In the Olympics, nations send their very best athletes. The elite are called and they bring home the gold. Elite athletes train hard and the training pays off in competition. Countries like the United States and China have extensive training programs that find and nurture Olympic level athletes so that when the time comes, they’re ready to dominate.
This applies to both life and business. The more training a person gets, the more knowledge and skills he acquires. Here are the top reasons invest in your employees by training them to be the best.
REASON 1: Lean and Mean Team
Would you rather have a handful of highly trained, efficient and effective employees working for you, or a large group of clueless, fumbling and inexperienced employees that give you more headaches than revenue?
Bigger isn’t necessarily better nowadays, and more businesses are trying to lean out rather than grow bigger. Zappos eliminated the need for managers (14% of their workforce quit) and the employees just manage themselves. You can’t solve a problem by throwing in more heads that don’t know what to do.
REASON 2: Invest in me, I’ll Invest in you
Employees who receive regular training become highly skilled and knowledgeable in their respective fields of expertise. They know you’re putting a premium on their development and you value them because you’re investing in their training. You can provide your employees with training that is beneficial to both the company and to themselves, like tafe business administration courses.
By showing a genuine interest in their further education (which they can put in their resume if or when they leave), employees become invested in the company. This loyalty usually rubs off on other employees and you’ll have a core group of loyal, highly skilled and trustworthy employees.
REASON 3: Unmatched Productivity
A handful of highly trained Navy Seals can take out a large group of untrained terrorists 10 out of 10 times. Each SEAL has a specific skill he excels at, honed and trained to lethal efficiency. On the battlefield, the SEALs execute and use their skills to conquer their foes.
Imagine having the luxury of having a small team of dedicated, skilled and knowledgeable employees that need little to no supervision? It’s achievable, given the right training, environment and company culture. In a software company, a three person team of developers who underwent quality assurance training will be more productive in weeding out bugs than a ten person team.
REASON 4: Image, Brand and Company Culture
A highly trained staff is a happy staff. When employees gain knowledge and skills, they become more confident in their abilities and this breeds a tremendous amount of positive vibes in the workplace. This attitude of optimism only adds to your company’s image, brand and culture as the place to be for career growth, job satisfaction and overall happiness. Many employees hate their jobs and the companies they work for. Change the game and make your employees want to work for you.
REASON 5: Never be left behind by Tech
Technology seems to change every few months, with many companies trying to be better than everyone else. This intense competition breeds a lot of new stuff. Keeping your employees abreast and in the know will save you time and money in the event you choose to go a different path. Imagine going from Mac to Windows to Linux. Everyone needs to be on the same page, and training can address this.
End Notes
Employee training is an integral part of any growing business. A lot of successful companies know this and continually employ this strategy to have an edge against the competition. You can utilize training in your own company too. Just make sure that you choose a program that works well with your staff and ensures that knowledge flows and skills are enhanced.