“Training” and “development” are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably in the corporate and retail world. Consider the Association for Talent Development’s 2014 State of the Industry Report. On the ATD webpage announcing the publication of the report, the subheadline begins “Organizations’ training and development investments …”
However, are training and development truly synonymous? Both reference the accumulation of knowledge necessary for workers to learn, adapt to, and thrive at their jobs. And both are important to a company’s ongoing success. But the two terms—as well as the two strategies each represents in the business world—aren’t as alike as many think. The question must then be asked: Is there a difference between training and development?
Short-Term Skills
A great analogy for determining the difference between training and development is a professional baseball team. Every February, teams gather in Arizona or Florida for spring training. The ensuing six weeks give players (as well as managers and coaches) a chance to prepare for the upcoming season. Hitters get their timing back at the plate—timing that’s easy to lose in the offseason. Pitchers strengthen their arms for the grueling six-month regular season. Managers experiment with lineups that work best in preseason games. A retail environment can be thought of the same way. New hires learn the skills they need to be immediately effective. Current employees add updated skills they require as processes evolve. Managers see what workers are succeeding and struggling. In this sense, training relates to the short-term skills employees need. Those skills might last the duration of employment, but they are essential to the job in the present.
Long-Term Goals
Continuing with the baseball team analogy, not every player is ready for the majors and often needs at least a couple years in the minors to develop. Furthermore, players already in the majors take a carefully planned approach to improvement—developing a new pitch, rehabbing from an injury, studying their opponents, and so on. These labors don’t reap benefits overnight, but instead, over the long term; the slider a pitcher learns this season might lead to a 20-win season the next year. Companies’ approach to development is similar. Employees receive continual learning and guidance with an eye toward expanding their responsibilities, promoting them to better positions, and improving productivity in the long term.
The Answer: Yes!
When approached in terms of short-term skills versus long-term goals, there is a clear difference between training and development. Employees train to gain the knowledge they need to do their jobs, and then develop that knowledge in time to, ideally, further their success and the success of their companies. The terms may be juxtaposed, which is OK, as long as you realize two different but equally important strategies are at play.
Training and Development Are BFFs
Just because a difference between training and development exists doesn’t mean you should only focus on one or the other. A detailed development strategy must include training, and your training processes must be plotted with an eye toward overall employee development. The goals of each are intertwined; even the technology solutions available to facilitate one can be used for the other as well. And when training is working well, development is often brought along for the ride—and vice versa.
What do you think is the main difference between training and development?
