Even your best employees can learn something new. In fact it’s likely, your top performers are already looking for ways to expand their knowledge base and improve their performance. Training programs give you the opportunity to control the flow of new concepts, skills and ideas into your workforce. Training that is well-designed and focused on improving specific skills and knowledge, can help your employees increase productivity and profits. It can also reduce time spent on problem-solving, and save money by producing a more efficient workforce.
Training is most effective when it targets specific performance outcomes, instead of general skills and business concepts that must then be applied to the job in some fashion. For example, training customer service employees on how to respond to customer complaints and resolve specific problems is more valuable than conducting a seminar on general communication skills, which may not have specific applications to your business model. If your training programs don’t target specific employee performance issues, employees may view the training as a waste of time, which could foster resentment or affect your credibility as a business owner and manager.
Training programs can:
- Save time and costs. Training is an investment in your employees. When they are better trained, their performance can improve. The result can be lower business costs, reduced customer complaints, and increased worker output.
- Improve job satisfaction. When employees feel confident about their work skills, their self-esteem rises and morale goes up. A Louis Harris & Associates poll found that workers who feel their company offers excellent training opportunities are generally less likely to leave their jobs within the first year compared to employees with poor training opportunities.
- Reinforce company commitment. When employees get the training they need to perform at a high level, they are more likely to achieve individual performance goals and be rewarded. This can enhance loyalty to your company.
