Inter-company training has many benefits for both the participants and their organization. However, they often remain unknown. The fault of a rich and varied terminology to designate all the training modalities! But then, what exactly is inter-company training? And how does it meet the needs of employees, training managers and, ultimately, companies?
Inter-company training has many advantages, whether for the participants, the training manager or the company. But the methods of organizing continuing training are poorly understood by participants and training decision-makers. This is one of the findings of a OpinionWay study for ORSYS. Inter-company or intra-company training, distance learning or even e-learning… what exactly are we talking about? In this article, ORSYS takes stock of the “inter-company” format. On the menu: definition and main advantages, supported by concrete examples and insights from Sandrine Bertrand, ORSYS trainer, specialist in communication, personal development and management.
Inter-company training: definition
To establish the skills development plan, the training manager has the choice of a wide range of training methods. It arbitrates according to the specific needs of the company, its training strategy and the skills it wishes to develop among its employees. Among the options: inter-company training provided by a continuing education organization, often abbreviated “inter”, which can be defined in opposition to intra-company or “intra” training.
Inter-company training: many benefits for participants
For employees who are training, inter-company training has various advantages.
Learning enriched by the diversity of participants
Participant diversity is one of the most significant benefits of business-to-business training. In “intra” training, participants come from the same company, which limits the variety of perspectives and experiences. On the other hand, in “inter” training, participants come from different companies, organizations and industries, which enriches learning through a variety of perspectives and experiences.
This gives rise to a collaborative learning between professionals from different backgrounds. They can combine their company-specific knowledge and experiences to achieve collective problem solving. A group learning dynamics which can be difficult to reproduce in intra-company training, where participants share the same professional context.
From networking to new business opportunities
This diversity of participants also offers opportunities for professional networking. Your employees have the opportunity to establish professional contacts with people working in other companies. This expanded network can be useful to them in their daily missions: poaching talent from another company, entering into new partnerships or benefiting from expert advice. This often responds to needs of employees working in an SME.
“It often happens that participants exchange contact details and references at the end of inter-training. The richness of their sharing during the session makes them want to extend the experience afterwards. »
Sandrine Bertrand, ORSYS trainer
Diversity at the service of adaptation capacities
The “inter” format also allows employees to be exposed to different corporate cultures. This provides additional opportunities to understand how other organizations are approaching challenges and opportunities. And it can also be valuable for their personal development: taking a broader perspective and adapting more easily to new situations.
Please note:
Some employees particularly appreciate get out of the context and premises of the company.
Change routine for a few days maybe stimulate creativity and innovation.
Follow the training outside the gaze of their colleagues, particularly if it concerns personal development (stress management, self-affirmation, etc.), can allow them to:
- disinhibit oneself ;
- allow oneself to get out of the box ;
- let yourself be room for error...
…to learn better!
Concrete advantages for the company and the training manager
For a training manager, and more generally for the company, “inter” training also presents several very concrete advantages.
Firstly, in terms of budget. Because by bringing together participants from different companies, training costs, logistics and resources are shared, making training more affordable.
This is very beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses, which can access high-quality training programs at a lower cost.
Secondly, in terms of quality. The inter-company format indeed offers high-quality training programs, provided by expert training organizations. In other words: specialized expertise and knowledge of best practices sector by sector. External trainers guarantee an impartial perspective and a professional teaching approach. This strengthens the quality of training and therefore the development of the skills of trained employees.
Thirdly, in terms of flexibility and availability. Indeed, inter-company training courses organized by specialized training organizations are often the subject of a schedule indicating upcoming sessions. Employees can therefore more easily find training adapted to their schedule, without waiting for an internal session to be organized. This saves time and responds to skills needs more quickly.
And what does the company gain?
Direct gains
Through their daily tasks and the execution of different projects, the increase in skills of employees allows:
- gains in quality, time, turnover, etc.
- a reduction in costs, risks…
Ripple gains
The richness of exchanges, different perspectives and professional networking encourage employee creativity (innovation), good practices and new partnerships.
According to'OpinionWay study for ORSYS, training contributes to the development of positive feelings and behaviors of employees towards their company. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 employees and companies think that participation in training improves, among other things:
- career development;
- motivation ;
- the feeling of belonging to the company;
- loyalty ;
- labor conditions.
Training therefore constitutes a lever for development which produces more commitment on the part of employees. And therefore potentially more performance for the company.
Recognition → Engagement → Performance
A virtuous circle favorable to the performance of the training manager
Certain advantages of inter-company training which primarily benefit employees are also profitable for the training manager. Indeed, if employees are particularly satisfied with their training experience, they can echo this to their colleagues and their superiors, be more motivated to train, or even engage in a learning approach on a daily basis. .
[They testify to it]
“This is about meeting the training needs of our IT and communications teams. For that, we direct employees to the ORSYS website. They search for their training using the search engine, then come back to me to tell me the training chosen. »
Hélène GAGNERE,
Training manager, CESE
" Our consultants have the choice and easily found contents and dates that suit their complex schedules. »
Myriam ATTALI, HR training and missions manager, Capgemini Engineering
" We regularly send employees to inter-company training in ORSYS training centers. The possibility of offering our employees the choice between face-to-face or remote classroom training is always very appreciated by the teams! »
Mélanie FOURNIER,
Training manager, IGN
Inter-company training is a win-win training method that boosts the ROI of training actions.
Inter-company training: what it brings to the trainer
During business-to-business training, the trainer is exposed to a variety of perspectives, experiences and knowledge. Working with a diverse group:
- stimulates the creativity of the trainer
- allows him to explore different approaches to meet the specific needs of each participant
- provides an opportunity to facilitate knowledge sharing among participants
The trainer can encourage discussions, exchange of experiences and mutual learning, which enriches the training experience for all participants.
Training employees from various companies and sectors, the trainer has in-depth knowledge and understanding of different professional contexts. The inter-company format is therefore the guarantee of quality training as close as possible to realities on the ground and professional experience.
[Expert word]
The inter-company format can be reassuring and a vector of openness for participants. This is in fact what I regularly observe in training.
Let’s take the example of training on speaking. What many people have in common on this topic is often the fear of having to speak in front of a group. Patrick, recently engaged in his business, is shy by nature. As the exercises progress, it “frees itself”, motivated by the fact of being able to express himself without being under the gaze of his work colleagues.
Same observation during training on assertiveness or stress management. Participants often feel freer to talk about their problems in front of “strangers”. On the one hand, they distance themselves from a potential “judgment”. On the other hand, this promotes listening, because they can find themselves in the experience of the other.
I remember Fabienne, newly appointed manager on a production site. She feels on the verge of “imposter syndrome”. His participation in an inter session allows him to regain confidence. Indeed, the participants discuss their fears, but also their first successes as managers.
The inter-company format can therefore be very liberating. Its added value? Everyone's questions and experience, all without fear of internal judgment.
