ompanies can reap the rewards of providing training for their employees because well-trained

workers help increase productivity and profits. Investing in employee training should improve worker
retention rates, customer satisfaction and creativity for new product ideas. Effective training saves
labor by reducing time spent on problem-solving and saves money in the long run by producing a
better workforce.
ompanies can reap the rewards of providing training for their employees because well-trained workers
help increase productivity and profits. Investing in employee training should improve worker retention
rates, customer satisfaction and creativity for new product ideas. Effective training saves labor by
reducing time spent on problem-solving and saves money in the long run by producing a better
workforce.

Saving Time and Costs

Investment in training can improve a company’s financial standing. Poor performance often results
when employees don’t know exactly what they’re supposed to do, how to do their jobs or why they
need to work a certain way. Training can help solve these performance problems by explaining the
details of the job.

This should reduce duplication of effort in the workplace, the time spent correcting mistakes and the
problem solving necessary to correct bad performances. Improved performance from employee training
can reduce staff turnover, lower maintenance costs by reducing equipment breakdowns and result in
fewer customer complaints. Better performance from employees typically creates less need for
supervision and brings increased worker output.

Employee Satisfaction and Self-Esteem

Job satisfaction generally increases and self-esteem improves when employees better understand the
workings of the company. Training can also enhance morale on the job and loyalty to the company.
Workers who believe their company offers excellent training opportunities are generally less likely to
leave their companies within a year of training than employees with poor training opportunities.
Expectations and Needs

Training plays a key role in employee commitment, too. The training program must meet the
expectations and needs of the employees, though. Companies are more likely to retain employees who
view their training as relevant to their jobs and subsequently have a positive commitment to their
company. A successful training program consists of management providing employees with accurate
information and communication about the training as well as a program that ensures that training is
relevant to their jobs.

Training can be done internally by current employees, or by hiring an external company or consultant.
Determine what it is you want your employees to learn through training. Then see if someone in your
organization has those skills and would be able, and have the time, to do the training.

Employee Turnover Costs

Keeping well-trained employees pays off significantly for companies because the cost of employee
turnover can be high. Costs include separation costs, such as exit interviews, administrative functions
related to termination, severance pay and unemployment compensation. Replacement costs consist of
attracting applicants, entrance interviews, testing, travel and moving expenses, pre-employment
administrative expenses, medical exams and supplying employment information.

Studies show that the cost of replacing employees increases with the level of the employee. For
example, the cost of replacing a mid-range manager is 20 percent of the $40,000 salary, or $8,000. The
cost of replacing a top executive, however, can be as high as 213 percent of salary. So an executive
earning $100,000 could cost as much as $213,000 to replace.

Employee Training Factors

Many factors determine whether a training program will be effective for a company that has lost
employees, depending on how many workers are leaving. For example, using temporary workers to fill
in for former employees on occasion might actually save costs. Management can determine if a training
program will work out by looking at the increased workloads for employees caused by vacancies, the
stress and tension from turnover, declining employee morale and the decreased productivity that
results from high loss of employees.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-training-employee-performance-39737.html

https://2020projectmanagement.com/resources/project-management-training-and-qualifications/the-
importance-of-training-and-development-in-the-workplace

Training isn’t just important to any company, it is vital.

Although there are many categories of training such as management training and or
sales training, employees with Project Management skills are an important asset to any
organisation.

But what does training and development, mean to your organisation?

Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees,
but many employers in the current climate find development opportunities expensive.
Employees attending training sessions also miss out on work time which may delay the
completion of projects. However despite these potential drawbacks, training and
development provides both the individual and organisations as a whole with benefits
that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment. The return on investment from
training and development of employees is really a no brainer.

So what are the benefits?

Improved employee performance – the employee who receives the necessary

training is more able to perform in their job. The training will give the employee a greater
understanding of their responsibilities within their role, and in turn build their confidence.
This confidence will enhance their overall performance and this can only benefit the
company. 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.

Improved employee satisfaction and morale – the investment in training that a

company makes shows employees that 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.

Addressing weaknesses – Most employees will 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.
Consistency – A robust 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. Increased
efficiencies in processes results in financial gain for the company.

Increased productivity and adherence to quality standards – Productivity usually

increases when a company implements training courses. Increased efficiency in
processes will ensure project success which in turn will improve the company turnover
and potential market share.

