Why training is key to employee retention

In the current talent crisis, employee retention is more important than ever. Yet many employers are ignoring a vital part of talent retention; training. There has never been a fiercer competition to attract and retain talent. In these circumstances, it is imperative to consider the opinions of the target candidate pool.

What do employees have to say about training?

1. 1.  According to a study conducted by LinkedIn,94% of employees would stay longer with an employer who invested in their learning and development. 
2. Companies that encourage learning have up to 50% better employee engagement and retention.
3. Only 20% of employees feel engaged at work.
4. Companies that focus on employee onboarding are 50% more likely to retain those new hires.
5. Since the pandemic, it has become a priority for companies to adopt a solid L&D strategy, promoting employee learning whilst working to achieve the development of a highly skilled workforce.

So, what are the factors behind learning, training, and development (L&D) programmes to ensure employee retention?

• Training makes people feel valued: Offering learning, training and development is an investment in people, it refers to a planned effort by an organisation to facilitate learning of job-related behaviour on the part of its employees. It demonstrates to them that the business is committed to their development and helps to align the company goals and employee career goals which is crucial for success. Employees with access to training and development programs are likely to feel more motivated, appreciated and satisfied within their company. Training the workforce also helps employees expand their knowledge to other departments.
• Training gives people a new perspective: When people feel better equipped to handle their role and take on new responsibilities, the organisation benefits too. A well-designed training programme should provide a fresh perspective for the whole organisation. Workplace learning should be an important part of the overall effort to equip employees with the skills they need, and companies with innovation capacity. 
• Training improves people’s skills: Employees want to learn new skills and advance their careers. In fact, that’s one of the main things individuals look for in a job. Employees are attracted to the possibility of learning new skills to advance their careers, which is what a learning and development program offers. One of the top motivators that new employees look for in a job is the availability of skills training. Based on a recent study by Gallup and Amazon, 66% jobseekers within the 18–24 year old bracket are looking for jobs that offer ‘upskilling opportunities.’ As employees grow, deepening and widening their knowledge makes their jobs more interesting and motivating.
• Training creates a positive work culture: A toxic work culture will cost a business money–and people. However, training is a very effective way to create a positive culture in an organisation. It boosts productivity, promotes teamwork, and increases employee retention. A positive culture puts employee wellbeing first and encourages trust, respect, empathy, and support among employees.
• Training helps people overcome their weaknesses: Most employees have areas where they require greater learning and development to fulfil the task effectively. Training can help them address these issues, which will not only improve their performance but also boost their confidence and motivation for the organisation. By promoting workplace training and development, businesses show current and future employees that they care about their professional progression. This can help attract and retain the right top talent to grow a business to the next level.

Training programmes to boost employee retention

1. Onboarding: According to Gallup, only 12% of employees think their employer has a good onboarding process. Onboarding is a critical part of the talent lifecycle. New employees who are part of a well-structured onboarding program are 69% more likely to remain at a business for up to three years. A solid program not only bridges the gap between the business and the new employee, but it also acts as a catalyst for employee satisfaction.
2. Soft skills training: Soft skills like communication, analytical thinking, problem-solving and time management are incredibly sought after in today’s workplace. Offering people support in growing their soft skills will serve them well personally as well as professionally. Especially within the engineering and technology world, where candidates often focus on improving their technical skills, such training can go a long way in helping an employee assimilate into the company.
3. Compliance training: Compliance training aims to bring employees up to speed with workplace policies and rules, which reduces risks and creates a more comfortable working environment. This includes training on safety, workplace harassment, business ethics, diversity and more.
4. Sales training: Employees from the sales department often require training in innovative selling strategies, sales techniques, and communication skills, to make them feel empowered and motivated, making them more likely to excel in their roles. The organisation can try to make sure its people really understand the products and services offered, so they’ll be able to answer customer questions confidently, provide a better service, and hit their targets. Benefiting both the organisation and the individual.
5. Management training: If an organisation trains current and aspiring leaders in management strategies, they’ll not only help to retain them, but also the people they manage, who’ll benefit from their improved leadership. These trainees can go on to become leaders of the future, creating opportunities for upskilling internal talent when needed, instead of having to hire an outside leader and worrying about their assimilation into the culture.

Employee training best practices

Based on the statistics that show how invested employees really are in training, here are some ways a company can make their training program most effective.

• By setting goals: It is important to start out with clear goals in mind. The business should be aware of what they are trying to achieve with the training, and work towards these goals.
• By using technology: Online training is something employers have become much more open to exploring post-pandemic. However, even for in-office employees, mobile and online training can be more cost-effective and personalised.
• By being practical: It’s easy for employee training to seem out of touch sometimes, having the opposite effect. Which is why it’s best to think about the challenges employees might actually be facing in the workplace and creating a training program based on that.
• By giving positive feedback: Training can sometimes be daunting for new employees. So, the best way to make new hires feel comfortable is by sharing positive feedback. Reassuring people who are struggling and letting them know it’s okay to take their time can have the desired effect.
• By providing the right kind of training: Training is often treated like a one-size-fits-all, however, it is anything but that. Some newer employees might struggle with more advanced programs while more experienced individuals might find basic level training repetitive. Similarly, employees from the manufacturing department might not be as interested in sales training as their co-workers. So, it is essential for training to be tailored to employee requirements.

Employee training will not only boost your employee retention–it’ll also boost productivity, improve your company culture, and create a pool of skilled talent you can draw on in-house. 

Redline Group achieved a 4.8 out of 5.0 rating (96% positive) for Google Reviews and hundreds of Case Studies confirm it’s not only WHAT we do, but HOW we do it that clients and candidates appreciate. Redline Group’s mission is to enable high-technology companies to build world-class teams through knowledge-led recruitment. We can help you hire, train, and retain employees for your business. For more information, email GCross@redlinegroup.com or call Graham on 01582 878849.