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🔒 🔒 🔒 [Audiobook] Human Resources |Developing a Lunch and Learn
Are you tired of lackluster working lunches that fail to engage and educate your team? This episode promises a radical transformation in how you view Lunch and Learns. We start with the basics of selecting the perfect location and catering options, ensuring every detail is meticulously planned for a smooth event. Discover how conducting focus groups can help identify topics that truly resonate with your audience, making every session not just informative, but enjoyable.
Moving beyond the setup, we delve into the nuances of delivering a killer presentation that captivates and engages. Learn from real-life examples and understand the importance of tailoring your content to the specific demographics and skill levels of your audience. We stress the essential need for interactivity, from Q&As to dynamic group activities, ensuring that your Lunch and Learns are not just another meeting, but an experience. Uncover the strategies for handling unexpected disruptions and keeping the session on track, even when things don't go as planned.
Finally, consistency is key. We discuss the importance of regular scheduling to build anticipation and maintain high levels of participation. Hear the inspiring story of Bill, who turned poor training results into successful change management through persistent Lunch and Learn sessions. With practical advice on creating effective agendas, gathering continuous feedback, and leveraging internal talent, this episode is your definitive guide to mastering the art of the Lunch and Learn. Tune in to transform your sessions into impactful, memorable experiences that everyone looks forward to.
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Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Developing a Lunch and Learn. Module 1. Getting Started the working lunch can develop a negative reputation among employees. It often involves being in a room full of other people with low blood sugar, trying to stay awake while someone drones on about policies, procedures, etc. Lunch and learns, however, should be engaging and enjoyable. Hosting a lunch and learn correctly will improve employee satisfaction and the quality of employee training.
Speaker 1:Module 2. The Prep Work. Prep work is necessary to the success of every endeavor. The success of lunch and learns depends heavily on the prep work. It is important to plan out the details of the gatherings. Planning requires more than a time and a date. You must find the right location and set everything up ahead of time. This will prevent surprises and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Speaker 1:The most important prep work for a lunch and learn is finding the best location. Depending on the needs of the program, you must find a location large enough to host your participants comfortably, offers ample room for them to eat and provides enough room for any training exercises. A location that is too small will feel cramped and uncomfortable, and a location that is too large may encourage participants to isolate themselves. Venues, meeting rooms, restaurants, hotel conference rooms, public venues rooms, restaurants, hotel, conference rooms, public venues. The learning itself will determine what you need to set up ahead of time. Ask yourself a few questions to determine what you need to set up. Setting up Will you cater the event? How much time does the caterer need? What electronic devices will be used, computer overhead, etc. Are there accessible outlets? What decoration and banners are you using? How will training materials be distributed? Are there enough garbage cans? Who will be responsible for cleanup? Once you have answered these questions, you will be able to make the necessary preparations and set up the space appropriately.
Speaker 1:Conducting a focus group is a useful method for determining which subjects you could address in a lunch and learn. Remember that not every topic will work in a lunch and learn format. Still, it is important to have an idea of what your audience finds interesting. Conducting a focus group Choose 8 to 12 questions to help determine topics. Choose employees from different departments. Create a broad sample of people who do not work together. Arrange a comfortable space and prepare employees for the time necessary to complete the discussion.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are typically relaxed atmospheres, but it is important not to become so relaxed that you forget to practice for the event. Lunch and learns are not long, so be sure to time the presentation, including any materials and activities you intend to practice for the event. Lunch and learns are not long, so be sure to time the presentation, including any materials and activities you intend to include. Keys to a successful presentation Content. Do not wing a presentation. Have the content outlined and written Delivery. Determine how you will deliver the presentation. Practice any group exercises. This helps you work out any kinks ahead of time and determine how long is needed to complete each exercise.
Speaker 1:Donna was hosting a lunch and learned, focusing on some new email procedures. She was very familiar with the material and she did not think that she needed to practice. When she began the presentation, she realized that the slides were not in the order, that she thought Donna had the room wait. While she began the presentation, she realized that the slides were not in the order that she thought Donna had the room wait while she changed the slides to fit the order that she wanted. By the time she finished the presentation, there was not much time left to answer questions. Some people stayed late. To clarify the information Module 3. Creating the Content Part 1.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are more than social activities. They are intended to convey important information. The content that you use should be focused and relevant, and informal and interactive. To better engage your audience, it is imperative that you choose the right topic for a lunch and learn. Complex or formal instruction is not suitable for the setting. You need to choose a topic that can be covered in a short period of time, for example, email etiquette or a vendor presentation. A lunch and learn would not be an effective forum to introduce a new method of production. The best way to choose the right topic for this social setting is to refer to the information gleaned from your focus group and determine which ones are suitable.
