)
Training and development. These two words are often seen and used together, so much so that many people don’t recognise the difference between the two.
Training focusses on an individual’s specific job role and is used for a short-term goal, often with an immediate need, whereas development focusses on the individual and is used to support a long-term, sometimes open-ended, goal.
Examples of job-orientated training could be learning how to use the latest technology or learning all about a new product to keep individuals up to date with the skills required to do their job. A career-orientated development plan concerns the overall growth of an individual and concentrates on building the skills and knowledge needed to prepare an employee for future challenges.
Investing in training and development for every member of staff from the CEO to new intakes, and everyone in between, is vital as it improves skills, personality and performance. Supporting all employees is necessary to grow and nurture a positive workplace culture.
Commitment to a plan
What barriers could there be to stop an organisation from investing in a training and development plan? Unfortunately, some businesses believe that development opportunities are expensive, plans may be dropped when budgets are tight, and some companies are uncomfortable about taking staff away from their usual day-to-day role to train as it may have an impact on other members of staff.
With careful planning, that doesn’t have to be the case. A flexible approach to training and development and utilising key members of staff to act as coaches and mentors will help to reduce costs.
Always remember that one-size does not fill all when it comes to training and development and that every plan should be set to meet the needs of the individual, their current role and their future roles. The plan must include the key objectives and career goals of the individual and be aligned to the organisation’s vision. To reinforce the learnings there should be a mix of on and off the job training: hands on experience, work shadowing and the completion of coursework and training exercises.
By compiling plans for employees, a business will also be able to address their future needs and succession plans which will help to reduce the costs associated with recruitment and training.
A company who nurtures its workforce will be rewarded with:
Motivated and engaged employees who have great job satisfaction
Improved performance and productivity
Employees who are ahead of the competition
The ability to manage risk more effectively
A boost to innovation as training and development sparks creativity and new ideas
Better retention levels as employees feel valued and invested in
A strong brand reputation that attracts top talent
Great customer service
An increase in profitability
The importance of development
Promoting someone to management level simply because they are good at their job can put immense stress on the new manager, and the teams who are looking to them for direction can become disengaged and unmotivated. It’s a risky business putting someone in a position when they are not equipped with the skills to carry it out successfully, but with a robust development plan in place the transition can be a smooth one.
Coaching and mentoring
Just like training and development, there is a difference between coaching and mentoring. Coaching is usually task and performance related with an agenda set by the coach, mentoring builds and strengthens capability where the individual sets their own goals.
Coaching and mentoring are effective learning tools to enhance the performance of employees and can be used as part of a company’s overall development programme.
An organisation can use an external expert or experienced members of staff who are good listeners, can build a good rapport and have the ability to adapt to the needs of the individual. Their aim is to:
Prepare an individual for promotion or a time of change.
Help develop strong interpersonal skills (the ability to understand and communicate with others effectively).
Provide them with managerial skills such as problem-solving, decision making, planning and delegation.
Identify the needs, motivations and skills necessary to ensure the employee makes lasting change.
Allow the employee to use their own thought-process to recognise solutions.
Set appropriate and achievable goals and identify ways to measure the progress of these goals.
Create a plan to address ways to support the employee which may include tools and techniques such as one-to-one training, counselling & networking.
Support personal goals as well as work-related goals.
How we can help you
If you’d like to discuss any of the issues detailed in this blog, get in touch with us today. We’re here to help.
)