Importance of training the workforce
Anne from Starling Bank discusses training and human resources
Training and development is the process in which employees are provided with additional skills, knowledge and qualifications. Businesses train and develop their employees for a number of reasons, including motivationThe reasons an employee has for working - how driven and happy they are in their role., retentionRetention refers to the amount of employees the employer is able to keep in the business. and productivityThe amount of work produced by a person in a given time..
Motivation
Motivation refers to how driven and happy an employee is in their role. If an employee is motivated, they are more likely to do a good job and work hard.
Most businesses view training and developmentProcesses in which employees are provided with additional skills, knowledge and qualifications. as important ways to motivate their employees. If an employee is receiving training and development, they are likely to feel valued and that the business is interested in their progress, which results in employees being motivated to work harder.
Retention
Retention refers to keeping employees working for a business, rather than leaving. Retaining employees keeps their valuable skills and experience within a business, and avoids the need to spend time and money hiring new employees. Employees are likely to feel valued by a business that invests in their training and development, meaning that they are more likely to stay working for them.
Retention is usually represented as a percentage of employees. For example, a 95 per cent retention rate would mean a business had managed to keep 95 per cent of its employees working for it over a certain time period. A retention rate of 90 per cent or higher is considered to be very good.
Retraining to use new technology
Technology is constantly becoming more advanced and changing as new machinery, software and ways of working are introduced. It is very important for businesses to ensure that they train their employees to use new technology. Doing so makes employees more efficient and skilled in their roles.
The type of technology a business invests in will depend on the type of business. For example, some businesses will need to train their employees to work a self-service checkout or a new payment system. Other businesses might need to teach their employees how to operate a new piece of industrial equipment, such as a robot that installs car parts.
Training employees to use new technology may also make them feel more valued by the business, which may in turn improve both motivationThe reasons an employee has for working - how driven and happy they are in their role. and retentionRetention refers to the amount of employees the employer is able to keep in the business.. Ultimately, if employees are able to fully use new technology, business performance is likely to improve.
Increased productivity
Training often gives employees new skills which make them better at their job. This means that they can make products faster and with fewer errors. This means less time is spent correcting mistakes. Employees will become more efficientPerforming in the best possible manner with little time, money or energy wasted. which means the productivityThe amount of work produced by a person in a given time. of the workforce will increase.
Producing high quality goods and providing high levels of customer service
Some businesses train their staff so that they are able to produce high quality products or provide high levels of customer service. This ensures that customer satisfaction is high and the reputation of the business is not damaged. Some businesses have quality or customer service as their USPUSP stands for unique selling point., for these businesses, it is extremely important that they continuously maintain high standards to keep an advantage over their competitors.
