The analysis should include a detailed design of the intervention, an evaluation strategy and recommended steps. At this point it is important to gain trade union support, and any proposed activity including new systems or staff training should be agreed. An exit plan should also be formed, which enables the consultant to leave the process seamlessly at the end of the intervention, whilst equipping clients with valuable tools to move forward. This was particularly important for a UK-based company that would experience mass redundancy as a result of their production remit leaving the UK. Transparency was crucial here. The plan was announced to all concerned well in advance and a trade union was invited to be involved from the outset. The vast majority of staff remained in their posts until their allocated leaving date, allowing for a well-managed transfer of the business with both staff and union support.
Deliver the intervention
Now it is time to implement the intervention. However, in fast moving environments such as manufacturing, or where mass customer contact is affected by legislative changes, it is essential that the plan is flexible, but still robust and strategically beneficial.
Monitor progress
Monitoring outcomes on an ongoing basis at both organisational and individual levels is crucial, particularly during long-term interventions when unavoidable external factors can affect the plan of action. For instance changes in legislation may affect a project in the financial sector, resulting in immediate re-design of the whole scheme. Additionally, it is important that a plan is flexible enough so that it is possibly to change elements and produce more tangible benefits for the client. For example, when delivering mass training to a large number of staff over time, it may be necessary to vary the content plan as the organisation and staff can mature and change during the process.
Evaluate the outcomes
The next stage is to evaluate and assess all outcomes of the total project impact. It is vital to adopt two forms of evaluation to be fair to the consultancy. This comprises of goal-directed evaluation, which is based on planned outcomes of the consultancy, and goal-free evaluation, which is based upon intended outcomes. If monitoring has taken place throughout the
Research shows that employers in Britain spend approximately £49 billion per year on external training and development
intervention, then this can be easy to complete – however it is important to capture the successes and align those with the initial objectives. For example, an external consultant was
employed to study the failings of a manufacturing plant’s internal processes and introduce an appropriate training solution. By drawing together the monitoring and evaluation data, he was able to see underlying tensions between different ethnic groups that had never been vocalised in any form. The intervention dealt with the issue, but this also had a positive impact across the whole plant. An evaluation of the training course alone would simply reveal that its internal objectives had been reached, however return on investment calculations would detail the wider successes.
Report sustainability
The final stage involves reporting achievements to senior management, and identifying recommendations for future sustainability. This can involve a very simple meeting following a series of short consultancies, or a full detailed report at the end of a major intervention. During the meeting, the consultant should
recommend a sustainability plan that will help produce long-term benefits for the company, and then begin to leave the process as agreed in any exit strategy. Good consultancy facilitates organisations to
drastically improve provision of service delivery. A tailored approach from an experienced external consultant who uses a combination of creative and structured methods can produce tangible results and long-term benefits for organisations. Put simply, companies who successfully work with an external adviser will gain a workable plan to move forward with, and can reap rewards through improved efficiencies, better customer relationships and optimum staff performance.
Alan Dowler
is head of Innovation at TSW Training. For more in- formation visit www.tsw.
co.uk or email
alan.dowler@
tsw.co.uk Or phone 01656 644300
www.trainingjournal.com September 2015
41
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