Speaker 1:Lunchtime is not an easy time to hold the attention of your audience. They may be suffering the effects of low blood sugar or a food coma. Expecting people to give all of their attention to someone talking in a dimly lit room while showing charts is not reasonable. The best way to engage your audience is to bring hands-on materials. Demonstrations are the most common method of hands-on training. Once you demonstrate an activity, you need to monitor the performance of the participants and coach them to success. Not every Lunch and Learn can offer demonstrations, but there are other options for hands-on activities. Examples of other hands-on activities Quizzes, props, small group exercises, activities, quizzes, props, small group exercises, lunch and learns are brief, so it is important to stay focused and not go off topic during the presentation.
Speaker 1:This is why practice is so important to the presentation. Look over your outline carefully to make sure that you do not wander off topic. Additionally, you should ensure that all of your materials are focused and follow along with the presentation. There is nothing more annoying than finding that the materials are out of order. Do not provide off-topic materials for a lunch and learn. This can be confusing during the meeting and may cause people to wander off mentally. If you have follow-up materials, offer them to the audience after the presentation. While you will be presenting information at a lunch and learn, you must keep lunch and learns informal. The setting should be casual and questions should be encouraged. Make lunch and learns as interactive as possible with hands-on materials, games, icebreakers, small groups, etc. You should also consider incorporating Q&As and chat sessions into the program. Feedback from the participants will help you determine which activities are effective and which are not.
Speaker 1:Thomas needed to introduce the new operations system to his employees and decided that the most cost-effective way to do it was through a lunch and learn. His presentation included over 100 slides of information and the handout material was 120 pages. Halfway through the meeting, he noticed that people were not as focused as he would have liked. He told everyone to hold their questions till the end. No one, however, asked any questions. When the presentation was over, a very tired audience slipped back to work. A few weeks later, only a handful of employees mastered the new system. Thomas felt that the training had been a waste of time.
Speaker 1:Module 4. Creating the content Part 2. The content that you create for a lunch and learn must be able to engage the audience. Make your presentations interactive and tailor them to the needs of each group. Review each presentation carefully and finally back it up to be safe. By following a few basic steps, you improve the chance of success when you present the content that you create.
Speaker 1:Presentations need to be interactive in order to be successful. Powerpoint and other programs will help you create interesting visuals, but pictures alone are not enough to make the audience interact. Interactions can be facilitated through various activities. Interactive Activities Games Games can be used as icebreakers or to make a point. Choose a game that fits with your topic and your audience. Roundtables Roundtables facilitate conversation between presenters and members of the audience. Roundtables work best if the audience knows to prepare ahead of time Stories and testimonials. Ask a few people to share relevant stories or testimonials and take questions. People engage with personal stories. Regardless of the activities you choose, it is imperative that you consider time constraints. The activities should enhance the information that you provide, not take its place.
Speaker 1:When creating a lunch and learn presentation, you must review it thoroughly. You must find a way to present all of the information that your audience needs to know in an interesting format while staying within the time frame. Review the content carefully before each presentation. What to review? Basic points it is imperative that you convey information completely. Take a moment and review the points of the presentation. Does the content contain all of the information? Make any adjustments as necessary. Time Review the time that each component of the presentation will take. Does the entire lunch and learn fit within the time constraints? Practice will help you determine the time of each presentation After careful review. Adjust the content and time for each section. Review it at least twice to be certain of the timing.
Speaker 1:It is important that you customize each presentation for your audience. You may give the same presentation more than once, but you should never give it in exactly the same way, ask a few basic questions regarding your audience. What is the general age of the audience? What is their skill level with the subject? Is the lunch and learn voluntary? Once you have identified your audience, you can customize your presentation using props, tools and demonstrations. Each one can be customized to fit the needs of your audience.
Speaker 1:Once you have reviewed and customized the content, you must back it up. Do not take the risk of losing your information and hard work. You simply need to choose the method that you feel comfortable using. There are basic physical methods, such as flash drives and external hard drives. There are also online options, such as the cloud. Online sources are useful if you forget physical copies, but you must examine the security. There are also off-site backup options available. In the end, it does not matter which type of backup you choose. You simply need to backup your information regularly. Up backup you choose. You simply need to back up your information regularly.
