Why It Is Important To Train Your Staff

Why It Is Important To Train Your Staff
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At the root of most companies’ success is the skill and knowledge of its staff. If your staff are experts in their respective roles, this will have a positive impact on the whole of your business. Well-trained staff get better results, are more efficient, and are happier in their jobs. With a knowledgeable workforce, customers will perceive your company as well-informed and trustworthy. This will help sustain your relationship with them. Further, by providing regular coaching for your personnel, you will give your business a competitive edge.

However, providing regular staff training can be a task that is easier said than done for some businesses. It can eat into valuable time for busy enterprises, and it can drain the limited resources of small businesses. But it is important to weigh this disruption with the benefits that training can produce. Training your staff will not only result in a knowledgeable organisation, it will also provide opportunities to improve and expand your business. Say you are a small business with a weak online presence. Training staff in online marketing may help you to improve this area of your business and, in turn, attract new customers.

Offering regular training opportunities to staff will go a long way to boost team morale and will prove that you have good leadership skills. Training assures employees that their role is important. It also gives them an opportunity to develop existing skills and interests and develop new expertise. Your staff will also appreciate the opportunity to do something different during their working day.

If you are considering establishing a training programme for your staff, it is a good idea to make a plan in the first instance. Be clear on which areas you want to provide training in and how much your business is willing to spend. The next step is to work out which training provider or providers you wish to supply the training to your staff. It is a good idea to look for coaching professionals who specialise in particular skill areas. For instance, Spearhead Training specialises in sales training, Dale Carnegie Training in leadership training, and New Horizons in project management training. Before selecting a provider, it is a good idea to ask other businesses and entrepreneurs in your network for a recommendation.

If you are worried about the effect that staff being away from the office for training purposes might have on the performance of your business, there are ways around this. You could encourage your staff to complete training courses via e-learning or distance learning. This means that staff can complete courses when there is a quiet time during the working week, or in their spare time. However, this way of providing training could result in courses being neglected or employees taking a very long time to complete them. If this is happening, it might be worth scheduling frequent time slots for training and making sure you follow up regularly with staff to monitor their progress.

Upskilling your staff should be one of your top priorities as a business. Although it can be expensive and time-consuming, it is clear that the benefits outweigh these challenges.

Managing Talent in a Passion Driven Job Market

I have not sought out nor come across any empirical data set that proves this, nor do I plan to. However, I have spent a lot of time hearing the same story over and over again. Many people are not excited about the work they are doing everyday. The last Forbes survey stated that four out of five people were not happy with their jobs. Four out of Five – that is 80%, which puts the 20/80 rule (that 20% of your efforts get 80% of the work done) into an entirely different perspective. Just think about that when you’re heading out the door and on the crowded bumper-to-bumper highway on the way to work. As you sit there, looking at your phone (when you shouldn’t be), look at the cars sitting there around you and realize, for every five cars, four of those drivers are not happy about going to work.


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About the Author

James RosseauJames Rosseau is the author of Success on Your Own Terms: 6 Promises to Fire Up Your Passion, Ignite Your Career, and Create an Amazing Life (Career Press, 2014). James is President of LegalShield Solutions, as well as co-owner of Christian Media Properties (www.HolyCulture.net).

Leveraging Military Leadership for Civilian Success

The topic of military to civilian work transitions is receiving significant attention as of late, and with good reason. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that more than one million military service members will leave the military in the coming years. The importance of helping our veterans make this difficult transition into the next chapter of their lives cannot be over stated. However, a review of the transitions resources highlights a few shortcomings in the current approach. Most transitions resources and programs focus on helping the veteran find civilian sector employment – any employment. The transition support is heavily centered on resume writing, working the job boards, and conducting a successful interview. Again, nothing wrong with this.


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About the Authors

Bernadine Karunaratne is a recognized expert in talent management with a special emphasis on integrating talent strategy with business strategy. Her fifteen-year history supporting the public sector’s talent management agenda has resulted in an impressive track record, bringing technical competence and measurement-based, research-focused solutions to her clients.

Noah Rabinowitz is a seasoned business professional with expertise in talent management, sales effectiveness, new business development, and strategic transformations. He is also an executive coach, program manager, and senior faculty member.

