as GoToMeeting and Microsoft’s Live Meeting are good tools for conducting webinars.
Intranet-based training
You find two primary intranet-based training approaches. One involves posting a noninteractive copy of the training material to the intranet. Employees receive a link to the material via e-mail. This approach is not preferred. It relies on the employee to read the training material. The noninteractive method doesn’t test the employee on her knowledge of the content or allow her to ask questions.
The second option is an interactive approach. This presents the training information to the employee, but also requires the employee to test his knowledge of the content as he proceeds through the material. In addition, the interactive approach allows the employee to post questions that can be answered by the trainer.