A company which takes pride in their employees’ professional development and provides them with the right training to expand on their roles, will quickly reap the benefits through loyal, productive employees. There is no employee who doesn’t want to learn or progress in their career. And, unfortunately, the reality is that when employees don’t have access to these opportunities, they are more likely to move on.
On-the-job training doesn’t have to be the hassle you make it out to be. What it is, is an investment.
Understanding the basics of how to plan and conduct a training course is the first step to understanding the importance behind this initiative. Not only is it beneficial to your employees, but also to the company.
Understanding the importance of on-the-job training
On-the-job skills development that includes SETA training will not only benefit your employees but it will provide your business with new opportunities for years to come. Due to economic and financial challenges in South Africa, it is important for companies to invest in programmes to keep up with competition, increase their lifespan, and keep their employees happy.
When employees feel motivated, they perform well. For your company to invest in skills training, it means the following:
Happier workforce
According to this article, positive emotions appear to invigorate human beings. When employees feel inspired, they become more enthusiastic and loyal to your company. And, in essence, good employee commitment results in a boost in company profits.
Internal promotions
Investing in your employees means that you are promoting the need for skilled employees. An ‘always learning’ mentality contributes to a positive attitude which will take you to even bigger heights. When employees are always bettering themselves, there is no reason not to promote them and keep them satisfied during their stay at your company.
You will attract new talent
This is a no-brainer. Millennials, who are currently flooding the job market, are the ones who want to keep learning and keep changing the way businesses operate. If your company supports professional development, you will find that many people will be attracted to you simply because of that. This type of company culture shows that you want to grow people and you are willing to spend the money on building a better team.
Employee flexibility
In today’s working world, people’s job roles do not determine any other responsibilities that are required of you. Gone are the days where you weren’t able to do something because of the lack of training as today, everyone needs to be able to assist where need be. Companies need to create a flexible workforce that is capable of many things.
Issues that enhance the need for training
For business owners looking to implement a new training programme, it might be best to consult with an external training organisation beforehand. They will be able to come in, sit with your staff and successfully execute a programme that will play out according to specific employee acts and skills development legislation.
There are a number of reasons why employees need to be trained, including:
Lack of communication
Internal communication is one of the biggest barriers among employees and management. When things aren’t structured or run systematically, employees cannot do their jobs, and they’re not motivated to do their jobs properly when they don’t have the skills to do so. Not to mention, a lack of communication is demotivating for employees as they’re not kept in the loop of things that are happening around them. When people know what purpose they play in the bigger picture, they’ll be able to feel the value they’re adding.
Not up to date with the latest technology
Besides the skills you need to deliver a task, employees need to be up to scratch on the latest technology. Not only does this frustrate business owners, thinking employees cannot do the job properly, but it limits employees completely. Upgrades and modern technology make on-the-job training more beneficial.
Understanding your position
When employees have a proper job description, they feel more secure in their positions. It’s important for companies to be clear on employee tasks, not only to plan around their skills but to also set boundaries on tasks so that employees are not overworked.
For businesses which want to be a cut above the rest, they will understand the importance of skills development. Industries are always changing, providing an even bigger purpose for training. With the constant change in technology and trends, there will always be a reason for companies to train their staff. However, understanding the ‘why’ and then implementing the ‘how’ is always the challenge.
Here are a few tips to planning effective on-the-job training programmes that actually work:
- Start by assessing each employee and their roles. Once you’ve analysed their positions, jot down the skills you think your employees need to be able to do their jobs better.
- Wrap your head around the type of programme you’re going to implement. Once you’ve created a strategy around this, brainstorm the type of methods, resources and materials you’ll need. Try to stay away from self-help work, unless there is something to achieve at the end.
- Employees will need to understand the importance behind these programmes, therefore when implemented by an external company, they cannot be avoided. If it is set up by an in-house management team, business owners need to ensure that the implementation is strong enough to keep employees engaged, enthusiastic and committed to learning.
- Once you have completed a programme, make it a priority to include follow up meetings with staff to evaluate the outcome of the training. Usually, when employees can get involved in practising what they’ve learned, it guarantees better and more successful after-training results.
Final words
Forget the challenge and look at the benefits that skills training will provide you, your business and your employees. Skills development and training goes beyond using just the basic skills to perform a task and be a better employee. It’s about building a better future for your company and your employees.