Why Employee Training is Critical to your Company’s Success
Cathie Leimbach • October 26, 2021
Do you think your employees don’t do what they are supposed to do? If so, you aren’t alone. Wondering why? A research project with 29,000 managers uncovered that one of the primary reasons is they don’t know how to do their job.
Do you think you already have a training program in place? It may be ineffective - here are several reasons employees still don’t know what to do:
- The people training them don’t know how to train or how employees learn best.
- There is a lack of any evaluation to see if learning has occurred.
- Experienced employees are often assigned to train new employees without having the skills to teach effectively.
- Employees don’t have an opportunity to practice what they have learned before having to perform the new skill in real time.
Your employees are your most important asset. Investing in training leads to greater business growth and success. A recent Gallup study showed that workgroups that engaged in employee development, including training, saw a sales increase and profits double compared with workgroups that didn’t engage in training
A consistent and effective training program has the following additional benefits:
- Higher employee engagement
- Lower turnover
- Higher productivity and profitability
- Better task management because of improved skills
- Increased confidence in performing their responsibilities
- Standardized processes and procedures leading to less wasted time and effort
- Improved company culture by building on each employee’s strengths and providing opportunities for growth and promotion
- Reduction of the need for constant supervision because each employee is equipped with the skills to succeed
Managers are key in the development of training approaches and programs. Here are the steps to make certain that the employees you supervise receive the training they need:
- Identify the skills and knowledge needed to competently perform each job in your work group. During this evaluation, elicit input and information from each employee doing the job.
- Identify available training programs for each of your employees.
- Assess each employee’s performance and identify gaps in skills and/or information.
- Ask each employee what skills they would like to develop to do their jobs better.
- Create and communicate an action plan for each employee outlining the training and desired outcomes.
One approach does not fit all employees. Best practices include:
- Targeting soft skills - soft skills help employees fully utilize their hard skills. Skills such as conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, time management, and working well under pressure are critical in the workplace. Employees with soft skills make for good team players and efficient managers.
- Personalizing the training – analyze what skills each employee needs to learn, acknowledge their current abilities, build on strengths, and identify their best approach to learning.
- Making training easy – remove obstacles by making sure employees are given time and support for learning. Use multiple platforms, including online and mobile, that make it easy to access the training.
- Allowing learning at their own pace – most employees prefer to learn when the need arises, making independent online learning a good choice for your workforce.
An investment in training will transform your workforce from “employees that don’t know what to do” to a well-honed team working efficiently and effectively to meet goals and business objectives.
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise. Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
Most employees know what they are expected to do each day. Far fewer fully understand why their work matters or how it contributes to the organization's success. Yet that understanding is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement, commitment, and performance. Gallup research consistently shows that employees who feel connected to their organization's mission and purpose are significantly more engaged, while highly engaged teams achieve stronger productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and retention. When people understand how their individual responsibilities help customers, coworkers, and the organization succeed, their work becomes more than a list of tasks—it has meaning. Supervisors play the key role in creating that understanding. A job description explains what to do. Leadership conversations explain why it matters. They help employees see how quality, safety, customer service, teamwork, and continuous improvement all connect to the organization's goals. As work changes, priorities shift, or new challenges arise, supervisors who communicate openly help employees understand not only what is changing, but why those changes matter. Questions, discussion, and regular feedback replace assumptions with clarity and build trust. Employees who understand the purpose behind their work are more likely to make good decisions, solve problems, take initiative, and remain committed during difficult times. They also appreciate knowing that their organization is willing to invest in their future through learning and career development opportunities, even if promotion is not immediate. When supervisors consistently connect daily work to a larger purpose through meaningful conversations, employees gain direction, confidence, and motivation. They don't simply complete tasks—they understand the difference they make. And that understanding creates a workplace where engagement, performance, and retention naturally grow. Need Help with a Difficult Workplace Conversation? Great leadership doesn't happen by accident—it happens one conversation at a time. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic Conversation is where leadership happens.
