Business training 'lowers staff turnover'

Companies that roll out regular training to their staff could significantly reduce employee turnover.

This is the opinion of Cathy Wellings, head of communication skills at consultancy firm Communicaid, who claimed in an article for HR Zone there are three main myths to do with investment in training.

Firstly, she stated many employers believe that following workplace education, employees will look elsewhere for better opportunities, while secondly, they think it is cheaper to replace staff than spend time and money on training. Finally, some organisations think mistakenly think their workers see training as micro-management and resist it as much as possible.

However, Ms Welling denounced these fallacies and said there have been plenty of studies in the past that show business training boosts productivity, employee satisfaction and motivation and improves staff retention.

The expert explained if managers do not offer learning and development possibilities, they run the risk of losing talented employees and taking on low-performers.

"Demotivation due to inadequate training or opportunities to learn and to advance within the company forces frustrated employees to look elsewhere for professional and personal satisfaction," she remarked, adding workers who feel supported are far more likely to remain loyal to their boss.

Ms Wellings also advised companies on the best ways to plan and prepare critical business training through a series of tips, including the recommendation they should identify the most relevant skills needed for each role in the firm. Then, all training can be tailored towards those requirements.

She further stated it is essential to vary delivery methods and combine face-to-face training with learning technologies like online learning, particularly with Generation Y employees. This could be where many businesses are going wrong, as recent research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed online training accounts than less than ten per cent of training for two-fifths of companies.

Organisations like Virtual College offer lots of useful e-learning modules in various aspects of workplace education for firms that may not have the time to put them together themselves.