ITA Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees, but many employers find the development opportunities expensive. Employees also miss out on work time while attending training sessions, which may delay the completion of projects. Despite the potential drawbacks, training and development provides both the company as a whole and the individual employees with benefits that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment.
Addressing Weaknesses
Most employees have some weaknesses in their workplace skills. A training program allows you to strengthen those skills that each employee needs to improve. A development program brings all employees to a higher level so they all have similar skills and knowledge. This helps reduce any weak links within the company who rely heavily on others to complete basic work tasks. Providing the necessary training creates an overall knowledgeable staff with employees who can take over for one another as needed, work on teams or work independently without constant help and supervision from others.
Improved Employee Performance
An employee who receives the necessary training is better able to perform his job. he becomes more aware of safety practices and proper procedures for basic tasks. The training may also build the employee’s confidence because he has a stronger understanding of the industry and the responsibilities of his job. This confidence may push him to perform even better and think of new ideas that help his excel. Continuous training also keeps your employees on the cutting edge of industry developments. Employees who are competent and on top of changing industry standards help your company hold a position as a leader and strong competitor within the industry.
Consistency
A structured training and development program ensures that employees have a consistent experience and background knowledge. The consistency is particularly relevant for the company’s basic policies and procedures. All employees need to be aware of the expectations and procedures within the company. This includes safety, discrimination and administrative tasks. Putting all employees through regular training in these areas ensures that all staff members at least have exposure to the information.
Employee Satisfaction
Employees with access to training and development programs have the advantage over employees in other companies who are left to seek out training opportunities on their own. The investment in training that a company makes shows the employees they are valued. The training creates a supportive workplace. Employees may gain access to training they wouldn’t have otherwise known about or sought out themselves. Employees who feel appreciated and challenged through training opportunities may feel more satisfaction toward their jobs.
The Importance of a Structured Training Program
A structured training program has a clearly detailed schedule, time frame, outline of activities, and assignment of responsibilities. It has well defined goals and consequences. Having a structured training program typically leads to more success and employee development than an informal or unstructured one. Without clear structure, some companies cut corners or fail to complete training processes thoroughly.
Stated Goals and Strategies
Without structure, you likely have little awareness of training goals and strategies to accomplish them. Subsequently, your training comes across as less important to new hires or employees. In a structured program, expected training outcomes and strategies are heavily emphasized. These are important to program success, as they provide direction for specific steps taken and methods used by trainers to develop the skills of employees.
Consistency
The structure of a training program also increases your ability to provide a consistent and high-quality training experience for employees. A clearly outlined training module or guide offers a framework that managers can consistently implement with each employee in a given position. This ensures that each employee starts with a similar opportunity to learn the key facets of his job. This gives all employees an equally good start, and in team-oriented environments, colleagues will appreciate that they all received a similar training experience.
Measured Outcomes
Over time, successful companies constantly upgrade their standards of performance, and thus the capabilities of each employee. To grow, you need the ability to measure outcomes of training to make improvements and adjustments over time. If a particular training component doesn’t produce desired results, you can amend it, or scrap it from the program. In an unstructured training regimen, you don’t really have a way to measure whether the time and money spent on training produced tangible gains in employees’ ability to perform.
Certainty
Structure means certainty. Company leaders can be certain about the quality and impact of the training provided, at least to the extent they trust trainers to perform their duties. You know exactly how many days or hours you allocate to training for each role. This makes budgeting for training more effective. You also formalize the skills required for a given position and the training tasks necessary to help a new hire reach a critical level of job familiarity.