The Importance of Employee Training
If you were given the choice between two different pilots—one was trained, the other not—which one would you choose? But what if there was no “up-front” cost for the untrained pilot? You still wouldn’t do it? Yet many business owners do not recognise the importance of employee training.
According to a recent survey by go2HR, 40% of employees who receive poor job training leave their positions within the first year.
Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees, but many employers find the development opportunities expensive. Employees also miss out on work time while attending training sessions, which may delay the completion of projects. Despite the potential drawbacks, training and development provides both the company as a whole and the individual employees with benefits that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment.
Addressing Weaknesses
Most employees have some weaknesses in their workplace skills. A training program allows you to strengthen those skills that each employee needs to improve. A development program brings all employees to a higher level so they all have similar skills and knowledge. This helps reduce any weak links within the company who rely heavily on others to complete basic work tasks. Providing the necessary training creates an overall knowledgeable staff with employees who can take over for one another as needed, work on teams or work independently without constant help and supervision from others.
Improved Employee Performance
An employee who receives the necessary training is better able to perform their job. The training helps build the employee's confidence because they have a stronger understanding of the industry and the responsibilities of their job. Their improved skill set will allow them excel in their role and potentially bring new ideas to improve overall company performance. Continuous training also keeps your employees on the cutting edge of industry developments. Employees who are competent and on top of changing industry standards help your company hold a position as a leader and strong competitor within the industry.
Employee Satisfaction
Employees with access to training and development programs have the advantage over employees in other companies who are left to seek out training opportunities on their own. The investment in training that a company makes shows the employees they are valued and builds strong employee loyalty ultimately reducing staff turnover. The training creates a supportive workplace which in turn builds the culture of the business. Employees may gain access to training they wouldn't have otherwise known about or sought out themselves which shows them there is real opportunities for progression within their career. Employees who feel appreciated and challenged through training opportunities feel more satisfaction toward their jobs and their employer which benefits everyone involved.
However, not training your employees also comes at a cost. Below are some reasons untrained employees can end up costing you more than trained ones.
Untrained Employees = Unhappy Employees
Employees who feel inadequate, underachieving, or unsupported are unhappy. They aren’t satisfied in their work, which will cause them to underperform, make mistakes, and not care about their work product. That costs the business in lost time and money.
Untrained Workers Are Inefficient
More time (and therefore money) and effort is spent when employees aren’t fully or properly trained to perform their tasks or to fulfil their responsibilities. It takes them longer to do the work.
Lost Customers
Untrained employees can be responsible for mistakes within a business and those mistakes and inefficiencies can cause your business to lose customers. That is the worst possible scenario, but it does happen.
SureSkills Training & Certification manager, Steven Long says “ Employers should consider the bigger picture and consider the old adage of ‘it’s better to train staff and have them leave than to not train them and have them stay’. They need to invest in personal development plans and further training /education to persuade staff to have a better chance of holding on to staff.”
Long adds that investing in staff training also helps companies to best exploit ongoing tech innovation. “When you look at higher-end technologies, such as VMware, Microsoft and AWS, the better qualified your people are, the better you can use the available services to support your business.”
To ensure your staff are fully trained and operating as effectively as possible contact one of our Learning Consultants today on 01 240 2262/email info@sureskills.com or for our Belfast office contact +44 028 9093 5565/email niinfo@sureskills.com