Have you seen these posts, “The 5,769 Things You Can Do With Coconut Oil”? Every once in a while we find something that just seems to be the cure-all; something that makes life easier in a lot of different ways. Well, we consider training to be the coconut oil for organizations. Training won’t whiten your teeth or speed up your metabolism, but there are a ridiculous amount of areas in which training can drive success in any organization.

Bridging the Skill Gap

A recent CareerBuilder study revealed that 54% of employers currently have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates. So unless recruiters worldwide just got crappy at their jobs overnight, there is actually a skill gap. Solid training software, coupled with the right training content, can make the world of difference where your organization’s skill gaps are concerned.

Empowering Workers

Workers need to be empowered with the tools and knowledge to succeed in their positions. There are often times when an under performer or bad attitude aren’t actually the case. Employee development needs to be fostered in order for employees to feel like they’re good at what they do. Workplace leadership expert, Kevin Daum said:

“Budget dollars and time toward management and personal development training. Help employees set a plan for growth, and reward them as they advance. They'll be grateful and apply their newly-learned skills as they step up to leadership opportunities.”

Increasing Employee Engagement

Surprisingly enough, financial motivators lost to non-financial motivators such as opportunities for growth in the workplace, which 76% of respondents in a Badgeville survey chose. It makes perfect sense that a more capable, knowledgeable employee, is going to put more discretionary effort into their work, than an employee who struggles through the day.

Lowering Turnover Rates

Offering career development programs is a proven, effective method for increasing employee retention. When employees see opportunity for advancement within the company, there is less reason to look externally for their personal success. Training expert, Kathy Wellings said:

“If an employer does not offer learning and development opportunities, they risk losing talented staff and ending up with poor performers. Demotivation due to inadequate training or opportunities to learn and to advance within the company forces frustrated employees to look elsewhere for professional and personal satisfaction.”

Improved Customer Service and Support

Whether you’re selling a product or a service, the employees who take care of your customers are going to need the right training to be effective and efficient in all dealings. These people are the face and voice of your organization. Are they projecting the company culture? Do they even know how? 

In customer service positions, employees are quite often not given the authority or direction to effectively fix anything or make a wrong a right for customers. Without the empowerment and freedom to offer customers what they’re looking for, the employee simply becomes a go-between, or someone for the customer to vent to. Bryan Pearson, President and CEO of LoyaltyOne, said:

“The best way to foster loyalty among employees is to empower them to make decisions that improve the customer experience,” he said. “Provide them with the information and customer data that will help them make better-informed decisions in real time.”

Stay tuned next week for the second half of our laundry list of organizational areas in which training can make a positive impact.

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photo credit: Koshyk via photopin cc