Why Do We Keep Failing at In-Person Training?
The Training Challenge: Why Do We Keep Failing at In-Person Learning?
Corporate training remains a challenge for many organizations. While the debate over whether in-person or AI-driven digital training is superior continues, the real issue is not the method but understanding the strategic need for training and ensuring that what is learned is actually implemented in daily work.
As Peter Drucker, the father of modern business administration, once said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” However, in corporate training, many decisions are reactive, more focused on putting out fires than preparing employees for the challenges of tomorrow.
The Root of the Problem: What Training Do We Prioritize?
Organizations should use performance management tools to identify gaps and development opportunities. These tools not only highlight team weaknesses but also reveal their growth potential.
However, in practice, many training decisions are made impulsively: a manager detects an immediate problem and requests training to quickly fix it. This leads to a major dilemma: where should we invest limited resources?
- Addressing current gaps.
- Developing strategic skills for the future.
Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, summarized it perfectly: “What is important is rarely urgent, and what is urgent is rarely important.” Strategic training—looking toward the future—is crucial for long-term business success but often gets pushed aside due to daily pressures.
Technology? Yes, But with a Strategic Plan
Digital platforms and artificial intelligence have revolutionized training, offering instant access to personalized content. Ken Robinson, an expert in education and creativity, stated: “The challenge is not just to facilitate learning but to inspire a desire to learn.”
As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, beautifully put it:
“If you want to build a ship, do not drum up people to collect wood and assign tasks, but rather teach them to long for the vastness of the sea.”
Here lies a critical problem: having access to learning does not mean applying it.
For training to be effective, it is not enough to have technological tools or spend hours in a classroom. True success depends on three factors:
- Employees must truly adopt the skills they learn.
- These skills must translate into measurable improvements in their daily performance.
- Organizations must track and measure the impact of learning in tangible ways.
John Dewey, a renowned educational theorist, said: “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” Corporate training should be designed as a continuous process, integrated with strategic goals and real-world business challenges.
Training That Delivers Impact: Technology + Human Follow-Up
The eternal debate between in-person and digital training becomes irrelevant when we realize that the real issue is not the method but ensuring that learning has a real impact. As Albert Einstein put it: “Learning is experience; everything else is just information.”
A successful training model should integrate:
✔ Advanced technology – AI-powered platforms to offer flexibility and personalization.
✔ Human supervision and mentorship – leaders who connect learning with everyday work.
✔ Continuous evaluation – systems that measure the impact of training on business performance.
For example, a report by Josh Bersin, a leading expert in corporate learning trends, indicates that companies that combine digital learning with hands-on experiences and human follow-up see a 32% improvement in job performance.
Conclusion: Turning Training into Real Results
Corporate training must stop being a temporary fix for immediate problems. As Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, said:
“Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them, they hire motivated people and train them.”
Companies need a balanced and strategic approach where:
- Technology makes learning more accessible.
- Human follow-up ensures the transfer of skills to the workplace.
- Both urgent and important learning needs are prioritized.
Are you ready to transform your team’s training into a sustainable success driver? Now is the time to make learning a true competitive advantage for your organization.
