Budgets are important in any business. Marketing budgets, PR budgets, aftersales budgets – they’re all vital to the continued and successful running of a company.
And the same can be said for training budgets. Often considered to be one of the first things to go if there’s even a sniff of a depression or downturn, training is an important part of any organisation’s operation.
Without properly trained people your business will suffer, dwindling and getting left behind – and all the time taking its poorly-coached people with it. They’re feeling unprepared, unguided and probably unloved. A negative workforce is not a good situation for anyone.
Generally, staff want to do well. They desire to succeed and they want to get on. Improving and broadening their knowledge not only of your company’s dealings, but of the wider business community too, they’re looking to add another string to their bow in terms of continued personal improvement.
Happy staff means happy boss, happy company and happy shareholders. Happy days.
As an employer, you’re not only helping your people to improve their skills and knowledge, but you’re showing them that you care. Carrying out annual appraisals, which probably identify areas where employees could improve, is meaningless if you can’t back that up with the right training.
People will expect that, and they’ll feel left out and marginalised if they don’t get it. Floating rudderless when really what they want is a push in the right direction.
One area that needs constant monitoring is people’s ability to write clearly and confidently, whether English is their first language or not. A European national working in the UK might want to tweak and enhance his or her command of the English language while, even if someone’s first tongue is English, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are confident with it.
Offering training in correct spelling, grammar and language usage, through courses such as those designed by BCA, is a wonderful benefit for thousands of employees. And that reflects well on the employer too.
Instilling confidence in staff to communicate better with friends, colleagues and customers, it shows that you, the employer, cares about your workforce’s advancement and future, preparing them for greater responsibilities and perhaps even promotion.
That creates a happier, more contented workplace all round because you have staff whose performance is improving, increasing output and results, while you are demonstrating to your people that you care about their careers.
Of course, there is a cost attached to great training as with any venture but, delivered well and regularly, that investment can reap the kind of rewards that you can’t put a price on.
To learn more, and to join Business Communication Academy, click here.
Empower yourself and your team