For the business, the better your people are trained and the more engage they are, the better they will perform. This then has a direct impact on how the business performs.
Every decision in a business is made by someone in the business. The quality of those decision will depend on how well people have been trained and their engagement. It seems a no-brainer to make sure people are well trained.
Training and development does not have to be expensive. There are lots of methods and options that can be used.
The first step is to identify what training is needed. This needs to relate back to the commercial needs of the business i.e. what skills and knowledge are needed within the business. Once this is understood, you can identify what skills you already have and where the gaps are. This is generally done through a training needs analysis. Training can then be planned accordingly.
To monitor success, you can introduce performance management programmes or appraisals and set clear objectives for individuals.
As Richard Branson said: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough, so they don’t want to!”
Frequently asked questions
To be able to recover training costs you must have the contractual right to do so. This would generally mean including clauses in the contract of employment . In addition you should get the employee's express written agreement to each training course that you may wish to make a deduction for should they leave and this needs to be done before the training starts (you cannot do this retrospectively). Even if you reserve the right in a training deductions agreement to deduct any outstanding training fees from the employee's pay when they leave, the employee should still be advised of the deduction before you take it from their pay. Please see the further guidance on training deductions.
There is not a legal requirement to have an induction process / training, but it is strongly recommended. An induction will ensure that new starters are aware of what is required of them and clear about your policies, procedures and standards. A good induction will also help an employee settle in more quickly.
Appraisals are an opportunity to review an employee's performance, set objectives for the coming period and review any training and development needs. They can also be an opportunity to communicate the Company goals and how the employee contributes to this and discuss aspirations. Conducted properly they should be motivational and forward looking and can help and improve the overall performance and productivity of the business. You can find further information in our Appraisals guidance.
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