Speaker 1:Sam was certain that his lunch and learn was going to be a success. His presentation was interactive. He had games, props and demonstrations ready. This would not be a boring lecture. On the day of the presentation, his game was a success. The students had fun, but they played longer than he expected and the demonstration ran over by 10 minutes. Altogether he was 20 minutes over and had to condense his teaching time significantly. He was not sure how much of the information the audience was able to retain.
Speaker 1:Module 5. During the session Once you have created the content, it is time to conduct the session. When presenting your material, it is imperative that you introduce a few simple ground rules, open quickly and follow up thoroughly. No matter how well you run a session, you must be flexible. The ability to adjust quickly can mean the difference between success and failure. You need to have a few basic ground rules established before the session begins. Ground rules will set the tone of the meeting. They also lay out clear expectations for the participants. Ground rules will cover the education, behavior and communication. You should establish ground rules based on the topic covered and your audience Common ground rule topics, cell phone use or lack thereof, respectful communication, transitions, use of equipment and props. The rules need to be basic and you should be able to explain them quickly. Regardless of the ground rules that you choose, you need to explain them before the presentation begins.
Speaker 1:The opening of a presentation will establish your connection with the audience. A quick and engaging introduction will have a better impact than a long drawn-out speech. There are different ways to create an opening. You may choose a story or present facts about the business environment. Regardless of your choice, you must develop interest within the few first minutes. Your opening needs to get straight to the point, explain the purpose of the presentation and give specific examples of how it will help your audience. You may establish your expertise, but you should do it in a single sentence. Do not list every achievement Example. The economic recovery remains soft, but financial success is still possible. Companies that have adapted this training have seen, on average, a 20% ROI. So let's begin the introduction to profitability in the workplace. Remember that a quick opening is essential to your success. If you lose your audience's interest early on, it will be difficult to gain it later in the presentation.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are very limited on time, so you can place off-topic material in the parking lot and return to it when time allows. The parking lot is only effective if you explain its role up front and outline the topics covered. When using the parking lot, you might want to assign someone to take note of topics that are set aside. Typically, you address parking lot items at the end of a session. Given the length of time during a lunch and learn, however, this will probably not be possible. Be prepared to discuss topics via email after the meeting.
Speaker 1:No matter how well you prepare your presentation, you will need to prepare for the unexpected. This requires flexibility and the ability to adjust on the fly. Adjustments will happen for a number of reasons. Participants will move around, spills will cause disruptions, equipment can malfunction. When these interruptions occur, you must remain in control. It is a good idea to come in with preparations such as cleaning supplies for spills, replacement materials, etc. Be ready to think on your feet and keep your attitude positive. Panic or anger will alienate your audience and keep your attitude positive. Panic or anger will alienate your audience.
Speaker 1:Michael was prepared for his lunch and learn. He checked the equipment and rehearsed every aspect of the presentation and interaction. During the presentation, however, he seemed to lose control. He began with some biographical background to show his expertise and introduced his team. He saw a few people looking at their phones. Later, one participant kept bringing up points that did not contribute to the main topic. Answering the questions lengthened the presentation and Michael tried to condense the information to stay within the time constraints. Finally, someone knocked over a row of chairs in the back of the room Module 6.
Speaker 1:Food and Facilities Module 6. Food and Facilities. The food and facilities are just as important to the lunch and learn as the presentation itself. When teaching in a lunch setting, you face a number of problems. You need to make informed decisions about the food and make sure that everyone's needs are considered. Make a point to consider the cleaning needs before and after the meeting. Additionally, request feedback from participants to improve the lunch and learns in the future.
Speaker 1:Providing food for participants may be easier for you, particularly if you choose a location that caters Additionally. Food is a wonderful incentive in lunch and learns. When you do choose to provide food, you must consider the needs of your audience. It is best to provide a fair selection that accommodates an eclectic group. What to consider when providing food Vegetarians and vegans, allergies, religious dietary restrictions, tastes and preferences. Remember to try to provide something for everyone. Reaching out to the participants ahead of time will help you make your menu choices. In some settings it may be easier for people to bring their own food. For example, it may be easier if the lunch and learn is last minute and there is not time to cater a meal. There are, however, considerations that must be made when people bring their own food Allergies.
