Staff training: A business essential

In the hustle and bustle of a daily business routine, proper training of the company staff is often forgotten. Whether the personnel requiring instruction are new hires or long time employees, good staff training is essential to business success. If an employee is unable to do the job assignments, simply as a result of not knowing how to complete the tasks at hand, the company bottom line can experience some severe damage.

It is not unusual for a new employee to be shown the desk or work station and be left to fend for herself. It is also commonplace for a long term employee to receive a promotion or new job assignment with no direction or instructions. Without proper training and guidance the employees are unable to produce good results and generate less revenue for the company. Unable to complete their assignments properly, the staff members often become frustrated and leave the job. Rinse and repeat.



Some business owners and managers take the penny wise route of skimping on saving. They also experience the pound foolish outcome of lower productivity. To cut back on training is asking for lower monetary returns. Instead of recognizing that staff training is an important investment, it is seen as a luxury expense that is one of the first places targeted for budget cuts. Lower production numbers and weakened staff morale soon follow.

Increased company revenue and improved staff productivity and morale are the most visible benefits of proper staff training. Less well known are lower accident rates on industrial sites, lower company health care costs, fewer problems with meeting government standards and regulations, and possible lower insurance and Workers Compensation premiums. At the same time, some potentially very costly and even business crippling lawsuits may be avoided by ensuring employees understand their job duties and responsibilities.



Customers and clients of your business recognize well trained staff people as well. Customer questions are answered properly and fully by employees who understand their job and their department completely. By knowing and understanding the client's needs and requirements, sales can be made where they were lost in the past.

Proper customer service training helps keep patrons happy and returning to your place of business. Reports and projects completed on time help the business to meet new challenges and opportunities, in the marketplace, quickly and with the appropriate plan in place.

Don't neglect proper employee training. It may be the most profitable investment that you can make in your company's future. Most business people state that their employees are their most important business asset. Not everyone practices what they preach, however. You can walk the talk, however, by ensuring that your staff members are trained fully in their job and its requirements.

Staff training is vital to your company's short and long term business success.

Tags: staff training, personnel management, employee productivity, customer service.

Personnel surprises: Finding hidden talent

Most companies have hidden talent resources they have yet to discover. Already on the payroll is often at least one person, who could be given more responsibility, in their job. Untapped abilities are everywhere on the business staff roster. The key is recognizing those diamonds in the rough, and polishing their skills to a lustrous sparkle.

In every business, openings arise for new hirings all of the time. The usual response is to seek the ideal candidate from outside the company. While there are times when bringing in a new person to fill a specific role is necessary, don't overlook the talent already on staff. Promotion from within the organization might be a better long term approach. In fact, in many companies, outside hirings may be best utilized for filling entry level positions. By adding quality staff members at the bottom of the organizational ladder, and helping them to rise ever upward, they learn the company culture, internal systems, and become loyal employees.



Internal training and advancement are powerful incentives for most employees. People who understand that hard work, dedicated service, and quality contributions to the company result in advancement are better employees. Office morale will be much higher, and the sense of team work will be much stronger. The bonds between the employer and staff members are on a much stronger foundation for building with the long term in mind. Knowing that higher level positions are obtainable, and expected to be filled internally, enhances productivity in every way.

For many employers, however, the employee often becomes pigeon holed in their current job description. The skill set of the worker is thought to consist of what is seen on a day to day basis. Other untapped talents are all too often overlooked entirely. When all that is required to groom a person for a more responsible job is simply some training and encouragement, it's a tragedy that many companies never take that chance. Missed talent is lost opportunity for a business.



To discover those well kept secrets, it's essential for business owners and managers to talk to their staff members on a regular basis. Schedule regular individual discussions with every employee. While most staff meetings will focus on the current job functions, make certain that at least every three months a longer term chat is in place.

At that meeting, the topics should be long term employee career plans, training opportunities, advancement possibilities, and how the company can help in achieving those goals. Creating an atmosphere of trust, combined with confidentiality, can help uncover talents that have long been missed.

The best and most productive are very often long term committed employees. Be sure your company reciprocates with a committment to promotion from within, and to ongoing training and staff development programs. Include staffers from every level in creativity and brainstorming events. You might be pleasantly surprised at the talent right under your nose.

Think about finding the hidden talent in your organization. Your bottom line will never look better.

Tags: personnel management, staff training, employee advancement, worker productivity.