Credit Union Training Update
What are trainers focusing on in 2013?
After years of scaled-back spending, credit unions are once again finding budget space to dedicate to professional development. According to results from the most recent CUNA State of the Credit Union Training Industry Survey, approximately half of United States credit unions intend to increase annual training investments in both 2013 and 2014, while no more than 10% see themselves cutting back. With budgets allowing for additional training investments nationwide, the challenge becomes allocating those budgets wisely and competitively. At last October’s CUNA Experience Learning Live! (ELL), CUNA asked credit union professionals about their plans, goals and concerns to get a feel for what credit union training would look like in 2013.
Resources
Have you been thinking you could use another pair of hands in your training department? You’re not alone. When asked the open-ended question of what they’d like their executive team to approve in 2013, 10% of ELL attendees surveyed responded with a hope for additional training staff. This response outweighed those involving training time and budget approvals.
As pressure, responsibility and workload increase for trainers, it’s no wonder they’re beginning to recognize a need for more resources. In fact, credit unions reported an average of only 1.2 full-time employee equivalents (FTEs) per training department. With that statistic in mind, the daily, monthly and annual benefits of bolstering a training team, even by just one member, become undeniably clear.
Technology
If a new team member isn’t in your future, renew your approach and seek ways to redefine your day-to-day to be sure your time is spent in the most impactful fashion. Trainers with technological priorities have their team’s nuanced needs in mind. iPads, video conferencing, new computers, Creating Member LoyaltyTM and learning systems like CUNA CPDOnline all saw specific mention. The CUNA State of the Training Industry survey results show that executives have quickly adopted the use of mobile devices and that 20% and 35% of credit unions have taken steps to allow for mobile training for non-management staff and board members respectively.
Showing the crowd the impact technology can have on training, the Learning & Organizational Development team of Summit Credit Union in WI took home the 2012 ELLy eLearning Award for their development of an entirely new web-based training program for their credit union. Compiling resources from CUNA CPDOnline, Captivate, Articulate, and iLinc, they created their own online talk show and IRA refresher training. At the time of their award presentation last October, they had created a total of 52 web courses, webinars and web-based modules, saving $117,870 in travel expenses and 3,929 hours of travel time.
Programs
For the credit union training teams confident in their resources, the next step becomes designing and constructing the right training program. Individual coaching, mentoring, career development and University programs as well as expansion and creative input for pre-existing programs all make appearances in trainers’ goals for the year.
Leading the charge on recent training program overhauls is the Training Team of Warren Federal Credit Union in WY, winners of an ELLy WOW Award. Before the implementation of their current training regimen, Warren required one-time training only for new front-line staff or whenever any so-called “training issues” arose. After refocusing their training efforts and building their own School of Service, including weekly training and Master’s and PhD service programs, they’ve seen an impressive improvement in their service culture as well as the credit union’s general outlook on training.
2013 at your credit union
Trying to decide whether an overhaul is in order? Start by identifying your concerns and issues and determine the resources available to you that may address those individual problems. If your training program seems ungainly because your training team is strapped for time, your solution could be as straightforward as a new team member or rethinking your approach. If your board and management lack ready access to the continued training and education expected of them, find the right selection of online options.
In the end, every decision should boil down to the needs and strengths of your credit union and your training team. Be sure that you’ve explored your options and weighed them all carefully before committing yourself to any hefty expenditures of time, energy or budget. Your resource pool may be deeper than it was a year ago, but it’s far from bottomless, so don’t panic when you see other credit unions committing to large scale program overhauls. They’ve decided that it’s the right move for their organization and budget, and you have the responsibility to decide what’s best for yours.
