The Importance of Employee Training and Development

How would an organisation function without its people? It would be impossible, right? Which is why so much time and effort goes into the recruitment process and finding ways to attract the best talent. Although this is a great start and it’s definitely essential to hire the right people in the first place, it shouldn’t stop there.

Businesses must also make sure to nurture and take care of their employees all throughout their time in the organisation – one way of doing so is through investing in employee training and development. 

Table of Contents

·  The Importance of Employee Training and Development

·  Introduction to Employee Training and Development

·  What’s the Difference?

·  Employee Training and Development Examples

·  The Benefits of Employee Training and Development for Employers

·  The Benefits of Employee Training and Development for Employees

·  Tips for The Training and Development Process 

The Importance of Employee Training and Development

There are those who may think that training and development is solely for the benefit of employees when in fact, this is a mutually beneficial process for both the organisation and its people. Whilst it may require time, money, and resources to begin with, companies will be able to reap the benefits in the long-term. There is a misconception that HR training and development is only required at the beginning of an employee’s career as part of their induction process into the company, but this should not be the case, as these programs should be regularly integrated into the employee’s career. In order for employee training and development to be effective, it should consistently be a priority for the organisation.  https://giphy.com/embed/kiLq8SSDcewve

Introduction to Employee Training and Development

What’s the Difference?

Although ‘training’ and ‘development’ usually go hand in hand in the business world, there is actually a distinction between these two concepts, so it is vital to focus on both of these separately by creating specially curated programs for each one.

Below are examples of the characteristics of ‘Training’ and ‘Development’ and some ways in which they differ:

Training

–   Training programs are usually carried out in the short-term with a specific end-date

–   The focus of training employees is to enable them to learn new skills and knowledge

–   The context of training programs is usually directly linked to the employee’s role

–   There is a transfer of knowledge required from the trainer or supervisor to the employee

–   The content of training programs is usually very technical-based and does not necessarily require tailoring to suit each individual employee

Development

–   Employee development is a constant and long-term process

–   Development usually refers to the personal growth and progression of employees

–   Development programs focus on the general development of employees as people, not necessarily linked to the technical aspects of their role

–   Employees play a big part in their own growth and development

–   Each development program will be different as they have to be adapted to suit the needs of each employeehttps://giphy.com/embed/qKltgF7Aw515K

There are many different types of staff training that could be utilised depending on the specific needs of your organisation. Here are some examples:

Induction Training: this is the training that’s required for new employees when starting a new role  

Compliance Training: this type of training is to ensure that employees are following the correct procedures when it comes to doing their job

Health and Safety Training: this is to make sure that employees know key health and safety information  

Training for Qualifications: some jobs require specific qualifications or certifications which employees may train for

Management Training: this is the training which employees undergo for managerial roles

Technical Training: this type of training refers to specific technical skills or knowledge that is linked to the employee’s role

There are also different types of development activities that can be implemented alongside training programs in order to further help employees. Here are a few examples:

Mentoring Program: this is a program whereby experienced mentors are assigned to employees for support and guidance

Soft Skills Training: this refers to any type of training that helps to improve employees’ soft skills e.g., problem solving, teamwork and time management skills  

Performance Development: a performance development program can help to improve employee performance through methods such as coaching, feedback and reviews.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: this is training that is specifically targeted at improving the communication and interpersonal skills of employees.

 The Benefits of Employee Training and Development for Employers

Here are 6 reasons as to why employee training and development is beneficial to employers:

1. Increases Efficiency

When employees receive the right amount and type of training, their competence is bound to improve as they become more skilled and knowledgeable in their role. This should eventually lead to them working more efficiently and significantly contributing more to the company’s level of output.

2. Improves Performance

When companies focus on training and developing their employees, their workforce generally becomes better in a multitude of ways. One benefit is through improvements in performance and quality. As previously mentioned, training programs improve upon employees’ skills, expertise, and knowledge, which enables them to carry out their role to a higher level of standard.

3. Reduces Employee Turnover

By investing in the training and development of your employees, they are more likely to feel valued and appreciated by the company. It shows that you care about their growth and progression in the organisation, which may incentivise them to stay longer instead of leaving to find another job. A decrease in employee turnover leads to savings costs and time as there is a reduced need for recruitment.

