Training programs are often problematic in the execution phase. They take away a big chunk of time and resources of the employer. For worse, they’re not always effective and tend to make both the trainers and employees feel frustrated.
However, training at several points in one’s career is quite beneficial for personal and professional development. While many view training as something a new employee goes through, your existing workforce may also be in need of a proper session as well. They might need to learn new skills, brush up on the older ones, and become aware of new policies and regulations of your organization.
Knowing when your employees need training is a skill. If an employer neglects this important aspect of training a workforce, they might soon find themselves in a very difficult situation that might affect the performance of their employees.
Read on below to find out the signs that show that your organization needs a training program:
- Inability To Perform Basic Actions
When you find that certain or all employees are unfamiliar with the software or equipment needed to do their job, it’s time to take some action. Keep in mind that an employee’s qualifications don’t necessarily mean that they would be able to apply themselves to the job.
So if you find an employee constantly asking how to operate a machine that is an essential part of his job, take him aside. Ask if he needs proper training, or take the decision by yourself. It’s not necessary to hold a company-wide workshop every time, but even a personal one-time session can work wonders. With a little bit of effort, you may end up making a star employee.
- Low Productivity
One of the main signs that something is wrong within a company is the decrease in work productivity. Of course, this may be due to external factors (such as frequent power outages), so do rule these out first.
The internal cause for low productivity isn’t always laziness, even though an employer may tend to think otherwise. It may just be possible that your system and our workforce are not compatible together. As a company develops and grows, minor problems pile up and one may overlook several mistakes. Put together over the course of the years, this minor neglect can turn into something majorly problematic for any company.
In such a case, you probably need to round up your employees and give them a training session. This should be something that would give them guidance, motivation, and a fresh outlook. There may be new employees who don’t have knowledge of certain things. Their work might benefit immensely from knowing certain things. Their productivity would most likely increase as a result.
For example, a teacher may get to know that they can ask for copies of their worksheets without having to ask their head of the department. This would free up much of their time and energy, leaving them happier and more motivated. It follows that their productivity would increase as a result of this freedom.
- Lack Of Consistency
If you have several employees set on a similar task, but their methods of performing are varied, this is a potential problem. Working in one’s own way is generally not a problem, but it is if that working affects the running of the company. The final outcome might be the same, but if everyone’s process of registering and record keeping is different, it can create huge discord within the company.
Furthermore, if each employee is allowed completely free rein, this may make things difficult when hiring new employees. The employers wouldn’t know about the unique system of their previous worker. They would thus be unable to adequately train a new recruit to perform the job efficiently.
Hence, proper training and guidance in a universal system are essential, especially if the job depends on the system.
For example, a library requires a proper way of organizing books, such as the Dewey system. Similarly, a delegator for academic writing may find it useful to set up a general list of instructions for each team member.
Employers should take care, however, that they conduct such a session in the correct manner, especially if they have old employees. Seasoned workers are more likely to hold on to their way of working and think of their style as the best one. If possible, employers may ask such workers to become the conductor of these training sessions and impart their wisdom on to newer colleagues.
- A High Turnover Rate
An employee voluntarily or involuntarily leaving an organization is never a positive sign. If this occurs on a consistent basis, it can mean several losses for the company as well as insecurity for the remaining and new hires as well.
With a little sincere investigation, employers can determine whether their high turnover rate is due to an internal problem or not. Once you are sure that the problem isn’t a competitor poaching your talent or better opportunities elsewhere, it may be that the problem is the company itself.
New hires these days are usually millennials, who generally want to feel a connection with their workplace. If training takes place throughout the company, your workforce can be assured that you care about their development. An organization has to show that they want the best for their employees as well as for their other stakeholders.
Additionally, training provides an employee with a sense of indebtedness and fitting in within the company. They would hence be less likely to leave, this just might be the tactic you need in order to retain your useful employees.
Wrapping Up…
There may be several signs that your workforce is in dire need of some professional or personal training. While the red flags above are helpful in general assessment for training needs, one should be alert to the nuances of their own company.
Each workplace is as unique as a human being, with its own detailed problems. Hence, the more an employer or HR head is in touch with the workforce in general, the earlier they would be able to provide training where it’s needed.
Author Bio
Scarlett Erin is a Head of HR, Business Consultant, and a Budding Entrepreneur. In her blogs, she shares insights into the various aspects of business management, HRM trends, and marketing practices. She is a patron of English literature.