Do you have the next generation of leaders you need?

Anxiety is high among organizational leaders that as vital as a new generation of leaders is, many do not feel ready to promote talent.

In a recent survey by Korn Ferry, only 39 percent of those surveyed believed their organizations had the right talent to succeed in today’s changing global environment. One third did not feel their organization is ready to promote its talent at all.

With succession management so critical to driving a competitive advantage and securing a company’s future, what is hindering organizations from preparing for and feeling confident in their succession development efforts?

According to the same survey, based on responses from 100+ senior-level executives from 49 countries, the top issue detracting from talent management efforts is buy-in of a global talent management approach. Why global?


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About the Author

Andrés Tapia is senior partner, Leadership and Talent Consulting, Korn Ferry.

The Advisor’s Corner – Is there a right way to FIRE an employee?

Is there a right way to FIRE an employee?Question:

Is there a right way to FIRE an employee?

StrategyDriven Response: (by Roxi Hewertson, StrategyDriven Principal Contributor)

Unfortunately, on average, we still have a 50 percent or more failure rate in hiring. This means we are as likely as not going to find ourselves in this unpleasant situation.

Aside from legal, union, or other contractual considerations that you must take into account, there are 5 KEY ACTIONS that will help keep you out of a heap of trouble:

  • Be Truthful – Employees should know exactly why they are being released from their job. Tell the truth. Most good employers have due process procedures and policies that need to be honored and communicated. Don’t leave the person to make assumptions, create more resentment than is necessary, or increase the odds of creating bad will. Remember, poor performance is poor performance, gross misconduct is gross misconduct, and a layoff is a layoff. So what is it and why?
  • Be Fair – This is a baseline rule. Fairness is a fundamental human expectation, at least in this country. It’s also a major factor in how the employee and others on your team feel when he or she exits the organization. Was the employee treated fairly? If you did everything you should have done to help this person be successful, and they didn’t cut it, then sleep easy. If you have been compassionate in your layoff package, then sleep easy. If not, then you have more work to do before you go to sleep.
  • Be Clear – Whenever possible, employees should have had a discussion with you in which they either hear 1) their job is on the line due to performance and exactly why, or 2) if it’s downsizing, be clear about that. If the termination is due to gross misconduct like stealing, tell it like it is. Get to the point, then stand up, offer your hand, wish them well, and walk them to the door. If the employee becomes despondent and is crying or is in a difficult emotional state, give them time to get themselves together; don’t fill this time with conversation about the decision. Just be kind, be human.
  • Be Respectful – Being fair is essential, as we’ve already noted. You can be fair and not be respectful. Being respectful is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. Regardless of the circumstances leading to the termination, be professional and courteous. This is not a time to say that you told them so, or how much better things will be without them. Nor is it the time to make yourself feel better about your decision by belittling them or minimizing their contributions. Have your meeting at a time during which the employee will have little or no exposure to their colleagues and avoid having them led out of the building during business hours. Being terminated is a terrible experience, even when it is fair, done respectfully, and deserved. Always take the high road.
  • Be Smart – There are emotional aspects of the termination discussion and there are other factors to consider. Might this employee become volatile? Do you need security precautions? Should HR be present in the room? Do you have your exit checklist – e.g. keys, access, passwords, equipment, credit cards, etcetera? Your organization needs a solid termination process to follow to keep everyone out of legal and any other kind of trouble.

At the end of the day, it’s the emotions that wear you down. You should not fire someone on your own. Enlist HR, a lawyer, or other team members to help you stay clear and focused. It is important to feel what you feel and acknowledge those feelings. We’re all human. It is just as important to make sure you do not let your feelings about one person or the anticipated pain of the firing conversation get in the way of doing what is right for everyone else.


About the Author

Leadership authority Roxana (Roxi) Hewertson is a no-nonsense business veteran revered for her nuts-and-bolts, tell-it-like-it-is approach and practical, out-of-the-box insights that help both emerging and expert managers, executives and owners boost quantifiable job performance in various mission critical facets of business. Through AskRoxi.com, Roxi — “the Dear Abby of Leadership” — imparts invaluable free advice to managers and leaders at all levels, from the bullpen to the boardroom, to help them solve problems, become more effective and realize a higher measure of business and career success.


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