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Posted in Employers on Jun 21, 2017 by Keeley Edge
The majority of business owners understand the value in training and developing a team but there are still many companies who underestimate its importance.
It is not uncommon for managers to believe that if they spend too much time upskilling their employees then they will lose them to a competitor. However, if you don’t invest in training then you will eventually lose them anyway or end up with a company full of under-trained, under-skilled employees.
Recently, we explained why employee engagement boosts employee retention and your bottom line. Training and development is a great way of keeping your employees engaged and is instrumental in building a successful business.
What’s the difference between training and development?
Training and development often go hand in hand but there is a slight difference that businesses need to be aware of.
Training relates to teaching someone specific skills or behaviours needed to meet an objective. In a business environment, training usually relates to the skills needed for an employee to carry out their particular role.
Development is the process of growing, advancing or progressing something or someone. The development of an employee could involve giving them the opportunity to upskill, teaching them different areas of the business or working with them on their personal development.
With a good training programme and plenty of development opportunities in place, you can build a strong, loyal team who will drive your business forward.
Training: Things to consider
1: Induction
Whenever a new employee starts with your company, it is essential that they receive a comprehensive induction giving them all the information they need to carry out their role effectively.
2: Ongoing & additional training
When starting a new role, there is a lot of information to take on board and even the best employees will struggle to retain it all. That’s why it is vital to have an ongoing training programme to continually reinforce information and build on the initial training.
3: Communicating changes
As your business grows there will be changes to policies and processes and you need to ensure there are effective systems in place to communicate and facilitate change.
4: Type of training
Not everyone has the same learning style, so it is beneficial to offer important information in different formats. Try using different training tools such as video, written documents, presentations, group activities and one to one training.
5: Documenting training
It is good practice to document all training and ensure that all employees know where to find the most up to date information, whether online or as hard copies. You should also keep up to date records of when compulsory training has been carried out with each individual employee.
Development: Things to consider
1: Personal development plans
Understanding the goals and objectives of your employees is just as important as them understanding the goals and objectives of your business. Sit down with employees on an individual basis and put together a personal development plan that they can follow.
2: Performance reviews
Having a development plan in place is great but in order to achieve goals, it needs to be reviewed regularly. Appraisals or performance reviews are an excellent way of checking that an employee is still on track or whether their objectives have changed. You can also identify areas where they need extra training or support.
3: Mentoring
Having a mentor can be extremely beneficial, not only for new starters but also to employees that want to progress. A mentor can offer guidance and advice and make recommendations for internal and external learning opportunities or resources.
4: Internal opportunities
Allowing employees to ‘step up’ temporarily to cover holidays or sickness gives them the chance to experience a new role. Shadowing employees in different departments, mentoring a new employee or organising a company event are also opportunities to develop new skills.
5: External learning
Draw on external resources to develop your team. There are many specialist trainers and speakers who will come into your business to provide learning opportunities. You could even fund training outside the workplace so an employee can gain a professional qualification or certification.
Could you be investing more in your employees?
At Key Appointments, we help our clients recruit the best people by helping them become more attractive to candidates. Having a highly skilled, highly motivated team will enhance your business and this will be reflected in your results.
If you’re interested in creating a better training programme or offering your team more development opportunities then get in touch. We’ve partnered with a range of training and development companies and can recommend the right opportunities for you and your team.
