Expanding employees’ knowledge and skillsets is always a good idea when it comes to generating value in the workplace. With professional development comes increased and varied strengths, skills gap closure, improved performance, consistency, and satisfaction.
But professional development in what areas? Training is important, yes, but it’s also important to identify what type of training is going to benefit the employee and company most, and to make sure the different curriculums work together. To maximize training value, focus in the following areas:
IT training
IT is really about using technology to solve one’s problems. Even if you don’t own the technical skills right now, you can learn them. Considering how quickly things change and the myriad of new technologies have entered the workplace, this learning is an almost constant undertaking.
Being frustrated with one’s technology can affect productivity, mood, and interactions with other coworkers, and all of these things affect workplace value. If an employee is unable to use the tools they have at their disposal to get the job done, productivity immediately begins to fall.
IT training is instrumental in keeping employees happy and engaged. Confidence with technology means more time and effort can be put toward business goals and core job functions.
Think of it this way: a seamstress can’t produce high-quality clothes unless she knows how to run the sewing machine, right? And the better she can run it, the better the quality and quantity of clothes she can produce.
Business process training
Keep thinking of that seamstress. She knows how to use her machine: great! But if she doesn’t understand the basic processes of her job—the pattern, pinning, stitch types, etc.—those clothes still aren’t going to get made.
This is where business process training comes in. From managing teams to managing projects, employees should understand the best practices for their jobs.
This is especially important as positions change and employees advance. Keeping abreast of process training ensures a team that’s fully prepared with the latest tips and tricks.
Workplace skills training
Sometimes to create big value, you have to address things that may seem small or basic. General workplace skills are instrumental in creating a positive, valuable work environment.
Leadership, critical thinking, grammar & writing skills, emotional intelligence…there are a lot of soft skills that can greatly increase business value, but that often go unaddressed when lacking. Remember, managing conflict or effectively giving feedback can be vital in creating an environment in which employees are comfortable. The more comfortable and happy the employee, the greater the value added to your business.