Increased innovation in new strategies and products – Ongoing training and

upskilling of the workforce can encourage creativity. New ideas can be formed as a
direct result of training and development.

Reduced employee turnover – staff are more likely to feel valued if they are invested
in and therefore, less likely to change employers. Training and development is seen as
an additional company benefit. Recruitment costs therefore go down due to staff
retention.

Enhances company reputation and profile – Having a strong and successful training
strategy helps to develop your employer brand and make your company a prime
consideration for graduates and mid-career changes. Training also makes a company
more attractive to potential new recruits who seek to improve their skills and the
opportunities associated with those new skills.
Training can be of any kind relevant to the work or responsibilities of the individual, and
can be delivered by any appropriate method.

For example, it could include:

 On-the-job learning
 Mentoring schemes
 In-house training
 Individual study

Blended learning is becoming more and more popular and as a company we have
seen a definite increase in this method of training over the last year. Blended Learning
is the effective combination of online learning and classroom learning. Many of 20|20’s
clients prefer their staff to learn on-site rather than attend off-site training programmes –
especially in industries like oil and gas where it is often very impractical to attend off-site
courses. On-site learning programmes like the blended learning approach, allow 20|20
to train more people working across a larger international footprint than just the UK. This
makes it much more cost-effective and allows for greater process consistency.

The importance of training your employees – both new and experienced – really
cannot be overemphasized.

The Importance of Training Employees for your Business

Emma O'Neill

Published on June 21, 2018

Training your employees is an inevitable task in your organization. You have to keep up

with industry standards, onboard new hires, demonstrate how to use the coffee

machine… the list goes on.

All of these are critical parts of your organization's relationship with your employees and

they have individual, powerful perks. But, many businesses aren’t aware of the

importance of training employees.

We’ve seen first-hand what training employees can do for businesses. And it’s not just

the business that reaps the rewards from training, your employees do too.

Importance of training employees for your organization

To fully understand how to deliver great training, it’s vital to know why training is

important for employees.

We’ve created an infographic that highlights the importance of training employees in an

organization:
Improves employee performance

The prime motivator for employee training is to improve performance. And when

executed well, it does just that.

It provides your employees with the expertise they need to fulfill their role and make an

impact on your business. The skills they learn empower them to deliver a better quality

of work.

It also gives your hires a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities in your

organization. They know their targets and they're equipped with the tools to effectively

meet them.

Increases engagement

Engaged employees have an increased level of productivity - it’s as simple as that!

Through training, you're continuously engaging your employees and enabling them to

engage back. There is two-way communication, opinions and internal workings shared.

Your employees are also being kept up to date with what’s going on.

This makes them more emotionally invested. They care about their role and are more

willing to commit their time and energy to the company.

Improves employee retention and growth

It's common knowledge that the hiring and onboarding process can be a costly and

time-consuming task. And a powerful by-product of increased performance and

engagement through training is improved employee retention.
Training boosts a feeling of value in employees. It shows that you’re committed to

providing them with the resources needed to ensure they’re doing a good job. In turn,

they are more likely to enjoy their work and remain in your organization for longer.

It also nurtures them further in their career within your organization. You’ll have more

opportunities to hire from within, reducing hiring and onboarding costs for your

business.

Consistency in training

Creating consistency within an organization is difficult. But training helps reduce a

disparity between your teams.

Each employee has a baseline knowledge of their own and their team’s goals putting

everyone on the same page. Employees all having the same training too mean they

share responsibility and are aware of their role on the team.

Tracks employee skills

With eLearning, particularly with a learning management system (LMS), you can track the

training your employees have taken. This has two big advantages.
First, through insightful reports, you know if you’re employees are up to date with their

training. A particularly powerful tool if you’re delivering onboarding training or have to

prove training has taken place e.g. compliance training.

Tracking your training also helps you to provide better training for your employees. You

can identify what they are and aren’t engaging with and you can improve your content

based on these insights so that your employees get better training overall.

Address internal weaknesses

A lack of awareness of internal weakness is a hazardous thing within an organization.

Training overcomes this as you can educate your employees on important subjects that

help overcome and avoid any issues.

Additionally, it creates a knowledge sharing environment. Your employees learn from

management and each others past mistakes and wins. This ensures that recurring

mistakes are reduced and your employees know the strategies for success.
Happier customers

Perhaps the most impactful aspect of employee training is its effect on your business’s

growth.