Speaker 1:Many people have severe allergic reactions to foods such as nuts and citrus. Even minor exposure can cause a reaction Smell. A diverse group can lead to a room full of conflicting odors and smells. The smell can remain long after the meeting Mess. Some foods are messier than others. When you control the menu, you can control the level of mess during the presentation. When you have people bring their own lunch, it is a good idea to send out a memo or email informing them of any allergies and reminding them to be considerate.
Speaker 1:When do we eat? Everyone at a lunch and learn will want to know the answer to this question. You may choose to eat during the presentation or after the presentation. Allowing people to eat during the presentation addresses the problem of a hungry audience who is distracted by the smell of food. On the other hand, eating can be its own distraction and you run the risk of disruptive spills during the presentation. Eating after everything is finished limits spills distracting from the presentation, but people will wait impatiently for their food, making it difficult to keep their attention. They are less likely to ask questions if they believe that it will lengthen their wait time. A useful compromise is allowing people to eat during the Q&A. Conducting a Q&A during the meal limits distractions during the presentation. The participants will not have to wait through the Q&A for the opportunity to eat. Additionally, having lunch at this time makes the Q&A a social event and encourages people to communicate.
Speaker 1:Cleaning up and tearing down are ultimately the responsibility of the host, while caterers and restaurants often clean up after the event. You need to make sure that you iron out all of the details. Cleaning before who is responsible for cleaning before the event if it is not hosted in a restaurant, caterers bring food. They are. Who is responsible for cleaning before the event if it is not hosted in a restaurant? Caterers bring food. They are not always responsible for cleaning and setting up the event. Coordinate with the manager of the location site to determine what you need to do. Set up who will move tables and chairs and who will set up props and electronics. Cleaning after who will clean the room after the event? This includes removing food, taking out trash, vacuuming, replacing tables and chairs, etc. Tear down Make sure someone is responsible for equipment, props, tools, handouts, etc. You do not want any surprises when it comes to the cleaning up and tearing down, you risk losing your deposit and damaging your company's reputation. Cleaning up and tearing down you risk losing your deposit and damaging your company's reputation.
Speaker 1:Gina's first lunch and learn was a disaster. She found a cheap venue and decided to have it catered by a nearby fast food establishment. She arrived 15 minutes early to find the tables and chairs stacked in a corner. She worked quickly to put the room together, but this made it impossible for her to set up the electronic equipment before the participants arrived. The food arrived and Gina wasn't sure where to put it. She placed it on a table while she continued to set up the room. She did not plan on having people eat during the presentation, but people just grabbed food and ate during her lecture.
Speaker 1:Module 7. Takeaway Material. You need to consider the subject of takeaway material. What will you provide? What type of follow-up will be necessary?
Speaker 1:Takeaway materials include handouts, quizzes, self-tests, websites, reference materials and white papers. Your topic will determine what materials you need to provide. Always prepare your materials ahead of time. Handouts are useful tools that allow the participants to follow along with the presentation and take notes. Taking notes helps participants engage with the material on a personal level. It is important, however, to make sure that handouts are focused and not filled with too much information. Handouts are supplementary material. They should not provide all the information in your presentation or people will simply read ahead and not pay attention. Handouts, basic points, room for notes, interesting graphics. When you create takeaway material, make sure to review it carefully. You do not want to send out the wrong information. Include your contact information in the handouts and make more than enough copies for your class. You never know who will need more than one.
Speaker 1:Quizzes and self-tests are staples of the business world. People like taking quizzes and self-tests and they are often inspired by their results. Quizzes and self-tests can seem daunting to create, but you do not have to make complex exams. Simply create quizzes for your area of expertise and self-tests that help you determine how well participants understand the information you are presenting. There are a few basic points to remember when making quizzes and self-tests. Create questions based on clear objectives or skills. Identify at least three different levels of skill. When creating answer choices for self-tests, make sure that the answer choices are not confusing. Test your quizzes and self-tests. You can ask friends and colleagues to review your quizzes and tests to help you create the most effective materials.
Speaker 1:Participants will find it useful to refer to minutes and session notes before the meeting. Minutes are official records of everything that occurred during a meeting Session. Notes are notes about the information presented during the lunch and learn. Making the notes and minutes from past sessions available online provides participants with the opportunity to look up the information and prepare for their own lunch and learns. It is also a good idea to link reference materials on a website with the notes and minutes. Video clips will get potential students the opportunity to understand what they can expect from the class. Keeping this information online will also provide the participants with valuable reviews after the lunch and learn is over.
