One of the best talent retention strategies is the creation of continuous training plans for employees. Both the employee and the company benefit from this approach.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuous training has been proven to be a key factor in equipping a company’s workforce to adapt to unexpected circumstances. It has also been instrumental in digitising and adapting jobs to lockdown restrictions while keeping motivation levels high.
COVID-19 has also brought about a shift in the way these training sessions are delivered. The digitisation of courses has led to a wider range of subject matters and training methodologies, as well as increased flexibility in how training hours can be accommodated as part of the working week. The employee is able to choose when, where and what training session they would like to sit, as well as how they reconcile their work and family life. This is something that has a direct impact on the employee satisfaction and productivity.
The greater focus on continuous training has brought with it two new concepts: reskilling and upskilling. ‘Reskilling’ refers to the learning of new skills and abilities for a new position, while ‘upskilling’ refers to the learning of new skills and abilities that allow the employee to make progress in their current position or one of equal responsibility, facilitating internal promotion.
In companies where internal promotion is promoted as part of the added value offered to employees, as is the case at Logifruit, knowing how to combine these types of sessions is key. These training plans help employees become less one-dimensional and enable them to comprehend and embrace concepts that extend beyond their role. They also help them to evolve with the company, if required, while creating a more supportive working environment.
In-house training also has an advantage that often goes unnoticed. During times of continuous change and technological advances, such as the one we’re currently experiencing, companies need to deal with newly-created positions that require hyper-specific training and/or knowledge that is yet to be consolidated in official qualifications. In-house training can build on your employees’ existing knowledge of processes, products and services and expand their skills through shorter, tailor-made training sessions. In other words, a company’s workforce is made up of people who are hired today to do the jobs of tomorrow. We must leverage their knowledge to implement and adapt these innovations to our ecosystem.
Benefits of continuous training for companies
- Higher quality of products/services.
- Greater competitiveness and profitability.
- Heightened ability to adapt to market changes.
- Increased staff commitment and motivation.
- Improved skills of employees.
- Attract talent to the company.