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How do you assess what sort of training you or your staff need, and where is the best place to get it? Can you do it yourself, get someone in, or take the team out for the day, and what will it cost?
The benefits of training your team are immense. They can include:
- Less wastage, fewer errors and greater efficiency
- Better skilled and more productive employees
- A more confident, loyal and responsive work force
- Reduced staff turnover
And for your staff, it could mean:
- Increased motivation and confidence
- Greater personal development
- Credibility and recognition of their skills
- A transferable qualification
The options
When it comes to staff, there is a whole spectrum of options available to you to suit your business culture and requirements. Here are some suggestions of ways to train your employees:
- In-house
- Online - also called distance learning
- Through seminars
- Dedicated training events
- Local college courses or evening classes
In-house training is probably the least expensive route, because it can be as simple as allowing one staff member to learn from another person through job shadowing. As well as being inexpensive, informal, on-the-job training also offers the personal touch, is highly adaptable and even the smallest businesses with no training budget can do it.
Personal trainer
You might also consider coaching, which involves regular reviews of an employee's progress. Coaching is usually done by line managers, who can advise employees on how to improve their performance and give them feedback on what they are doing well, and what needs improvement.
Resources such as reference books and CD-Roms also offer a low cost way to give employees a basic grounding in particular areas. You could also think about making relevant information available for all staff in handbooks or on a company intranet. The benefit of these resources is that they can be used at the employee's convenience and at their own pace. However, they generally require more self-discipline and application than one-to-one coaching or class learning.
Online training
There is now a huge array of online training courses available that allow staff to learn at their own pace and convenience. These are provided by organisations such as learndirect, a government-sponsored network of online learning and information services, and The Open University, which has professionally recognised courses.
They are delivered using the web, CDs, books and videos, and frequently involve support from personal tutors. The great thing for small businesses about online courses is that there are no travel costs involved, and training can be tailor made for the organisation. It can be a half-hour training session, or a multi-week accredited training course.
External training
Finally, it is worth looking at external training courses. They often carry a higher price tag, but this covers the trainer's time, know-how and materials, and can offer your business valuable skills and expertise that it wouldn't otherwise have access to. The sorts of subjects that external training courses cover include:
- Managerial skills
- Computer packages
- Finance
- Sales and marketing
- Business planning
- Legal and regulatory requirements
To find local workshops, events and seminars, the government has a free brokers service, Train to Gain, which it delivers via the Learning and Skills Council.
Related information:
Dealing with staff - how to recruit staff for your business and ensure they are happy in their roles.
Employer liability - all UK employers must take out employer liability insurance - find out more about why this cover is necessary.
Motivating staff - ensuring your staff are motivated and enjoy coming to work will mean they are more efficient and doing the best to perform for your company.
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