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Why you should invest in training

As a general manager or small business owner constantly juggling priorities, you might not have given much thought to training. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many see training as something that’s part of a more complex corporate structure with deep pockets and lots of regulations. Or it’s viewed as a luxury, a «nice-to-have,» but not a necessity.

In this competitive economy, training can be beneficial for companies in many ways: well-trained workers help increase productivity, customer satisfaction, and profits. As you probably know, training also helps increase employee retention rates. Let’s take a look at each benefit of training and how it can help you get an edge on your competitors:

Increase productivity

Poor financial 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. Improved performance from employee training can reduce staff turnover and result in fewer customer complaints.

Happy employees make for happy customers

Job satisfaction generally increases and self-esteem improves when employees better understand their tasks and what they are expected to do. Training can also enhance morale on the job and loyalty to the company, making them feel valued. When employees feel that they are valued at what they do, they naturally transfer that feeling to the customers. Is in it great when you enter a work place and employees are smiling, engaging with customers and going the extra mile for them? That is the competitive edge every general manager or business owner should be looking for!

Employee retention rate

Keeping well-trained employees pays off significantly for companies because the cost of employee turnover can be high. Costs include separation costs, administrative functions related to termination, severance pay and unemployment compensation. There are also replacement costs which consist of attracting applicants, interviews, psychometric testing, general skills testing, pre-employment administrative expenses and sometimes medical exams.

Tips for choosing a training provider

•    Align training with your company objectives.
•    Set training goals with a professional training provider that will help you reach them.
•    Keep in mind, training works best when implemented as part of a long-term program, not an event.
•    Train early. How you on-board employees sets the tone for their experience with you.
•    Work with a training provider that is flexible, agile and that continuously finds new and engaging ways for delivering training.
•    Team up with a training provider that is tech savvy. That incorporates social media and technology employees use, like their smartphones, so that training can be conducted anytime, anywhere. Gamification is also a good way to manage employee performance, motivation and learning.
•    Reinforce training and help support continued skill development for all employees.
•    Periodically measure the ROI of your training investment to maximize results.

While training once consisted of someone making a speech at the head of a classroom, Signature’s training is dynamic and imaginative. With it’s unique methodology, it meets the needs and personalities of employees where they are, and in doing so, delivers superior, long-lasting results to your company. Offering timely, relevant training to your employees, it says, not only can increase the profitability of your business, but it’s also one of the smartest things you can do!

So, what are you waiting for?


Julie Charbonneau, Signature Canada
Business Development and Training Director
j.charbonneau@signaturecanada.ca
Phone: 438-870-3087
www.signaturecanada.ca

Julie Charbonneau

Signature Canada is a leader in training employees to deliver legendary customer service while increasing sales. Since 1986, Signature’s unique training methodology has provided a measurable ROI for our customers, compelling them to return year after year.