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Writer's pictureYvonne Root

Let Employees Get the Hang of It

Updated: 4 days ago


hooks for employees to hang new info on


Training Construction Employees – Part 2

 

The introduction of this five-part series on training construction employees provides insights into why stepping up your employee training game is essential. In part two, the emphasis is on how to hang new information on established knowledge for your construction employees.

 

Helping your construction employees understand new ideas, different methods, or improved standards is crucial to their success and yours. By hooking new information to what is already known, you can bridge the gap between their present knowledge and the advanced awareness, increased ability, enhanced skill, or appropriate perspective needed.

 

The most critical component influencing learning is what the learner already knows.

 

In formal education, the idea of having a hook has existed for a while. It is a strategy for teaching new knowledge by “hooking” it to prior learning. The idea is to establish connections between existing knowledge and the new content.

 

You’ve seen it in action – from learning the ABCs to reading and writing, students hang new information on what they’ve already learned.

 

Let Employees Get the Hang of It Through Analogy

By comparing two similar things, you can show a common thread or use the hook of what someone already understands to help them better understand the new information.

 

Analogies can create imagery, explain something that might be otherwise misunderstood, or jumpstart information that might take too long to explain. 

 

Example: A young college student (and long-time family friend) joined us for dinner recently. We were interested in learning about how things were going, what she was experiencing, and how she was coping with her first year of college. There were more questions after we learned that she had an on-campus job at Kaminari, where poke bowls and boba were served. “How is the food prepared?” “What does ‘build your own’ poke bowl mean?” “What could we expect if we were customers in the shop?”  We immediately understood more fully when she answered, “It’s like Subway.” That simple. Her analogy was all it took. We could move on to other inquiries.

 

Example: In the introduction to this series, I used this analogy, “It’s like building the forms, adding the rebar, and then pouring the concrete information into place. It takes some time, but it is worth it in the end,” to help explain what training employees is like.

 

What I didn’t say is, “You must have a plan, take good measurements, provide the proper materials, be sure to have the skilled labor on site, place some sort of reinforcement within the framework, and make sure the appropriate equipment to transfer the new knowledge is being used. It is hard work that must be completed properly to see good results.” I didn’t need to say all that because the analogy of a concrete pour is easily understood by people who live in the construction world.   

 

Let Employees Get the Hang of It Through Storytelling

A story can help employees see the concept in a way that’s relevant to them.

 

One of the ways to use storytelling is by telling the story of your business. This article explains how to get Employee Engagement Through Story.

 

Storytelling isn’t limited to only telling your construction company story. There are other ways to use storytelling when training employees. And you don’t have to be a professional storyteller to use their methods.

  • Make it funny

  • Tug on emotions

  • Use today’s news as a jumping-off point

  • Create a false start – not limited to April 1

  • Create an enemy and hero characters

  • Intermix the “facts” you want them to learn with the story that will help them remember.  

 

Vanessa Bois and Lani Peterson, in their article for Harvard Business Publishing, explain What Makes Storytelling So Effective For Learning.


They delve into why storytelling is or can become a powerful tool for business owners. If you don’t want to take the time to read it right now, bookmark it or come back to it here. It’s that valuable.

 

Have you heard this one?

After lunch on his first day at the old folks home, the “new guy” hears a moment of silence. Then he hears someone call out a number, and everyone laughs. When the laughing subsides, someone else calls out another number with the same results. After several numbers were called, followed by much laughter, he asked his tablemates what was happening. Then he is told they are telling jokes. One lady tells him, “We know all our jokes by heart, so there’s no need to tell them in full. We just call them out by number.”

 

Introducing a story that employees will remember allows you to refer back to it as you delve into unknown concepts.

 

Let Employees Get the Hang of It – Draw A Picture

Drawing a picture of what needs to be learned can take many forms. Here are some of the ways to “draw a picture”:

  • Sketch on nearby drywall or studs

  • Draw on a napkin or your digital device

  • Use a whiteboard, blackboard, or flipchart

  • Make a PowerPoint presentation

  • Incorporate pertinent videos or still photos

  • Pass around an object

  • Use your storytelling skills (as mentioned above) to paint a word picture.

 

The use of visuals helps employees better “see” how they can move from what they already know to new concepts or strategies. Activating prior knowledge deepens learning by bridging what is known with new material.

 

Let Employees Get the Hang of It Conclusion

Think about what your employees already know.


Consider what they do not know.


Determine the best method to help them hang the new onto the proper hook.

  

What’s Next? Provide Foundational In-House Training is part three of this series concerning Training Construction Employees.

 

 


Ambitious Construction Contractors look to The Profit Constructors to provide advocacy in dealing with:

 

  • Clients and customers

  • Employees and subcontractors

  • Vendors and service providers

  • Governmental entities

 

Working with The Profit Constructors gives Construction Contractors the means to organize their operations in ways that help them:

 

  • Remain informed

  • Avoid hassles

  • Reduce risks

  • Be future-ready

 

Ready for action? Or want to know more? Get in touch today to schedule a complimentary discovery call. 866-629-7735

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