Employee training and development is a critical part of any successful business model, directly impacting your ability to improve the performance of all employees and retain great talent. The result of great programs? A well-oiled machine and better success rates across the board. Simply put, when you take the time to create a mindful training and development program, you are investing in both your employees and your company.
A study done by Gallup found that organizations that have made a strategic investment in employee development report 11% greater profitability and are twice as likely to retain employees than their peers. In a competitive market, where it is challenging to hire and retain top talent, it is vital to invest upfront in your employees and put the time and effort into developing them past their initial onboarding.
Employee training should offer employees the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills within their roles. Employee development should go beyond the training, providing them with the tools to grow and develop as professionals and team members.
Prioritizing employee development and creating an effective and thorough training program takes thoughtful and deliberate planning. Here are some steps to help you make an excellent training and development program:
Address your Goals
Take a step back, and look at the big picture. What are the goals of your business? What steps can you take to meet those goals? Take those goals into consideration as you plan your program.
Figure out what skills employees have already
In which areas does your company already thrive? Perhaps you have a strong sales department or are already providing excellent customer service. After determining which skills your employees already possess, shift the focus of your training programs towards new or different skills.
Identify and analyze gaps
Once you can identify where your team is in relation to your goals, you can plan a program accordingly. Even the strongest teams have room for improvement; you may find these gaps using resources such as performance reviews, assessments, and basic job descriptions.
Communicate with your team
It is essential to take the needs and opinions of your employees into consideration as you plan for training and development programs. Doing so will ensure that your employees are interested and engaged in the programs you offer.
Build a thorough program
The most effective training and development programs use a blended approach; these programs combine different online self-learning and instructor-led training methods. These methods will address business skills, soft skills, and job-specific skills to create a well-rounded curriculum.
Measure the effectiveness
When introducing new training and development programs, it is important to find a way to measure its success. Set learning goals, gather employee and customer feedback, and adjust the program as needed. You may not get it exactly right the first time, which is why it is crucial to have tangible results that you can refer to as you iterate on the program.
It is essential to keep in mind that, as with all things, your company’s and employees’ needs are constantly evolving. To maintain a strong program and continue to reap the benefits, be open to the challenge of readjusting the curriculum from time to time to meet them. Where your current team is thriving, your future team down the road may have blind spots. Encouraging growth amongst your employees should always remain a priority; by implementing a thorough and flexible training and development program, your company as a whole will flourish.
Struggling to identify which areas your team is struggling with? Have your team fill out Crystal’s personality assessments to better cater to their individual communication needs as you create your programs. Get started with Crystal today.
Sources:
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/309284/ways-continue-employee-development-covid.aspx