Training and development in the workplace are so important for expanding the knowledge base of employees, and a good training programme benefits both the individual and the organisation as a whole. The cost and time training takes is undeniably a worthwhile investment for every business. In this article we will explore why this is the case.
What Are The Benefits of Training and Development For Your Company?
There are many benefits to having a training and development plan in your place of work, and such a plan should start with employee induction and continue throughout each employee’s career at your company. Here are some of the noteworthy benefits:
1. Improved Employee Performance
Simply, a better-trained employee will be able to perform their job better. When executed well, training provides your employees with the expertise they need to fulfil their role and make a positive impact on your business. The skills they learn empower them to deliver a better quality of work with a fast turnaround rate as well as boosting their confidence in their abilities.
2. Increased Employee Satisfaction and Morale
An important reason for training and developing your employees is to make them feel valued. Training creates a supportive workplace, and employees who feel appreciated and challenged through training will likely feel more satisfaction towards their jobs. Furthermore, employees with access to training and development programs have an advantage over employees in other companies who are left to seek out training opportunities on their own and will ultimately feel isolated.
3. Addressing Weaknesses
It is inevitable that each employee will have some weaknesses in their workplace skills, and a training programme can help to strengthen each employee where needed. Additionally, a strong and united workforce is sculpted. This is because a development program brings all employees to a higher level so that they all have similar skills and knowledge.
A lack of awareness of internal weakness is a hazardous thing within an organization. You do not want to have weak links within the company who rely heavily on others to complete tasks that they should be trained to do. Providing the necessary training creates knowledgeable employees who can take over for one another as needed, work on teams or work independently without constant help and supervision.
4. Increased Productivity, Engagement and Innovation
New ideas can be formed as a direct result of training and development. Ongoing training and upskilling of the workforce can encourage creativity as well as give employees the confidence to want to offer new ideas. Also, productivity and engagement usually increase when a company implements training courses. Through training, you're continuously engaging with your employees. There is two-way communication meaning your employees are always up to date with what’s going on. This ultimately means that employees will care about their role and be more willing to commit their time and energy to the company.
5. Reduced Employee Turnover
Something that is crucial to a company running smoothly is high staff retention rates. If a company invests in its staff, employees will feel more valued and therefore less likely to change employers. Moreover, during the recruitment process a good training and development plan is definitely a company benefit for many prospective employees.
Hiring and retention can become a major challenge to employers, but this can be avoided through career development. Training programmes are now often used as a competitive advantage when hiring, especially for graduates and apprentices wanting to specialise in certain areas of work.
6. Happier customers
Perhaps the most important and impactful aspect of employee training is the beneficial effect on your business’s growth. Better-trained employees make more productive team members, who in turn will serve your customers better. Clearly, customer retention is important to every business.
How To Create A High-Impact Employee Training Plan
An effective training plan will vary depending on your unique business, but there are different types of schemes that you could follow, including:
On-the-job learning
Mentoring schemes
In-house training
Individual study
Group working
Schemes leading to qualifications
Final Thoughts
The importance of training your employees, both new and experienced, cannot be emphasised enough. Organisations need to support a culture of constant development. Regardless of whether a company has existing and functioning training programmes, development will not be effective if the work environment does not accommodate learning.
Employee development and training should not be seen as an additional perk - it’s essential for the growth of your business and the workforce that propels it.
If you are interested in creating a business plan that addresses your training and workplace development, we can help. Do not hesitate to contact us via the form on the right or by calling us on 01604 420 420.