Here are five reasons why investing in employee training pays off for your business.

• Employee training is beneficial for business.

• Training filters out bad employees and retains the good employees.

• Tips with employee training.

In many organisations, human resources are considered the most valuable asset. Yet, many still disagree with that statement.

Those that do not believe in the employee-as-company-assets mindset, need to treat their employees in more meaningful ways, making them feel as valuable as they truly are to the business. This is why managers need to implement employee training programs, to not only increase product/service knowledge and general productivity, but to make them feel like they are more than just a number in the organisation.

Here are five reasons why investing in employee training programs is good for your business.

1. It helps attract and retain great talent.

Many issues regarding hiring and retaining employees could be mitigated through employee training programs. Employees consider training programs as a way of improving their skills based on the understanding that they are educational in nature. 

By initiating training programs, for instance, sales people can gain deeper insights to improve their skills and develop self-confidence and the positive attitude required to sell a product/service with conviction. This will also improve your reputation as an employer that pays attention to the development of your employees. You can create a pool of talent and increased knowledge, to give your business an edge to stay ahead of the competition. 

2. It can identify which employees are worthy of promotion.

Employees that have successfully completed your business’s training program can also become potential candidates for promotion, with proven competence. This will save you time and money when looking for candidates for qualified positions or executive posts within your business, which are, proven by research, best given to someone promoted from within the company. 

As these employees are highly familiar with the business operations and organisational structure, they understand and are capable of complementing the objectives of the company.

3. It can increase employee engagement.

Engaging employees in a training program is also an effective way of taking their mind off day-to-day work. When there are few opportunities to participate in activity outside that of work, such as a training program, it can often lead to a lack in motivation and becoming less happy at work. 

Not only are you up-skilling your workforce, but loyalty can be greatly improved through willingness to allocate financial resources for their attendance at training programs or conferences. When you invest in your employees, they are likely going to be inspired to invest more hard work into the job at hand, and ultimately your business. 

4. It translates into savings for the company.

The most impactful training programs are those that empower employees to become multi-skilled, extending their skill set across more than one area. 

This makes it easier for companies to tap employees with multiple skill sets to perform various functions in other related roles within the business. Employees feel empowered  by expanding their roles and responsibilities in your business.

5. It helps shape the future of your organisation.

You will find the need to continuously update your offerings as you make employee training and development part of your business. To become more responsive to employees’ needs, interests and goals, you should be designing and refining your training methods as part of the business yearly roadmap. 

You also need to make sure that your business is aware of the current trends in the industry and whether they warrant an adjustment in your business culture or brand, in which case, your training framework should also be put in place, or material included in the program.

Employee training and development should be shared among employees, managers and the business. When used correctly and consistently, the benefits gained can induce considerable growth at both individual and organisational levels. 

Tips and ideas for employee training

Regardless of the industry, it is critical that newly hired employees be trained correctly. Without proper training, there may be an increase in staff turnover, lower productivity and less job satisfaction. Employee training requires attention to detail, structure and paying attention to the abilities of the attendant. Some of the things you can do to ensure adequate training may include:

1. Clearly outlined training manuals. 

All trainees should be provided with a well organised manual. The manual should include a preview of the contents and then be broken down into individual topics that can be easily digested. The structure should be in a clear and logical order, and the information provided needs to be step by step and summarised with brief key points.

2. Getting to know new employees. 

It's important that you take the time to have a conversation with new employees – get to know the individual. Ask about their interests and family; this will help to calm them down as well as encourage them to be a team player.

3. Giving employees time to catch up. 

Keep in mind that training means the person is new to your company, so regardless of their experience, new employees need time to get familiar with your business. Add responsibilities gradually, continue to offer additional training, even after the training period is done, and don't be too hard on them when they make a mistake.

4. Getting feedback about the training process. 

For a training program to be successful, it must be continuously improved. Once trainees have completed their training program, ask them for feedback, including if they have suggestions on ways to improve the training program. Remember to ask if the training covered everything. If employees respond that it didn't ask what was missed. Was the training program too slow? Too fast? Was the structure satisfactory?