Speaker 1:Participants will want to consider what they have learned after the lesson and they will probably want to research the subject further. This is why you should provide reference material or white papers for the participants. Reference materials that you may choose include relevant news stories, statistics and research. You may also choose to provide reference books if you can find ones that are inexpensive. White papers are written as authoritative reports or informative papers that help organizations relate to customers. White papers are brief as authoritative reports or informative papers that help organizations relate to customers. White papers are brief but effective means of communication that illustrate the importance of the material and how it can benefit the participants. Most companies create their own white papers, which allows them to tailor their information. Providing a white paper and reference material helps students further their understanding of the subject and assists them in explaining the topic to others.
Speaker 1:Sarah prepared for her lunch and learn, including the take-home materials. She created in-depth handouts that explained every point of her presentation. She left some space for participants to write notes, but she noticed that only a few people bothered to take notes. Also, people read ahead of her presentation. She found it difficult to focus their attention and they did not ask many questions during the Q&A portion of the event.
Speaker 1:Module 8. Difficult Situations or People. Whenever you host a lunch and learn, you will have to deal with people. Most of the people you encounter will be pleasant. There is a small percentage, however, who will make your job difficult. It is imperative that you learn how to handle difficult situations or people before you encounter them. Being prepared for the worst will enable you to give the best presentation possible.
Speaker 1:Disruptions are annoying. They take valuable time away from presenting information and they cause everyone to lose focus. It is important to understand that most disruptions are not deliberate attempts at sabotage. So remember to stay calm and be polite when handling disruptive behavior. Being polite does not mean ignoring poor behavior. You must address the disruption immediately or you risk the entire session unraveling how to handle disruptions. Most distractions can be prevented with your ground rules and by using the parking lot. It may be necessary to remind students of these guidelines during the presentation. You may assign tasks to participants who seem to need extra attention. Tasks may include keeping time, taking notes, monitoring the parking lot, etc. In extreme cases, you may need to confront someone directly. Try to address the person away from the group. If a participant is unstable or dangerous, do not hesitate to call security.
Speaker 1:Food can be disruptive, but many of these disruptions can be prevented by completing your prep work. Many office buildings and off-site locations have food policies which you should consult before making any decisions regarding food. Even if the location does not have food policies in place, it is a good idea to consult the participants about common food issues. Common Issues Smell, mess, allergies. Allergies are always a concern, particularly when people are eating in a confined space. Additionally, smell is exacerbated by enclosed spaces and some foods are more likely to cause messes than others. Determining the menu based on a dialogue with participants will diminish food issues and help the event run smoothly.
Speaker 1:The buy-in of senior management is important in any business endeavor, including lunch and learns. When senior management is involved, the participants see the event as credible. This will limit the number of difficult students who attend your lunch and learn and draw the truly motivated Ways to create buy-in. Make the need for change apparent. Show the value of the lunch and learn. Provide a detailed vision. Be willing to be flexible in the implementation. Do not underestimate the importance of management buy-in. No-transcript.
Speaker 1:Everyone who presents at Lunch and Learns will face the dilemma of participants who do not participate. Lunch and Learns without participation are awkward and boring. Engaging participants will improve the chances of participation. There are a few ways to liven the meeting and improve participation. Be interesting. Make the topic, visuals and delivery as interesting as possible. A monotone drone of technical jargon will not generate interest or participation. Create the environment. The setup can affect participation. Setting up the room so that people face each other is an incentive for participation. External incentives Provide incentives to people who participate. Consider handing out candy or other prizes such as coupons or gift cards. Consider handing out candy or other prizes such as coupons or gift cards.
Speaker 1:Oliver was disappointed after his first lunch and learn. Many of the participants did not seem to have any interest in the topic at all. One person told him that the company strongly recommends taking these classes occasionally, but management never follows up. The attitude in the room was that the lunch and learns never change anything. During the presentation, no one participated. He even saw people playing games on their phones while he was talking. Oliver considered never hosting a lunch and learn again, module 9.
