A lot is said about the need of qualified employees, but companies often forget that this is a long process. Finding qualified people is one thing, but you also have to continue to improve and develop your employees.
Slowly but surely, the companies are coming to this realization, provoked by the high competition and the serious lack of enough people with digital skills. If you can’t find them, you can create them. And you can improve your current employees, which is something an good worker would love.
There are many different ways and options you can use in order to improve the qualifications and skills of your employees. Choosing the right one can seem challenging but it can also be very easy if you know your employees and their preferences well. For example some people would prefer to have an online course which they can access whenever they feel like they have time. Others would prefer a traditional training in a classroom. There’s nothing wrong in asking your employees about the ways they prefer and see if you can provide various trainings for the same topic in order to suit as much people as possible.
WR Hambrecht + Co found that while the average content retention rate of an instructor-led class is 58 percent, the more intensive e-learning experience can enhance that retention rate by 25 to 60 percent.
The benefits from trainings for employees go beyond the attaining of new skills and knowledge. We won’t event cover that as it is quite obvious. Here are some other additional benefits for your company:
Team trainings can be a great way to foster the team spirit. It will also provide for opportunities for the employees to get closer and connect with each other in a more informal, but still beneficial setting. It’s not exactly a classic team building, but it gives an opportunity for team work.
When your employees attain new skills and knowledge, they will feel better about themselves. Especially when they see the results. It will make them more confident in their capabilities and will increase their motivation to add to the team. Plus they will be happier to work for a company that cares.
With new skills and knowledge come new opportunities. Your employees will be more confident to venture into the unknown and tackle bigger challenges. You never know where the next big idea will come from.
Some trainings can be held in classes where people from other companies are also attending. This can provide a great way to meet new connections. At the very least the trainer could be very beneficial and also prove to be a great person to know.
Your company will become more attractive to other potential employees. They will see and know that you invest in your people and it is a great opportunity for them to improve their skillset and also work at a great place.
Image credit: Flickr (CC) / Louisiana GOHSEP