Simply put, better-trained employees make more productive team members that serve

your customers better. Happier customers stick around and buy more. This can

powerfully fuel your business’s growth.

Discover how to start training your employees today

With such great results, it’s essential you start your employee training strategy. Read
how to get started in our guide to employee training today.

Simplify your employee training today

Train your employees, partners, and customers with LearnUpon. The powerful learning

management system that has the features and knowledgeable team you need to

achieve training success.

https://www.learnupon.com/blog/importance-of-training-employees/
Training Needs Assessment Survey
What is Training Needs Assessment?
Needs Assessment: the process to identify "gaps" between current performance and
department/organizational objectives.

An assessment process that serves as a diagnostic tool for determining what training needs to take place.
This survey gathers data to determine what training needs to be developed to help individuals and the
organization accomplish their goals and objectives. This is an assessment that looks at employee and
organizational knowledges, skills, and abilities, to identify any gaps or areas of need. Once the training
needs are identified, then you need to determine/develop objectives to be accomplished by the training.
These objectives will form criteria for measures of success and utility.

This analysis can be performed by managers who are able to observe their staff and make
recommendations for training based on performance issues or gaps between performance and objectives.
This analysis can also be performed on an organization-wide level by Training and Development
managers who survey the organization to identify needs.

Factors that may lead to Training Needs

 Re-organization processes
 Business Process Re-engineering
 Process Improvements
 Reductions in Force
 Layoffs/Transfers/New Hires
 Staffing Changes/Promotions
 Re-locations
 New equipment/Technology
 Performance/Safety Issues
 Problems in Production/Safety
 New Systems/Procedures
 Changes in Laws/Regulations
 Succession Planning
 Career Paths/Growth

Why conduct a Training Needs Assessment/Survey?

A needs assessment/survey helps an organization achieve its goals. It reduces gaps between employee
skills and the skills required by the job and department. The training needs assessment survey can also
form the basis (benchmark) for determining effectiveness of the training administered. You can re-
administer the training needs survey after the training was performed to see if there was an increase in
performance/skills as measured by the survey.

How do you determine where Training is needed?

You can use different sources to determine training needs:

 Needs Assessment Questionnaire

 Needs Analysis
 Employee Interviews
 Employee Opinion/Climate Surveys
 Exit Interviews
 Employee Grievances/Complaints
 Customer Returns/Calls
 Accidents & Scrap
 New Equipment / Software
 Changes in Procedures
 Re-organization
 Job Re-design
 Performance Appraisal Results
 Promotions & Terminations
 Observations
 Assessment Centers
 Employment/Skills Tests
 Focus Groups

Gathering Employee Opinions for Training Needs

Schedule a meeting with employees in a particular department or job classification. During the meeting,
gather ideas from the employees about their needs and areas for professional development. Determine
common themes and topics.

Ask the employees to review the information gathered and determine which areas/needs are most
important to receive training.

Then determine the desired outcomes from the training to address these needs. These outcomes could
serve as measures of success (validation) of the training.

What are the Steps in a Training Needs Assessment

1. Needs Assessment (collecting and analyzing data)
2. Design (program objectives, plan, measures of success)
3. Testing (prototype the instrument and process)
4. Implementation (collection measures and update as needed)
5. Analysis & Evaluation (review feedback and data collected)
Steps in a Training Needs Assessment

Assessment Methods: Advantages and Disadvantages

Survey Questionnaires
Web based or printed questionnaires distributed to employees for completion. Construction of surveys to
include multiple/fixed choice questions and free/open-ended questions for text responses.

Advantages

Disadvantages

 Survey a large number of employees at the same time.

 Do not require a lot of time.
 Enable honest and open feedback.
 Gathers quantitative and qualitative data easily.
 May be difficult to design questionnaires to allow for follow-up or more elaborate responses.
 Might not identify the specific causes behind employee actions/behaviors.

Personal Interviews
Conducted by a trained "interviewer" who follows an interview outline (or set of questions) to be asked
during the interview.

Advantages

Disadvantages

 More flexible in the ability to ask various questions.

 Able to immediately follow-up on items mentioned in the interview.
 Is not limited in scope or limited to only a certain set of questions.
 Time consuming. Especially if only one individual is interviewed at a time.
 Requires the interviewer to document conversations in detail. Any details not documented are lost or need to be
gathered through subsequent interviews.

