Training for Success: The Importance of Employee Training Employees are a key to the success of business. Many companies, small or large, have made this statement a large part of their dogma. Although this is a true statement, to add strength to this belief, it should read, well-trained employees are a key to the success of business. The quality of employees and their development through training and education are major factors in determining long-term profitability for a company. Ideally, a company would be able to hire people who already possess the exact skills their business needs. But in today's competitive labor market, demand for skilled workers far exceeds supply. This is where offering training to employees becomes an important function of every business striving to thrive in their respective industry. Importance of Training The reason training is often considered optional at many companies is because it is thought of as an expense rather than an investment. However, if you hire good employees, a wise policy to adopt would be to invest in the development of their skills. Not only does a training investment provide your employees with necessary professional or technical skills needed to increase productivity, it also shows your commitment to them. In addition, it shows that you are interested in bringing them along into the future of the company. Most commonly, training is only offered for new employees. However, on-going training for current employees not only helps them adjust to rapidly changing job requirements, but it also builds a more efficient, effective and highly motivated team. This enhances the company's competitive position and improves employee morale. Research has detailed the benefits a business will receive from offering on-going training to its employees: Increased productivity Reduced employee turnover Increased efficiency resulting in financial gains Decreased need for supervision Employees generally develop a greater sense of self-worth, dignity and well-being as they become more valuable to the company. Identify Training Needs As with most companies, you probably don't have unlimited time or funds to execute an employee training program. Therefore, it is important to decide early on what the focus of your training program should be. Begin identifying your training needs by asking these questions: Where is training needed? Begin by assessing the current status of the company, e.g., how it does what it does best, what are the abilities of your employees to accomplish these tasks, etc. This analysis will provide benchmarks against which the effectiveness of a training program can be evaluated. What specifically must an employee learn in order to be more productive? Determine exactly where training is needed. It is foolish to implement a company-wide training effort without concentrating resources where they are needed most. An internal audit or survey will help point out these areas that may benefit from training. Also, a skills inventory will help the organization determine what skills are available now and what are needed for future development. Additionally, given today's market-driven economy, you should consult your customers to determine what they like about your business and what areas should be improved. This audit should focus on the total organization and should tell you where training is needed and where it will work within the organization. Who needs to be trained? Once you have determined where training is needed, concentrate on the content of the program. Analyze the characteristics of the job based on its description, the written narrative of what the employee actually does. Training based on job descriptions should go into detail about how the job is performed on a task-by-task basis. Additionally, actually doing the job will enable you to get a better feel for the demands of the position. Individual employees can be evaluated by comparing their current skill levels or performance to the organization's performance standards or anticipated needs. Any discrepancy between actual and anticipated skill levels identifies a training need. Once you have answered the above questions, you are ready to begin thinking about the method of training to utilize. There are two broad types of training commonly used in most businesses: on-the-job and off-the-job techniques. On-the-job training is delivered to employees while they perform their regular jobs. This way, they do not lose time while they are learning. After a plan is developed for what should be taught, employees should be informed of the details. Establish a timetable with periodic evaluations to inform employees about their progress. On-the-job techniques include orientations (which are a great way to train new employees and familiarize them with your company), job instruction training, apprenticeships, internships and assistantships, job rotation and coaching. Orientations are for new employees. The first several days on the job are crucial in the success of new employees. This point is illustrated by the fact that 60 percent of all employees who quit do so in the first ten days of employment. Orientation training should emphasize the following topics: The company's history and mission The key members in the organization The key members in the department, and how the department helps fulfill the mission of the company Personnel rules and regulations Some companies use verbal presentations while others have written presentations. Many businesses convey these topics in one-on-one orientations. No matter what method is used, it is important that the newcomer understand his or her new place of employment. The second type of training, off-the-job techniques, includes lectures, special study, films, conferences or discussions, case studies, role playing, simulation, programmed instruction and laboratory training. Off-the-job training has the benefit of the employees receiving training from experts in a wide variety of fields. Moreover, since employees often view off-the-job training as a perk, as the company pays for the training and oftentimes the time away from work to participate in the training, off-the-job training has the added benefit of tapping into the employee's excitement and appreciation of the training opportunity. Evaluation Training should be evaluated several times during the process. Determine these milestones when you develop the training. Employees should be evaluated by comparing their newly acquired skills with the skills defined by the goals of the training program. Any discrepancies should be noted and adjustments made to the training program to enable it to meet specified goals. Many training programs fall short of their expectations simply because the administrator failed to evaluate the progress until it was too late. Timely evaluation will prevent the training from straying from its goals. Conclusion A well-conceived training program can help a business succeed. A program structured with the company's strategy and objectives in mind has a high probability of improving productivity and other goals that are set in the training mission. Although most businesses want to succeed, many still do not engage in training programs for either lack of time, finances, practice, trust in the program and expertise. However, if a company would like to further the success of its business, it should work toward creating a company-wide training program. With the workforce shrinking, a well thought-out training program is the most effective and efficient way to ensure profitability and progress within a business. Conducting a solid approach to training, a company is sure to guarantee itself a return on investment and ensure employee loyalty.