Speaker 1:What a lunch and learn is not? In order to be successful, it is important to define what a lunch and learn is and what it is not. By creating a lunch and learn according to the appropriate definitions, you increase your chances of success. Lunch and learns are not the appropriate setting for heavy or serious topics. The short amount of time requires that you be concise and avoid anything serious. Serious topics require much more time than you have to offer. This does not mean that lunch and learns are not informative. They can be extremely useful training tools. Simply use basic topics such as the following Topic examples Business etiquette, email etiquette, social media, managing change, team building. You may follow up with further training if there is a need for a more in-depth study later. You should, however, avoid complex information that you cannot adequately cover in a single session.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are not useful for most required training, such as health and safety training. This type of training is legally mandated or company mandated. Required training requires a level of focus that you cannot provide in a lunch and learn. For example, you would not use the lunch and learn for training on harassment or OSHA standards. Additionally required training typically demands taking attendance, which is difficult in lunch and learns. Lunch and learn should be optional. This places the participant in control of the learning experience. Making lunch and learns required does little to motivate people. Optional lunch and learns will help weed out disruptive people and ensure that the participants have an interest in the subject matter.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are not replacements for traditional training sessions. They should be supplementary learning or used to introduce a new topic. The lunch and learn can be used to provide training in work skills, employee development, product training and life skills. Traditional training takes longer than 30 to 40 minutes and often requires hands-on work to be effective. Methods of traditional training Demonstrations Coaching, computer training, e-class Team training Lectures. Coaching, computer Training, e-class Team Training Lectures. While Lunch and Learns may integrate aspects of traditional training. They are not the same. Lunch and Learns are not long-term training programs.
Speaker 1:There is a saying that there is no such thing as a free lunch. You need to keep an eye out for people who are only interested in the food. People who want a free lunch have no interest in learning and are more likely to cause disruptions during the lunch and learn. There are a few ways to spot people who only came for the food. They only ask about the food. They do not pay attention. They may try to slip out early. You should encourage people to come only if they are interested in the material. If you notice offenders, ask them why they are attending. This lets them know that you are aware of their behavior. You may make a ground rule about participation. Additionally, choosing to serve lunch during the Q&A will discourage people from coming who do not want to sit through the event.
Speaker 1:The CEO of EGC Beauty was looking for a way to trim the training budget and decided to try using mandatory lunch and learns to instill new information. The lunch and learns were frequently scheduled because of their short time frame. After three months, he discovered that employees did not seem to fully understand the information being presented. Additionally, he saw a rise in turnover. According to interviews, employees were choosing to leave because they felt that their breaks had been stolen. The CEO chose to reinstate other training methods.
Speaker 1:Module 10. Best Practices, part 1. There is always room for improvement, even in lunch and learns. Always find what works best for you and choose to implement the best practices. Tweak your actions based on feedback and involve employees. Above all, remember that you need to create a comfortable environment that engages your participants. Feedback will allow you to lead the best lunch and learns possible.
Speaker 1:You need to solicit feedback from your participants. Do not simply rely on them to volunteer their thoughts. Creating an evaluation form will help you collect feedback. You can pass the form out at the end of the lunch and learn and ask the participants to take a few minutes to fill it out. Make sure that the form is brief and asks pointed questions. You should also leave some space for comments. Review your evaluation forms carefully to discover the consensus. Do not make adjustments based on the opinion of a few. Tweak the lunch and learn based on repeated feedback. For example, if 60% of your participants think the Q&A is too long, consider shortening it. You should continually ask for feedback so that you can continually improve your presentations.
Speaker 1:When implementing lunch and learns, you will need to recruit talent. Consider utilizing star employees rather than looking for outside talent. Internal employees are wonderful sources of specialist knowledge and technical knowledge. They are familiar with the company's policies and procedures. Additionally, they have the respect of the other employees. You should already have identified the star employees from their performance. Once you determine their areas of expertise, explain to them how valuable their skill sets are and that other employees would benefit from their knowledge. Remember that you are asking them to take on more work. So be courteous. Persuade employees to volunteer to teach. Do not demand that they do. A coerced teacher is not a very effective one. You should consider providing incentives and rewards for their efforts.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are casual settings, but they still need to have basic agendas. These agendas should be provided to participants ahead of time. For example, you can email an agenda after the participant's RSVP. The agenda will help keep you on track and it will prevent any confusion among participants. The agenda will vary according to the track and it will prevent any confusion among participants. The agenda will vary according to the topic addressed, class, etc. Sample Agenda 10.55 AM Arrive and Check In. 11.05 AM Introduction 11.10 AM Interactive Presentation. 11.40 AM Q&A Lunch 12 PM Wrap Up interactive presentation 11.40 am Q&A lunch, 12 pm wrap-up. The agenda will help keep everyone on the same page. It is not, however, set in stone. Allow for some flexibility during the actual meeting. Remember to keep the setting casual.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are effective when they take place in relaxed settings. Remember to keep the session casual and loose. There are a few ways that you can help set the tone for your lunch and learn. Create an atmosphere. Have everyone sit around a single table. Avoid lecture-style seating. Use humor. Engage people with humor. Dress casually. Business casual attire is more relaxed than a suit. Invite discussion, encourage interactions and conversations. The tone that you adopt for your lunch and learn will depend on your personal style and the topic. In every situation, however, you must help the participants relax and engage with the material you are teaching.