4. Increases Employee Satisfaction

Linking back to the previous point, when employees feel valued and appreciated, they are also more likely to feel satisfied in their role at the company. So, by training and developing employees, job satisfaction levels should increase, which could lead to boosting the reputation of the company and increase their chances of attracting the best talent.

5. Internal Recruitment

By helping employees to grow and reach their highest potential through training and development programs, companies allow themselves more opportunities to recruit internally instead of hiring people from outside of the organisation. For example, if there is a managerial position open within the company, an existing employee with potential could be internally promoted and undergo management training in order to fill the role. Internal recruitment can also end up saving your company resources as it can be cheaper and take less time to complete.

6. Remain Competitive

When employers invest in staff training and development, it enables them to remain competitive by being able to keep up with industry competitors and trends. If, for instance, there is a new piece of innovative technology that a business wants to integrate into their operations, the employees will require training in order to operate and understand the new technology.

The Benefits of Employee Training and Development for Employees

As mentioned, the concept of training and development is mutually beneficial so here are 6 reasons as to why this is also so important for employees:

1. Prepares Employees for Progression

Training and development programs can help prepare employees for progression. Just as internal recruitment is beneficial to employers, it goes without saying that opportunities for internal promotion would be very beneficial to employees. By ensuring that employees are consistently part of training and development programs, they become more and more ready to progress further in their career.

2. Morale Boost

The benefits of employee training and development are all interlinked, as an increase in employee satisfaction is also bound to boost morale in the workplace. When morale is high amongst employees, they are more likely to feel motivated, which also leads to higher employee engagement. Overall, this creates a positive working environment which improves the company culture on the whole.

3. Increase in Confidence

The overall aim of training programs is to ensure that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their jobs to the best possible standard. So when employees receive regular training, they are more likely to perform well which would increase their confidence in their own ability. Additionally, when employees know exactly what they’re doing, they’re also more likely to feel confident about their work and are less likely to make mistakes.

4. Increases Productivity

Going back to the point above, when employees are confident in their ability to do their job and know exactly what they’re doing, they are more likely to work both efficiently and productively. Whilst an increase in productivity is a benefit for employers, this is also beneficial to employees as working productively and producing good work will highly likely give them a sense of satisfaction.

5. Job Autonomy

Investing in training and development can create autonomy at work in the long run, as companies can incorporate training and development programs that will encourage this. For example, leadership training programs can help with improving decision-making skills so that employees can learn to make some decisions on their own and experience greater responsibility.

6. Less Supervision

As previously mentioned, when employees are well-trained in their roles, they are more likely to perform well and make less mistakes, which means that they require less supervision from senior management. This further encourages job autonomy and also contributes to employee accountability whereby they take more ownership of their own work and feel a greater sense of achievement.

Tips for The Training and Development Process

Here are 5 tips for the training and development process and how to effectively implement these programs into your organisation:

1. Assess

Begin by assessing the specific training and development needs of your organisation and employees through methods such as surveys and asking for feedback. This is an important aspect of implementing effective programs as it ensures that they are specifically tailored for your employees.

2. Plan

Once the organisation’s needs have been identified, the next step is creating a detailed and thorough training and development plan. This will enable your company to set goals and objectives and plan out exactly how these can be achieved through the programs.

3. Consistency

It is important to remain consistent and stay focused on staff training and development as this should be an ongoing process in order for it to be effective. Organisations should ensure that helping their employees grow and reach their best potential remains a priority.

4. Measure

Organisations should set, track, and measure KPIs in order to understand how effective their training and development programs are. It’s important to make sure that they are worthwhile and not simply a waste of resources.  

5. Review

The training and development process should regularly be reviewed to check whether or not it’s still aligned with the organisation’s aims and objectives. You should also keep up to date with the latest industry and competitor trends to ensure that your company’s training and development programs remain competitive against others.https://giphy.com/embed/3ohzdSDikfrYZtbNAI

So, why is employee training and development so important? Because it can essentially affect all aspects of your organisation. The benefits of investing in effective training and development programs are not just for employers, but for employees too. Companies can have employees who are motivated, dedicated and engaged, whilst employees can feel happier in a job within an organisation that values them and wants the best for them – It’s a win-win. Qandle’s all-in-one HR management software has over 22 modules, one of which focuses on the training, learning and development of your employees to help you make sure that this remains a top priority for your organisation.