If you aren't doing this to your employees yet, you're making a mistake

If employers want to reduce costs they need to invest in training their employees (Shutterstock.com)

Most managers seem to think that investing in employees only goes as far as the hiring process. But offering training programmes to employees can yield better benefits.

Almost everyone who’s been in a management position knows that people are the most important asset of a company. In a world of ever-changing technology, employees need to be up to date with the latest technical information in order to reach and maintain a competitive edge.

Unfortunately for many employers, investing in employees only goes as far as the recruitment and hiring process. But what some managers don’t realise is that investing in training programmes for their employees tends to boost employee production levels as well as maximise their value in the company.

Money a big factor for not training employees

For many managers who choose not to spend time training their employees, it’s usually a matter of perception. Yes, investing in training programmes costs money and takes up time. But thinking that by not training employees you’ll gain sustained productivity and save money is a short-sighted view. In fact, this is the very reason that many employees leave. They are left feeling less valued and look for companies where their skills can be improved. In the long run this can lead to numerous issues, including a lack of motivation by employees and knowledge gaps on industry developments for employees.

However, these managers need to realise that providing employees with training programmes can lead to the following long-term benefits:

1. Boost productivity

It isn’t rocket science: engaged employees are happier and therefore, more productive. Disengaged employees are frustrated and therefore, disruptive.

Read: How to improve creativity in the workplace

2. Enhance performance management

Have you ever had to let an employee go? If so, was the employee trained in the job and were you certain that they knew what was expected of them? If your answer is yes, then letting them go may have been the best solution. However, if you did not train the employee and showed him/her the door without knowing whether they understood what was expected of them, you did not establish a basis for performance management. Consequently, performance management in your company is inconsistent.

3. Increase employee retention

Remember how eager and enthusiastic you were when you started a new job – you were ready to take on new projects and were curious about the workings of the company. Even if you loved your job, the excitement naturally diminished, and it was time to move on. The same goes for your employees.

One of the main reasons that people leave their jobs is because the company is not investing in nurturing their talent, and so they do not learn anything new. A solution for that is investing in an excellent training programme.

The bottom-line is that training employees does come at a price, but when it is properly executed it costs less money than a failure to train employees. Training is an important tool in retaining your best employees and increasing their performance and that of the company.