Talent development is one key to the success of a motor carrier’s overall risk management strategy. By providing ongoing training and development opportunities as part of their efforts, motor carriers can reduce the financial losses caused by employee turnover, roadside inspections, vehicle accidents, and workplace injuries, to name a few. However, for all the advantages a positive training experience can offer, motor carriers should be mindful of the costs associated with bad training experiences as well.

One of the most common reasons training can fail is poor planning. Many trainers put a great deal of effort into planning a training event by scheduling personnel, reserving resources, developing a presentation, and promoting the event. All of these tasks are essential, but the success of training hinges more on what happens after the event and on the job than on what happened before or during the actual training.

The goal of training is to transfer new knowledge or a new skill to employees so they are better equipped to perform their jobs and help the organization achieve its business objectives. That is why employers should be intentional about how training is designed and, more importantly, supported by managers and supervisors once the worker returns to their job.