Do You Really Need Training? Here’s How to Tell

If you’ve ever been asked to create training to fix a workplace issue, you’re not alone. Many managers and team leads are expected to solve performance problems, and often, training is the first solution that comes to mind. But here’s the truth: not every problem is a training problem. And before you invest time, money, and energy into building a course or workshop, it’s essential to understand what training is and what it isn’t.

When you are clear on what “training” means, you understand how it fits into performance improvement and what alternatives might be more effective depending on the situation.

What Do We Mean by “Training”?

Training is a formal process designed to build or improve specific knowledge, skills, or behaviors that an individual needs to perform a job successfully.

At its core, training helps close a skills or knowledge gap. That means your employees don’t know how to do something, or aren’t confident doing it the right way. Common examples of training include:

• Teaching a new employee how to use a software tool

• Showing a team how to follow a revised compliance procedure

• Helping managers learn how to give effective feedback

• Walking warehouse workers through a new equipment safety protocol

  
  

These all have one thing in common: there is something specific that the employee needs to learn and apply on the job.

When Training Works (And When It Doesn’t)

Training is a powerful tool when it’s used in the right situation. If your team’s performance problem is due to a lack of knowledge or skill, then training is likely the right solution. However, if the issue is due to a lack of motivation, unclear expectations, broken systems, or inadequate feedback, then training alone won’t resolve it. Here’s a simple way to think about it:

Cause of Problem	Is Training the Right Fix?
They don’t know how to do it	✅   Yes, training can help
They don’t know what to do	❌   No, clarify expectations or process
They don’t want to do it	❌   No, consider motivation, culture, or management issues
The process is broken	❌   No, fix the system
They forget steps or make errors	➖   Maybe, consider job aids or support tools
They need more practice	✅   Yes, training with reinforcement can help

Training vs. Other Solutions: What’s the Difference?

Many performance issues that appear to be training problems require a different type of support. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Support Type	Best For...	Examples
Training	Teaching new skills or knowledge	Workshops, eLearning, instructor-led training
Job Aids	Helping people remember steps or processes	Checklists, quick-reference guides
Coaching	Supporting behavior change through guidance	One-on-one mentoring, feedback loops
Communication	Clarifying new policies or expectations	Emails, huddles, internal campaigns
System Fixes	Solving problems caused by tools or processes	Software updates, workflow redesign
Incentives & Feedback	Encouraging desired behavior	Recognition programs, KPIs, manager feedback

 Knowing the difference between these solutions helps ensure you don’t waste resources on training when something else would work better or faster.

Why This Matters

Many organizations spend time and money creating courses, workshops, or videos, only to find that the changes they hoped for do not materialize. Why? Because the training wasn’t aligned with the real problem. If your employees are already capable, but they don’t have the right tools or their environment makes it hard for them to succeed, no amount of training will overcome those obstacles.

On the other hand, if your team lacks the skills to perform a task properly, or if a new process is being introduced and they need to learn it, then skipping training will lead to confusion, errors, and rework, therefore raising costs and liabilities.

When you know what training is (and isn’t), you’re better equipped to choose the right solution from the start, which leads to better outcomes for your team and your organization.

How to Tell If You Need Training

If you’re not sure whether training is the right answer, start by asking these questions:

1. What’s the performance gap?  What are employees doing now vs. what should they be doing?

   
   

2. Do they already know how to do it?  If so, training may not be necessary. Perhaps they need practice, coaching, or better tools instead.

   
   

3. Is there a process or system issue at play?  Training can’t fix a broken workflow or unclear job roles. Once the roles and workflows are clarified, however, training can disseminate the clarification consistently throughout the organization.

   
   

4. What’s changed?  If something new is being introduced (such as a tool, process, or standard), training can help with adoption, consistency, and reduce errors and rework.

   
   

5. Will training be supported on the job?  If learners won’t be given time, resources, or feedback after training, the results won’t stick.

   
   

And if you’re still unsure and want to take an even deeper dive, our pre-training checklist, Is Training Needed?, is a great place to continue exploring your options. It’s one of our most popular articles, helping you determine whether training is the right solution, with yes/no questions you can walk through in just minutes.

Remember…

Whether you’re building a new onboarding program or trying to fix a performance gap in your department, start by asking: “Is this really a training problem?”

A bit of clarity upfront can save you weeks, or even months, of effort. It can also protect your budget from being spent on the wrong solution, and instead, direct it toward a learning approach that truly works.

And whether the right solution is training or the resources to support it, we’re here to help. From needs assessments to job aids and fully custom learning programs, we’ll collaborate with you to find the most effective path forward. Our goal is for you to be in a significantly better position to make informed, strategic decisions that drive actual results.