We know one size doesn’t fit all. We offer a broad range of courses of different lengths to suit different needs, giving individuals and businesses flexibility and choice. We offer online or in-person courses, in-house and open training, and a combination of half-day, full-day, and multi-day training courses. Half-day courses help instil a mindset, brush up on skills, or facilitate co-learning. One-day programmes are great for introducing new ideas and concepts to put into practice straight away.
Then there are multi-day training programmes.
These courses go beneath the surface to provide deeper insights, more thorough learning, and build relationships with trainers and delegates that last long term. We asked our trainers what they thought the key benefits of multi-day training courses were. Here’s what they had to say.
Creating a unique training environment
Every learning experience is designed to add maximum value and impact. It’s less about a right way or a wrong way and more about understanding different methods to build unique training environments. We asked our trainer Cath St Leger what she thought was the main distinction between the training environment created on a multi-day course and one created on a half- or one-day course. Cath shared,
“Multi-day programmes allow relationships and psychological safety to develop, so participants are more willing to practice, challenge themselves and have honest conversations. They create more space for reflection rather than information overload, which is a huge risk to actual learning. People can absorb one concept before moving to the next.”
Space and time to digest is paramount. These courses give you the ability to sit and reflect on course content, and then re-address some of the ideas that you’ve taken away with the group the following day, which can lead to some really powerful growth and learning, as Cath mentions,
“You can move beyond awareness into application, with repeated practice, feedback and coaching. It gives participants time to connect the learning to their own workplace rather than just understanding the theory.”
And the learning doesn’t stop at the end of the course, either. Cath explains how the dynamism of two-day courses enhances the training, as well as strengthening the relationship within the group,
“Trainers can adapt the programme further as they get to know the group, making the later sessions even more relevant. Participants often build a support network that continues after the programme ends, helping sustain behaviour change.”
There is, of course, real value in a single day’s training like there is in a multi-day programme. It really comes down to the kind of learning you’re looking to get out of the programme.
Understanding how you need to learn
In addition to varied learning environments, we work hard to shape courses to fit different learning styles. We spoke to Hub Events trainer Shona Ward about different learning styles and how they suit (or perhaps even don’t suit) different course lengths.
“It is essentially down to whether your course is to help someone understand something, or whether it’s to help people do something different. With a one-day programme, people will think ‘fantastic- great idea, I’m going to use that from now on’, and with something fairly straightforward and easy to implement, that can work really well.”
Shona explains how different, more advanced concepts naturally need more care and attention:
“They can be harder to implement at first and take a few rounds of practice, feedback, adjustment, practice, etc. A two-day programme might feel like too much time out of the office, but if it takes you to a point of confident incorporation, it saves time having to revisit the training.”
Shona runs our Train the Trainer two-day course, which gives delegates the perfect forum to explore how they will train their people based on different learning styles, and how to make their own programmes as impactful as possible.
Getting more out of your training
We’ve always said that our courses give delegates the wonderful opportunity to learn from each other as well as from our expert trainers, no matter the length of the programme. It stands to reason that more time together enables delegates and trainers to build stronger bonds and share more experiences in more detail.
Trainer Heather Baker runs The Proactive Assistant two-day development programme. She shares how this helps delegates put theory into practice and build lasting relationships too:
“It enables us to cover a wide range of topics. It’s an extremely practical course, with plenty of opportunities to put learning into practice in real time. Delegates always return for day two feeling relaxed; there is an excellent community feel and yes, WhatsApp groups are created!”
David Cotton, who runs The Brilliant People Manager, agrees:
“It enables me to develop a great relationship with the delegates and for us to really explore some topics in depth instead of just skimming over them and presenting headlines.”
There’s a consensus that, while a one-day course is a fantastic idea for intensive learning and learning practical, applicable skills, the multi-day programme equips delegates with all this, and more. Heather Wright added, “I get so much more done in multi-day programmes,” and Larry Reynolds, one of our management experts, speaks to the true value of these programmes for a delegate: “A two-day course gives you three times as much learning as a one-day course.” This is especially valuable when the course requires a deep understanding of the theory behind the learning, such as in Powerful Techniques for Experienced Managers (2 days).
Invest time in your development
We’re not suggesting that a half-day or one-day course isn’t going to benefit your development as much as a multi-day course. What matters is identifying what you need to focus on in your training and how best to get those results. Sometimes you need to invest a bit more time for a lot more impact. Our team are here to guide you through the options available to you. We never book delegates onto a course if we don’t think it’s right for them. Instead, we’ll listen to the challenges or issues you’re facing and work with you to find the perfect course. Our multi-day programmes include Management Mastery: The Ultimate 3 Day Bootcamp, Empowering Women in Management, Director Refresh and Reboot and Finance for Non-Finance Managers. If you’d like to discuss your learning and development options, get in touch today.
