Six Employee Training Tips for Strengthening Your Team

Posted on: August 2, 2017

The better trained your employees are, the stronger an asset they become. However, employees are not brought into the fold with a pre-existing knowledge of the ins and outs of your business. The only way that can happen is by implementing an employee training program at your business.

Continuous training creates the most productive employees.

Not all business owners and managers expect a new employee to have the exact skills and knowledge needed to perform their job. While the employee’s past jobs might share the same title, they always differ slightly based on the unique culture every business develops. That is why employee education, on a continuous basis, is crucial. To that end, we have prepared six tips to help you get an employee training initiative started.

Tip #1: View training as an investment, not an expense.

Many businesses dismiss the idea of training, because they feel it is an expense rather than an investment. This simply is not true. Ultimately, the long-term benefits of employee training far outweigh its immediate costs. And when you factor in the importance of employee retention, the value of training becomes self-evident.

Tip #2: Get management to support the initiative.

Obviously, an employee training initiative cannot get off the ground without the support of management. When management gets involved with an initiative, employees tend to show more interest. Otherwise, they might be hesitant and view continued training as a criticism of their skill sets.

Tip #3: Start the initial training program off small.

Getting in over your head right from the start is a surefire way to see your training program canned immediately. It is best to work the kinks out by starting out small. Benchmark a developing training program with a handful of employees in order to expose weaknesses and shortcomings in its design.

Tip #4: Choose dynamic instructors to lead training.

There are really only two options when it comes to employee training instructors: either you outsource the job and hire a professional trainer, or you select a knowledgeable staff member who is charismatic and engaging enough to prove an effective teacher. Either way, the person leading the employee training needs to be a capable educator.

Tip #5: Train employees throughout the team.

Even employees who have been part of the team for several years can benefit from further training. The worst mentality one can develop is thinking that they have learned everything about their business. Everyone can and should strive to learn more, whether they have just been hired or been around for over a decade.

Tip #6: Measure the success of employee training.

Measuring the effectiveness of your employee training initiatives might seem difficult, but it should actually become apparent in a number of ways. For instance, after an employee gets trained, you should notice an increase in profits or employee productivity.

Executive Summary

Any business person, no matter their seniority, who is not learning in today’s fast-paced and competitive economy, is sure to fall behind. Additionally, if you are not willing to help hone your employees’ skills, who will? Strengthening an asset is never an expense—it is an investment. And, your employees are your greatest asset.