Many companies and businesses provide in-service training for their staff. This training can cover a variety of topics such as customer service, communication skills, computer skills, safety, ethics, and many other topics. There can also be specific skills taught to a sub-set of the organization. If a factory installed a new piece of equipment on the production line, for example, there would need to be training designed to educate those who would be using that particular machine.
Providing training and development opportunities to the employees at your company is very important for several reasons. First of all, it communicates that the administration and management team cares enough about their workers to provide additional opportunities for them to develop. This shows that company leadership understands the importance of investing in their people. Most companies offer training for their employees during regular business hours. The workers are on the clock but not doing their regular job. This conveys the message that production can slow down for a few hours as the employees attend class. In some companies, the workers might be sent to the class over a period of a couple of days so that the business does not have to completely shut down. When employees see that their management cares enough to send them to some type of class, motivation is often improved throughout the company. Increased motivation leads to greater morale and job satisfaction.
A second reason that training and development opportunities are important is that it keeps the team sharp. On-going training provides them with the latest technical, legal, and specialized skills that they need to do their jobs. This will increase efficiency and productivity in workers. If management is serious about productivity, periodic classes will ensure that employees have the most up-to-date information to do their jobs effectively.
In-service training also serves to keep the team sharp in another way. By giving workers a break from their regular duties, even if it is only for a day or a few hours, they are allowing them to recalibrate and rest. Many people have jobs that are monotonous and tedious. When these workers attend a class, they are able to unwind and use a different part of their brain for a little while.
A third reason that on-going training opportunities are important is that they have been shown to reduce employee turnover by as much as 70%. While training is an investment by the company into its employees, regular training opportunities also serve to help the workers invest back into the company. Training often stimulates new ideas and creativity and give the employees a greater sense of ownership.
One last reason why it is so important for a company to provide training and development opportunities for their people is that it is an investment in the organization’s future. Training opportunities will often be a way that management can identify those employees who appear to be leaders. Identifying people that could possibly fill supervisory and management roles down the road is important for any business. The worst time to start looking for qualified people to promote is when you need them. It is much better to start the process of training and developing potential leaders before there is a need. Having an active list of candidates for promotion is something that any large business should maintain.
Companies should make training opportunities available throughout the year. Their people will benefit from it and the company will benefit from it. Some successful businesses have quarterly training sessions in which employees receive an hour or two of training. Other companies will set up classes twice a year, requiring workers to attend half day sessions. Besides required training, many organizations also offer optional training that employees can request to attend. There is no doubt that training workers can be expensive. At the same time, successful organizations realize that they cannot afford not to train and develop their people.
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