Page 14 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Fall, 2021

Continued training is key for successful business
By Julia Carcamo
For any organization to thrive, all systems, processes, and people need to be functioning at their best. More often than not, we look for high-performers to fill positions, but this is only the first step in achieving our goals.
into a new vertical. When Mississippi first opened its doors to gaming, many traveled from Atlantic City or Las Vegas for a new opportunity. In those early days, most of the workforce in the area had never stepped foot into a casino. The language was different. You almost needed a dictionary toworkatorwitha
casino — most of the initial team member base needed industry training.
As our businesses continued to grow, many operators found they hired well-meaning team members with no background in the jobs they were
now responsible
for. Consider the
difference in a store cashier’s job responsibilities compared to the cage. If you constantly review or perhaps change someone’s work, they may need job- related skills training.
Job and task training can get a little tricky. On-the-job training will typically satisfy task-related needs. If you think about your day at work, it is comprised of many tasks. One happens after the other, and at the end of the day, you can feel like you’ve “done your job.” When one or more of these tasks is
a struggle, it can alter the outcome of your day. A review of the steps it takes to accomplish the work can assist in identifying task-related training needs.
Next: Perform a Gap Analysis
Understanding where there is a gap and how to fill it is probably the least time-consuming, if not the easiest of the steps. The process is simple, and if you’ve been diligent in performance
reviews, you should have easy access to documentation of the gaps you want to close.
Then, Assess Training Options
Traditionally, training has been done in a classroom setting, but today options
for training are almost as vast as the way team members successfully absorb the information.
Will you travel for training, or does
it have to come
to you? Will it be instructor-led or self-paced? If you choose instructor- led, do you prefer in-person, or will you work with a virtual option? Webinar
or an evergreen (anytime, anywhere) option? Do you opt for a lab or hands- on environment, or do you record the processes as an example?
Once you’ve gone through these assessments, you can start developing a training program, setting short- and long-term goals for your team members and company.
When I started J Carcamo & Associates, I wanted us to create great marketing and partner with marketers to make them great. Training and mentorship are core values we use to navigate the business and our work because we believe great marketers are great clients.
Julia Carcamo is president of J Carcamo & Associates and co-founder of Casino Marketing Boot Camp. Get more insights at jcarcamoassociates. com. Contact her at julia@ jcarcamoassociates.com.
Markets
and consumer
demands are
constantly
changing, and to
keep up, we must
update systems
and technology.
More importantly,
we must ensure
our marketers can
identify and use
every advantage by providing tools and training.
Additionally, building bench strength must be an ongoing program in any casino. As the new year approaches and we begin to think of the improvements we want to make in our lives and our businesses, the development of your team should be somewhere near the top.
Turnover is inevitable, but we are probably seeing more today than ever before. The Great Resignation has left some of us “doing without” in many areas.
While HR is often the responsible party for recruitment, we are all accountable for mentoring and training as managers. But, where do you start if it’s not by going to HR?
Step 1: Identify Business Needs
Needs can be generally grouped into three areas: industry, job, and task. Industry-related requirements are typically found when a new player comes into the market or decides to expand
“In those early days, most of the workforce in the area had never stepped foot into a casino. ...most of the initial team member base needed industry training...”
Julia Carcamo
14 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS FALL 2021