What’s it: Training is a human resources program to help your employees sharpen their competencies. It aims to increase performance and productivity in their current role. For example, new employees need the training to adapt more quickly and perform daily tasks. Old employees need it to solve their daily problems.
Apart from making your employees more productive, training is also important to increase their morale. Your employees feel valued for their professional career development, making them more motivated.
Training can take various types, such as cognitive training and behavioral training. It can be done in the office or outside the office.
What is the difference between training and development?
Training and development are interrelated. Therefore, we often use the two terms together. However, there are some basic differences between the two.
Training and development aim to make your employees more skilled in carrying out their daily activities and professional careers. Both have a similar process. For example, both require you to think about what skills you need from employees. Then, you design the right training program and evaluate its effectiveness.
However, the two have fundamental differences, especially concerning orientation. While training focuses on short-term skills, development focuses on long-term abilities. When you train employees, it makes them more proficient in their current position. Thus, it is useful for dealing with their daily problems.
Meanwhile, if you develop employees, you prop their careers further and prepare them for higher positions. It also requires training. But, it is more complete, for example, daily skills and managerial skills.
Why is training important?
You need to ensure your employees have good skills to carry out their duties and responsibilities. And, it almost always involves training. For example, they need new knowledge or skills to cope with everyday problems.
Not only does it increase productivity, but training employees is also useful for retaining talent in your company. They love it when they get more professional by learning new skills. As a result, it will support your company in growing profits and achieving goals.
Training and development programs are increasingly important today. The heightened competition requires more qualified human resources. As a result, companies compete for top talent to support their competitiveness.
Significance for the company
Now, let’s break down the reasons why you need to train employees and why it’s important.
Boost performance. Through training, your company strives to make employees more productive in doing their jobs. It’s important to support successful business operations because you can make more dollars or save money when your employees are productive.
Improve skills. The business environment is dynamic, where competition is increasing. It demands your company to be more flexible and adaptive. As a result, it requires not only a change in strategy. But, it also requires your employees to adapt to your demands and your new strategy.
Take the retailer as a case. Nowadays, they have switched from conventional to online channels, requiring a different process and way of working. Thus, it requires them to train employees to be familiar with the new work process.
Accelerate adaptation. Your new employees need time to learn their duties and effectively carry out daily activities. In addition, they may not be familiar with the work processes in your company. So, they need the training to adapt faster and reach the performance standards you expect.
Solve the problem. New problems often arise in daily activities. The old approach may not be able to handle them. Thus, they require new insights and skills to deal with them quickly.
Prepare for success. When you appoint employees to a higher position, you need to prepare them. You have to make sure they have the skills you require.
Foster work enthusiasm. Your employees are happy if they can become more proficient and professional through training. When you give them a chance, they are proud and feel your company cares for them. Finally, they become more motivated to give the best for your company.
What are the types of training?
Training can take many different types. And they can include the following categories:
- On-the-job training
- Off-the-job training
- Cognitive training
- Behavioral skills training
On-the-job training
We might also call it in-house training. Training activities are located in the workplace. For example, it might involve on-the-job instruction where your employees learn work skills and processes while working on them first-hand.
Other examples are:
- Job instructions. Supervisors provide direct job instructions to your employees and train them on how to carry out their current duties and jobs.
- Coaching. Supervisors teach skills and provide direction, advice, feedback, and guidance to employees in carrying out routine work.
On-the-job training is relatively cheaper than sending staff for external training. In addition, you can also customize the training materials according to your needs.
Off-the-job training
Off-the-job training takes place outside the office or workplace. For example, it may be hosted by external providers such as training centers and universities. Or, it is your company’s special training. Examples of his training include:
- Role-playing. The trainer asks employees to play different roles. It aims to broaden their horizons and insights from different points of view.
- Vestibule training. This is an actual simulation in which employees are equipped with tools similar to those used in the workplace. They then learn to learn the methods and procedures for using them. So, they are ready and understand it before doing it directly in the workplace.
Off-the-job training is relatively more expensive than on-the-job training. However, it is useful when your company does not yet have the required skills or knowledge adequately. Another benefit is internalizing external insights into your company, which can be useful, for example, for fostering innovation.
Cognitive training
It aims to improve the employee’s ability to understand, study, and process information. It helps them improve self-efficacy and self-control, including information processing, listening, reading, or thinking before acting. And it can be done in various ways, such as training to complete cognitive tasks, cardiovascular fitness, or playing online games.
Behavioral skills training
This training aims to improve interpersonal skills. Thus, your employees can communicate and interact effectively and constructively with their colleagues and external parties. It can be related to communication, negotiation, presentation, conflict management, and networking.
What are the benefits of training for employees?
Training programs are essential for improving employee performance and productivity. It provides many benefits to employees by helping them to do their daily work more effectively. For example, they can work faster or more cost-effectively. Let’s break down the benefits:
- Improving skills and abilities in solving everyday problems
- Increasing insight to make better decisions
- Achieving self-development and self-confidence in interpersonal relationships
- Providing insight to reduce stress and frustration in doing work and tasks
- Improving their leadership and managerial skills to prepare them for higher positions
- Helping your employees to achieve the careers and futures they dream of
What are the benefits of training for the company?
Training is one way to make your employees more productive. They learn new skills and knowledge to make them more effective at work. In addition, you also prepare them to be more flexible and adaptive to meet the demands of your company. Here are the benefits in detail:
- Achieving higher profitability through higher productivity
- Reducing a toxic work environment due to interpersonal conflict
- Improving work processes by encouraging employees to find better ways to do their jobs
- Creating a socially responsible corporate image
- Strengthening the bond between employees and your company
- Motivating and helping retain key employees
- Making your company more flexible in adapting to a constantly changing business environment
- Reducing the cost of hiring external consultants because your employees can do it
