Why Good Quality Training is Important
‘Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.’ Richard Branson
To me the benefits of training whether technical, management, universal skills or organisation specific are obvious, by investing in employees they feel more valued and builds confidence and if the training is technical then people become more competent at their work.
I’ve often heard the statement - ‘if we train people and they leave then we’ve wasted resources!’ to that I’ll counter with this alleged discussion between a chief finance officer and a chief executive CFO ‘what happens if we train people and they leave? CEO What happens if we don’t and they stay?’
Sure it’s likely that if you train everyone some will say thank you very much and leave to go on to pastures new, but not all of them. Those that stay, having had training, will do a much better job than if they hadn’t been trained, and in the long run that will reap more benefits for the organisation than the cost of training those that left.
There are plenty of benefits too, for both the individual and the organisation - I’ve put together this list to illustrate the point.
Impact - Improved skills and knowledge
Individual Benefits - Builds confidence in abilities
Organisation Benefits - Work is completed more efficiently and effectively
Impact - Practised standardised procedures
Individual Benefits - Greater understanding of what’s required and why
Organisation Benefits - Greater efficiency
Impact - Reduced waste
Individual Benefits - Make good, safe and economical use of materials, tools and equipment
Organisation Benefits - Accidents and equipment damage will be minimised, reducing waste
Impact - Reduced supervision
Individual Benefits - Greater feeling of empowerment and trust
Organisation Benefits - Supervision resources can be redirected
Impact - Internal promotion
Individual Benefits - Motivated, feel ‘looked after’ and strive to be ready for promotion
Organisation Benefits - Suitable candidates for vacancies. Saves recruitment and on-boarding costs
Impact - Boosts morale
Individual Benefits - Employees feel part of a supportive work environment
Organisation Benefits - Greater productivity and loyalty, less likely to look for work elsewhere
Impact - Understand the organisation
Individual Benefits - Understand where they fit into the organisation, why their job is important and how it contributes to the organisation’s ethics, policies, vision and mission
Organisation Benefits - Employees reflect the organisation’s ethics, policies, vision and mission in the way they work
Impact - Customer satisfaction
Individual Benefits - Feel more confident when dealing with customers, who in turn benefit from employees who understand the organisation’s aims and mission, and can efficiently and effectively do their job
Organisation Benefits - Improved reputation with customers who are satisfied with the service they receive, more likely to return
In the current climate of increased rates of employees moving on, now it is more important than ever to invest in people and show that your organisation genuinely believes in and supports its employees.
