What is the picture that forms in one’s mind when talking about training sessions at a corporate? An air-conditioned hall with not-so-comfortable chairs, employees of that particular firm sitting obediently at their respective seats, a projector and a well-dressed trainer showing PowerPoint presentations. The presentation is meant only to explain the working culture of the company, its achievements in the past couple of years and its expectations from the employees.
There can’t be anything more monotonous and boring than this procedure, says Sajin T.R., an IT professional. “We have to undergo training for various things like appraisal, when we take up new projects, for improving the performance, etc. However, I strongly feel, every training session is more or less the same and I doubt if it serves the purpose.”
Not only Sajin but many others have the same view when asked about corporate training patterns. However, not many are aware of a new trend booming in the corporate training industry.
With companies demanding a different approach to training to break the routine set-up, a new method of training has emerged, completely different from the usual. In these sessions, unconventional tools like music, theatre and even adventure are used to impart the training.
Even though the method undertaken is different, these sessions are meant to mould the employees into the company’s structure. Reflex, a startup founded by Manoj Thelakkat and Nithya Menon who have an expertise of more than 10 years in the field of corporate training, is imparting value-based training to MNCs and corporates, wherein theatre and music are the major tools to train employees, address their problems, and find solutions.
Explaining more about this unique and innovative method of training, Nithya says, “We often see that companies are only concerned about figures. Graphs and statistics form the tool for rating a employee. According to these figures the employees are asked to undergo training. After being associated with the training industry for all these years, we have understood that the delivery method of training in corporates needs an immediate and mandatory change, mainly because the impact is very less. Moreover, if you are planning to impart a skill to your employee, that can only be done if they get to understand it practically and not through presentations.”
Nithya further added that the kind of training they provide is mainly through theatre, music and outbound activities. When asked if the companies have inhibitions regarding the new method, Nithya says, “It is definitely tough as we have to educate them first. But when they understand the psychological and emotional impact these trainings have on the employees and the extent to which these change their attitude and thought process, we get a positive reply.”
Music is also being used as the best tool for stress management by these trainers. This change, according to Nithya, has been welcomed by many who are bored of classroom sessions. They say they get to know where they are going wrong by themselves and therefore correcting it becomes easy and effective.
Getting trained at a place away from the city is one of the best ideas. It will also serve as a holiday and one will also not feel that he/she is still at work. Vaishak Sunil, one of the core members of Will On Woods, a venture dedicated to impart training to corporates with a tint of adventure says, “We started getting more enquiries when people got to know that we provide an unconventional environment for the trainees. We ensure that the training sessions are not confined to classroom. Thus, each group that comes here has a different requirement and so the activities are also different. The outbound trainings also include trekking, archery, cycling, etc. They stay in tents and get to know each other through these sessions that are done in groups. The employees, therefore, seamlessly get to learn teamwork, how to live up to the expectations of the team and perform well, and the important factors that are very important for the functioning of a company as well.”
While learning team building and crisis management with a bit of adventure is what some focus on, learning through music, theatre and other methods is what others opt for. Either way, all these methods are supposed to increase the competency and productivity of the employees
