“Can I afford training?” – a question often posed by small business owners aiming to improve their internal HR programs while also grappling with restrictive budgets. Small businesses have fewer resources, lower revenue, and restrictive funding opportunities when compared to larger corporations. At the same time, these small businesses are taking higher risks and facing greater daily challenges to operate (Freixanet, 2020).  Therefore, when recommending a learning design model for the clients that I work with, it is essential to first understand their main concerns and needs. Based on my professional experience, organizational context, cost effectiveness, and access to resources determine which learning design model is the best fit for each individual client.

Understanding organizational context requires an in-depth understanding of the business structure, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Applying Gawlik-Kobylinska’s (2018) SWOT analysis is an excellent starting point. For example, with a recent client I determined that their strength was low staff turnover, but they had several weaknesses in internal communication and upskilling.  In addition, I identified lack of performance management and accountability as potential threats, but if approached intentionally it could be developed into an opportunity to train all staff in performance management. After completing the SWOT analysis, I will discuss with the business owner cost, resources, time, deadlines, and expected outcomes. When management is actively involved in the decision-making process, they are more invested in the training program and outcomes (Abubakar, et al., 2019).

Unfortunately, as Rothwell (2015) points out there is a hefty instructional cost to increased knowledge and improved performance, which deters businesses from investing in training even if it is the right choice.  When proposing a few workplaces development options such as online, hybrid or onsite training, decisions are often made based on cost instead of a learning model.

Finally, access to resources, such as technologies, space, and facilitators, is also a major concern for small businesses. For instance, one client agreed that training was a necessary investment, but they opted for only one facilitator although the size of the group justified at least two.  Dolasinski and Reynolds (2020) argue that the microlearning model helps to mitigate issues with restricted access to resources that many small businesses face. Micro-learning, unlike the ADDIE instructional model that requires a large time and resource investment, allows for greater flexibility by providing short bursts of educational content. I have found in my own work that this model, as Dolasinski and Reynolds (2020) argue, resonates with the younger generation because they are conditioned from social media to have shorter attention spans. In addition, many millennials are operating their own small business on low budgets, which means they need training options that are low cost and adaptable. Technologies, such as Zoom, MS Teams, and Mentimeter.com, are excellent cost-effective adaptable resources that can be employed to implement training programs. Thus, as the business environment evolves, access to resources and finding new ways to meet their needs will be an important aspect of selecting and developing learning design models for the future.

I believe smaller workplaces can develop their workforce if the leadership team is engaged in an honest organizational development conversation that takes into consideration the business context, program cost, and resource limitations. By exploring and discussing these points, the best learning design model can be applied to deliver high quality training.

References:

Abubakar, A. M., Elrehail, H., Alatailat, M. A., Elçi, A. (2019). Knowledge management, decision-making style and organizational performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 4(2), 104-114.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2017.07.003

Dolasinski, M. J., & Reynolds, J. (2020). Microlearning: A New Learning Model. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 44(3), 551–561. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020901579

Gawlik-Kobylinska, M. (2018). Reconciling ADDIE and Agile instructional design models – Case study. New Trends and Issues Proceedings on Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(3), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.18844/prosoc.v5i3.3906

Joan Freixanet, Alex Rialp & Iya Churakova (2020). How do innovation, internationalization, and organizational learning interact and co-evolve in small firms? a complex systems approach. Journal of Small Business Management, 58(5), 1030-1063. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsbm.12510

Rothwell, W. J., Benscoter, B., King, M., & King, S. B. (2015). Chapter One – An Overview of Instructional Design. In Mastering the Instructional Design Process: A Systematic Approach. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.