A thorough and effective training program is a critical component for any growing agency.
It’s one thing to curate a training program; however, it’s another to implement it. If your agency has limited training-specific roles or resources, facilitating training sessions can prove challenging. Identifying and leveraging subject matter experts (SMEs) may be a feasible solution.
Why Agencies Should Leverage Subject Matter Experts
There are five primary reasons our agency leverages subject matter experts to help conduct our training:
- Efficiency
Leveraging SMEs for training helps to disperse the time investment. Rather than one employee shouldering the workload for an entire onboarding, we can use subject matter experts to train on individual workflows or processes in their area of expertise.
- Professional Development Opportunities
As seasoned employees continue in their pursuit of professional development, many express interest in taking on a leadership role or additional responsibilities. Because subject matter experts act in a mentoring capacity, they are able to build those skillsets. Our training team provides training to all SMEs on applying learning theory concepts, best practices and expectations for the role. This also allows those serving as subject matter experts to understand if training, mentoring and/or a leadership track is actually a fit for their interests and abilities.
- Culture
Choosing your subject matter experts is of utmost importance, as these employees are brand ambassadors for your agency. We are careful to select employees who are not only qualified to speak on a topic, coverage, system or process, but also those who are a cultural fit for the role. These individuals are chosen because they exhibit the cultural standards of our agency in combination with industry expertise. In this way, our cultural expectations are infused throughout the new hire’s training and onboarding experience.
- Collective Genius
No one person can be an expert in all areas. At many agencies, subject matter experts come about organically. For example, a common thing to hear is, “You should ask Jane about that, she has a ton of farm accounts,” or “I would ask Jim about that; he works in that system every day.” Due to the nature of the accounts someone is working on, or due to their past experiences, every agency has resident experts who understand the nuances of their particular role. The framework of using subject matter experts allows us to draw on the collective knowledge of the many instead of asking the few to be experts in all areas.
- Employee Engagement
This training structure has directly and positively impacted our agency’s overall employee engagement on two fronts: those employees acting as SMEs and those employees being taught by SMEs. Because they are actively engaged in the learning and development of that employee, subject matter experts become key stakeholders in the success of the oncoming employee. In addition, the oncoming employee is more engaged in their learning and development because they are exposed to a variety of different styles and approaches, rather than the limited perspective of only one trainer or mentor.
Incorporating subject matter experts into your training structure can help alleviate the lift of the training workload, while also greatly benefiting your new hires. By using this strategy, your agency can enhance the efficiency of skill development and cultivate your company’s culture throughout the new hire’s educational experience.
Want to Onboard Better? Learn How With ACN!
Applied Client Network provides subject matter expertise on all things Applied through regular webinars and many other resources. If you liked this article, consider checking out this webinar.: Peer-to-Peer: New Employee Roadmap and Training How-tos. Don’t miss all ACN has to offer. Learn about our membership benefits today.