Employee training – it’s essential, but the very thought of it brings up a whole big list of headaches, doesn’t it?
Whether you’re a one-man band or a director with a battalion of staff, the challenge is universal.
The pound signs start flashing before your eyes as you consider the cost of quality training. There’s the question of who should provide this training too – will they deliver what they promise?
Will the training align with your unique processes and business culture?
Time is another beast. Every hour your staff spend in training is an hour away from work.
So, how to navigate this minefield? We’ve got some practical solutions to make employee training, less of a chore and a more strategic investment. Trust me!
Identifying Training Needs
Whether it’s sales working with marketing or IT collaborating with HR, everyone needs to be singing from the same hymn sheet. Shared goals are the name of the game here.
Get the department heads together for a good old chat. Talk about what each team needs to succeed, and if training can help get them there.
Additionally, individual needs are just as crucial. After all, a team is only as strong as its weakest link.
Staff self-assessments come into play here. By encouraging your employees to engage with these will help identify where support is needed. It’ll also highlight any misunderstandings with processes and give staff the opportunity to feedback to employers.
These are golden opportunities for managers to talk with their team individually and have an open dialogue. It’s the time to discuss career goals, skill gaps, and any other training needs that might not surface in a group setting.
Get your departments aligned, pay attention to individual needs through self-assessments and 121s, and keep your finger on the pulse!
By doing these simple things, knowing what training is required should be very obvious!
Here are of some common courses to help staff grow in their roles:
- Leadership and Management
- Project Management (for example: PRINCE2 or Agile)
- Communications (both verbal and written communication)
- Customer Services
- Sales Training
- Cybersecurity Awareness
- Time Management and Productivity
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Health and Safety Training
- Data Protection and GDPR
Choosing the Right Training Provider
The next step? Finding someone who can deliver it.
With training providers, it’s not just ‘who’s the cheapest’ or ‘who has the flashiest website’. Look for a provider with a proven track record in your industry. Check out their reviews, ask for case studies, and don’t shy away from asking for references. A good one will be more than happy to oblige.
Training providers do understand that businesses have their own unique processes and culture. So, talk to them about tweaking the content to suit your needs. Whether it’s specific language, product/service training or making entire courses to reflect your day-to-day operations, they’ll be used to these requests.
Recommended UK Training Providers
- https://www.cipd.org/uk
- https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/
- https://www.qa.com/
- https://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/trainingproviders.htm
Making Training a Win-Win
Let’s face it, the word ‘training’ doesn’t exactly set hearts racing. For staff, it’ll conjure up images of stuffy rooms, endless PowerPoint slides, and the irresistible urge to have a nap.
So how can you get everyone pumped??!!
People are more likely to engage when they see the value in what they’re doing. Make it clear how the training will actually benefit them. Will it make their job easier? – Yes! Could it lead to promotions and pay rises? – Yes!
Use real-life examples of staff who’ve up-skilled and how that’s worked out.
Skills like effective communication, time management, and problem-solving are not just workplace assets; they’re life skills. Make this point clear.
Pro tip: give your employees a say in their training. Whether it’s choosing courses or suggesting topics, involving them will make them feel valued and more engaged.
- Make the benefits clear.
- Showcase success stories.
- Stress the value of personal development.
- Give your team a voice in their training.
The Afterparty (Monitoring Progression and Gathering Feedback)
The course is done, the certificates are handed out, and everyone’s back to work. Job done.
The end of a training course isn’t the finish line, there’s more…
How do you know if the training has actually made a difference? One word: metrics.
Metrics could be in the form of; sales figures, customer satisfaction scores, or project completion times – keep an eye on these numbers. If they’re moving in the right direction, give yourself a pat on the back.
Numbers only tell half the story. For the full picture, we need feedback from staff. Schedule follow-up meetings and discuss what’s been learnt, what was useful, what was missed. This information is gold as you’ll be able tailor future training based on this information.
After all, training is a continuous thing. Regular check-ins as part of one-to-ones, will keep the momentum going, so the skills learned are being applied effectively.
Wrapping It Up
So go ahead, take the plunge. Invest in training that’s not just fit for purpose but fit for your team. When you get it right, training isn’t an expense; it’s an investment in the future of your business.