The Benefits of Training

A business can only grow to the level of it’s people. If you are growing as a business and/or have the potential to grow there is a high chance you need to attract and retain staff. Attraction and retention of staff is a current hot topic due to how many companies need both unskilled and skilled labour. What growth aspirations does your business have? Do you need people and/or additional skills?

In business it is easier to promote from within as people know your culture, systems, processes and products. Promoting from within gives people hope and shows that there is a future with your business - a career path. This is consistently reported as being a huge factor in retention. When was the last time you promoted from within? Do your team members have career paths and the potential to grow within your business?

In searching for labour in this tight labour market the more skills someone has the higher the wages you are likely to pay. This shortage of skills has seen a number of organisations resort to ‘poaching’ talent. This, in turn, is often raised as one of the objections against training. “What if I train them and they leave?” The more pertinent question of course is, “What if you don’t train them and they stay?” I have always admired Richard Bransons approach of “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to”.

Training and people development is one element of a healthy culture. Done well it has multiple benefits. Well trained people allow promotion from within meaning that recruiting can be for entry level positions that are easier to fill.It also keeps your employees motivated. New skills and knowledge can help to reduce boredom

Seeing the growth of those around you, and having the opportunity to grow, creates an inspiring culture of continuous development. People learn to think for themselves and to learn how to learn and apply their learning

Teams increased business productivity and profitability by bringing new thoughts, ideas and possibilities from their training. This in turn often improves employee performance in quality, quantity, speed, safety, problem solving, attitude, ethics, motivation, leadership, and communication.

One of the most common ‘unseen’ benefits is the reduction in pressure on management as employees do not have to ask so many questions so interrupt less.

When you see the value in each person in your team and you show it by choosing to invest in them you set a standard and expectation of how clients and peers should be treated. When people are valued for who they are and what they bring it creates an open culture where people willingly share information rather than holding information in the hope of becoming irreplaceable.

Do you need to review your training programme?