Personal Observations
An observation of the employee at work. May be structured (i.e., the employee performs specific tasks) or
unstructured (i.e., the observer tries to document the employees work without influencing what the
employee does).

Advantages

Disadvantages

 May reduce the amount of interruption of the employee's work.

 May be more realistic--observations are made of the employee actually at work.
 Requires a trained observer.
 Requires the observer to document the work in detail. Any details not documented are lost or need to be gathered
through subsequent observations.

https://hr-survey.com/TrainingNeeds.htm
Learning in business is vital. That stands as much for the CEO as it does for
those at the bottom of the company ladder. An organisation's capacity to grow
is defined by its openness to learning. Getting, keeping and developing the
right employees is key to business success.
In a recent article, If “culture” is key, how can training help?, Training
Magazine inextricably link training and development with employee
engagement, employee productivity, responsive customer service, delivery of
quality products and services, and in having staff with the skills to meet future
demand. Staff training and development is an essential part of growing a
positive company culture, and is influential in employee retention.
Understanding the importance of employee training and staff development is
one thing. Identifying what the training and development needs of your
employees are, is another. Get it wrong and you could be wasting money on
training in areas where your people are already proficient.
But, how do you know exactly what it is your employees need? Most
managers know that training is essential, but many don’t take the time to
understand individual needs. It is counter-productive to offer training that isn’t
required or the wrong kind of training.

7 steps for identifying the training needs of your employees

Set clear expectations
To identify training needs, you first need to set clear expectations for each role
within your business. In order to monitor performance effectively you need
something to measure against. Review job descriptions when new positions
are created, or when making any substantial changes to existing roles, as well
as periodically to account for smaller changes.

Monitor performance
Measuring and monitoring performance should be embraced as a means to
support employees - not reprimand them. Set clear goals and respond to
performance blips on an individual basis. Understanding why performance is
off kilter puts you in a better position to respond positively and offer
appropriate training.
If performance is below expectations, can training help to improve that
particular individual's performance? Consider if your employees skills are
matched to the right job.
Ask employees!
It may seem obvious, but gathering feedback from your employees is as good
a place to start, as any when trying to identify training needs. We’re not talking
about the traditional employee surveys conducted by HR departments here -
they tended to focus on specific productivity needs within the business, rather
than what staff actually needed.
Instead, use focused employee evaluation to encourage honest and open
feedback. This will create helpful dialogue about career development and
enable you to identify specific training requirements.
Ask employees to rate their job satisfaction and performance and what would
make it better. Also ask them to comment on your current training programme.
Importantly, find out from your employees if your current training programme
supports career goals. Getting feedback from individual employees will help
you to understand individual training requirements.
Also ask managers for feedback on employees and compare with employee
self-evaluation to identify differences. It is equally useful to ask for employee
feedback on managers. Create your own surveys or use a service, such
as SurveyMonkey.

Carry out an organisational, work and task analysis

An analysis of your business' strategies and goals, as well as an analysis of
tasks being performed to achieve those goals should help to identify training
needs that are specific to each team and each job. This is a good way to
identify universal training needs.
You will be able to identify areas where staff are spread too thinly, or where
certain tasks are being duplicated. Training will fall into three categories – that
needed to improve staff knowledge about your industry (industry-related), job-
related needs and personal development.

Set up personal development plans

If you're serious about employee retention, then you should encourage
personal development. Giving employees the opportunity to work on personal
development can have a profound effect on their motivation and how much
they feel invested in your business.
Setting up personal development plans that you review on a regular basis
improves communication and will also help you to identify any relevant work-
related training needs.

Set up a focus group

Focus groups are a useful starting point in identifying training needs within
your business. A focus group looks at a cross-section of employees within the
business under the guidance of an expert facilitator.
This is a useful way of gathering employees’ views and opinions about current
training and how to improve what is on offer. Focus groups also help to
demonstrate that you are interested in the opinions of your employees, which
is great for company culture.

Set up a system of mentoring and coaching

Closely aligning staff with a mentor will help to develop skills, and in the
process identify any additional training and development needs. Mentoring
programmes are a great way of helping employees succeed in their careers.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) offer free
useful fact sheets on how businesses can identify learning and development
needs.
https://www.breathehr.com/blog/how-to-identify-employee-training-and-development-needs