It’s no secret that finding talented workers is a challenge in today’s job market, but holding on to the skilled people you already employ can be even harder. Unless you are willing to invest in their continual development, your employees may move on, leaving you with the unenviable task of finding a replacement.
Unfortunately, when most businesses come up with initiatives they believe will translate into success for their companies, employee development often ends up near the bottom of the list. While it’s understandable that sales, marketing, quality, and product development are important areas to focus on, developing the skills of your workers can pay some of the best dividends, if only because it can decrease expensive turnover.
Managers who concentrate on short-term growth could be trading away a healthy ROI down the road. Not only that, but workers need to feel their employer cares enough to support both their professional development and their personal growth.
Here’s how you can get the most from the people who make up your organization:
Ongoing Education
When you hire an experienced worker, you should only have to teach them the specifics of their new role and help them get comfortable with the company.
At some point, you can supplement their knowledge with seminars, e-learning, and industry publications. Online articles week to week will keep them updated on the newest trends and practices in the industry.
Cross-Training
Cross-training your people, especially across departments, allows them to see how their efforts are making an impact on the organization as a whole. Having that knowledge on your team improves the overall health of your company by making each member feel like they are an integral part of the entire machine rather than just one small cog.
Help Them Learn and Develop Soft Skills
Yes, your employees need to keep improving their technical skills, but their so-called “soft skills” can be equally important. When there are coherence and harmony on your team, they are more productive and at ease. You might consider including training on some of the relevant soft skills such as:
- Communication
- Motivation
- Social skills
- Empathy
- Self-awareness
Learning these and other skills like them will help your employees to develop professionally and personally. Our CORE Assessment is an incredible tool that identifies how team members are hardwired – which includes how they communicate, how they handle conflict, how they learn, what motivates/stresses them, etc. This allows for excellent training opportunities, ensuring team members are honoring one another and are effectively working together to be their most productive selves. Interested in a CORE training tailored to your team? We’d love to help.
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