Speaker 1:Ken wanted to tap into the talent in his office. He took the time to review employee evaluations and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Once this was done, he sent an email to his exceptional employees asking them to teach lunch and learns. He was surprised when only two people told him they wanted to teach. He was not sure what to do and considered making teaching part of their job requirements. After speaking with his employees, however, he realized that some were nervous and others were concerned that teaching would interfere with their daily activities. Ken decided to offer his employees encouragement and the incentive of an extra day off for every three classes taught. The response was positive and Ken's company was able to host a lunch and learn every week.
Speaker 1:Module 11. Best Practices, part 2. Part of successfully implementing Lunch and Learns is recognizing when they will be the most effective. Remember that Lunch and Learns are not useful in every training endeavor. They can be used as refreshers or Q&A sessions. Additionally, they provide networking opportunities and are extremely effective when scheduled regularly. We have already established that the time constraints on Lunch and Learns make it impossible to address complex topics. They are useful, however, as refresher courses. You should consider scheduling Lunch and Learns as follow-ups to traditional training courses. For example, you could host a lunch and learn the week after training and new procedures. Refresher courses allow you to address any learning gaps that participants have. By this time, the participants will have experience using the training of the refresher course and they will ask educated questions. Refresher courses will also provide feedback on any weaknesses in your traditional training courses. Courses will also provide feedback on any weaknesses in your traditional training courses.
Speaker 1:Lunch and learns are more than learning opportunities. They are also effective networking tools. The voluntary nature of lunch and learns help connect people who have similar interests. It is up to everyone attending to make the most of the networking opportunities. Simply showing up and eating will not create meaningful connections. How to network? Come early, take the opportunity to meet people before there is a crowd. Ask questions. Ask questions and share your personal stories. Exchange information. Bring business cards to exchange, follow up, email. New connections to foster a relationship. Do not make networking too complicated. Use it as an opportunity to meet with peers and share ideas.
Speaker 1:Upper management Q&A sessions are valuable opportunities for upper management to connect with the rest of the company and explore the plans for the future. You may choose to host these once a month or quarterly. The timing will depend on the type of business. Lunch and learns are the perfect setting for this Q&A session because they facilitate the communication. If you attend a Q&A session, take the opportunity to ask questions about the company. It is important, however, to ask thoughtful questions. This is not a platform for airing grievances or showing off knowledge.
Speaker 1:Lunch and Learns are more effective when they are scheduled regularly. People will know when to fit them into their personal schedules. Participants will be prepared and it is likely that your numbers will grow. People who have positive experiences are likely to recommend the lunch and learns to their friends. Over time, your students will repeat their attendance and bring others with them. The schedule that you create will depend on the needs of the business. Some companies will benefit from monthly meetings and others from a more frequent schedule. Regardless of how often you meet, you should schedule the lunch and learns at the same time and on the same day of the week. It is a good idea to avoid meeting on Fridays, because people are likely to be focused just before the weekend.
Speaker 1:Bill's company had a history of poor training results, which equaled a 5% drop in revenue during each quarter. With change, it was time to alter procedures again and he was concerned about the loss that the organization would face from the change. He decided to follow up with employees by creating a lunch and learn refresher course for each learning group. He attended the first follow-up session and was amazed by the results. The employees asked practical questions and came up with suggestions to make the change process easier. There was a small dip immediately after the training, but the quarter ended without any losses.
Speaker 1:Module 12. Wrapping up Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to developing a lunch and learn is just beginning. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels. Words from the wise Epictetus it is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. Voltaire Judge a man by his questions, not by his answers. Proverb Some people make things happen, some make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened. Robert Bly the best presenters have conversations with their audiences.
