Is your business planning to run some workshops soon? Are you confused about how to do this and where to begin planning?
Did you know, a 2015 survey said that 38% of managers felt their learning programs met the learners’ needs?
Running a workshop isn’t as scary as most may find it. Running one to meet the needs of your trainees effectively will be the hard part.
Curious to learn how to plan a workshop for your next business venture? We’ve got you covered. Sit back as we break down everything you’ll need to know.
Plan a Workshop
Planning goals before the workshop will help you create the content of the workshop. Knowing the end goal from the beginning allows you to keep everything relevant.
Creating the agenda for your training workshop allows you to plan how long it will take. If you can run your workshop to a similar speed each time, it stops the risk of running late. It also prevents the trainee’s from losing focus. This tip also applies when you plan a meeting.
You know what you will go over and how long it will take. Now you need to decide who from your company will attend. Will it be everyone or only specific departments?
When it comes time to chose the location, make sure you visit the venue beforehand. There is nothing worse than planning a corporate event for the venue to be unsatisfactory.
Is there enough space for everyone? Is there a screen you can connect to your computer?
Design a follow-up plan. At the end of every workshop you run, you should always ask your attendees for feedback on how they felt it went. Feedback will allow you to make improvements before the next time you run it.
Make sure any handouts get printed before the day. This can create less hassle, allowing you to ensure the workshop runs smoothly. You don’t want to be wasting a lot of time on the day on things you should have done the day before.
Let’s say you are running a business workshop. Do you need pens, paper, scissors, or anything else which could prove a problem if they were absent? Prepare your equipment before the workshop.
Planning a workshop is the most crucial part. Sticking to the plan will achieve success.
Hints and Tips to Running the Workshop
Once you plan the workshop, practice it until you find it natural running through it. Ask a friend or family member to sit in as the trainees. You will also grow your confidence when you run the workshop in front of others.
If you have different teams attending, mix them up. Mixing things up will allow the attendees to meet each other. It will also give them the perspective of other teams.
Don’t forget name badges to allow everyone to get to know each other. See here for ideas.
Remember your plan. It would be best if you schedule breaks; this allows you to maintain the attendee’s attention. If there is too much time between breaks, their attention may bleed away from the content.
Your Workshop Will Be a Success
Now you have a rough guide on how to plan a workshop. Use what has been mentioned above to make your session run perfectly.
Don’t forget to set your goals at the beginning. Find the perfect venue for your workshop. Pratice, practice, practice.
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