Training is fundamental for any business regardless of size or industry. Unfortunately, so many companies have opted for the ‘sink or swim’ option, since they have a hiring need and want someone to come in and hit the ground running. While that’s understandable, the lack of training provided will absolutely create more problems down the road.
In some of my recent client service training sessions, it’s apparent that training had never been provided. Some individuals had shared that they were sent a link to an online training module, but never had the time to take it. When reviewing feedback that their clients had provided, a lot of the noted areas for improvement were things that absolutely should have been included in onboarding or ongoing training sessions. Things like expectations around timeliness, quality of work, dependability, reliability, etc. The one area that resonated most with people was around acting as one team.
Many attendees had never received any type of formal training. Not only does face-to-face training allow for more engagement and interaction, it allows people to meet each other and work together in an environment outside of their day to day work. It was so interesting to see so many people, who have worked in the same building and possibly the same floor, meet for the first time. They talked about their department and specifically the work they were responsible for. An identified pain point for so many people was that they receive requests that don’t fall in their remit, but spin their wheels trying to find the person who is responsible and in a timely manner when they have several other things on their plate. When they walked out of the training session, they had new connections that they could work with to help solve the problems they were facing which would ultimately help their clients feel that they were truly acting as one team, and not siloed as they had seen previously.
Let’s face it, we are all in a hurry. We don’t stop to take time to provide the training that’s needed to get someone up to speed so they have the tools they need to be successful. When you invest the time and money in face-to-face training, the return on investment is invaluable. By training employees and investing in their career development, you make them feel valued, leading to longer tenures and less turnover, which keeps your clients satisfied. Also, companies who invest in training have a 24% higher profit margin than organizations that spend less on training.
Have the content in mind that you want to train your staff on, but don’t have the resources to facilitate the sessions? Send me an email at Jennaw@idebamarketing.com.
– Jenna Whelan, Vice President, Consulting & Research Services
