Why should an organization provide training?

Training, in its most basic sense, gives an employee the information necessary to perform a task proficiently. If orientation gives employees a sense of the organization's goals, training provides the tools to achieve those goals. Organizations train their employees to modify behavior to help achieve the organizations' objectives. In addition, providing ongoing training is a strategy employers use to attract, motivate, and retain good employees.

Training can positively impact employers in several ways, including:

• provide job skills and knowledge necessary to perform jobs duties and organizational tasks;
• improve employee productivity and efficiency; prepare employees for leadership roles;
• invest in future business;
• create a flexible work force that can adapt quickly to change in the business environment;
• give employees the skills necessary to move ahead in the organization as vacancies arise, remain competitive and to master technological advances;
• develop group and team skills needed for organizational tasks and objectives;
• provide proof of an employer's policy and intent, such as sexual harassment or ethics training (attendance records for such training create documentation);
• comply with regulations and laws and provide a defense to lawsuits;
• increase morale, self-development, commitment to lifelong learning; and
• result in decreases in absenteeism, turnover, inefficient practices, and workplace accidents and fines.

Teaching an employee how to perform specific tasks (computer training) or profitability/productivity-driven training (customer service training) are both forms of technical training. Training can also include development aspects (leadership training or management development training). Some training can be personal in nature, but still have a demonstrated benefit for the organization (conflict resolution training or time management training).

Training and development programs may go beyond the scope of what is considered strictly job-related. Programs may be designed to help employees finish high school, or get a college degree; to explain to employees basic economic and political principles to enable them to become more involved in community affairs; to increase employees' awareness of health and safety issues (CPR training, smoking cessation training); or to provide recreational skills that can increase employees' identification with the organization and boost morale.

Examples of specific types of training that can be provided include:

• Executive development programs: leadership, strategic planning, policy and decision making, crisis handling, financial management and change management.
• Management and leadership development: motivation theory, workplace attitudes, group dynamics, goal setting, team building, delegation and grievance procedures.
• Professional development: technology and related management applications.
• Organizational development: transition workshops, change-management strategies, behavior modeling, conflict resolution and creative problem solving.
• Skills and technical training: entry-level, remedial, upgrading, retraining, cross- training and reentry training programs.
• Orientation programs: new employee, update programs and modified orientation for rehires.
• Computer and related training: overview, systems, hardware, software, communications and security.
• Specific organization-need training: safety, communications, diversity and intercultural programs, foreign language, new product/methods and procedures, assertiveness and adventure (outdoor) programs.
• Behavior management: ethics, personal growth, stress management, wellness, employee/labor relations and sensitivity training programs.
• Customer service: customer relations, customer service and cross-selling.
• Sales training: product features, sourcing, vendor relations and marketing.
• Basic education: literacy and proficiency.
• Informal training programs: on-the-job programs, coaching, job rotation and participation in community groups.

Can training be mandated by law? Training may be mandated by state law. Areas in which training may be required include sexual harassment, the serving of alcohol, and sales of methamphetamine precursor drugs. State laws mandating training on sexual harassment are not industry-specific, while laws mandating training for employees serving alcohol or selling certain over-the-counter cold medications at the retail level are targeted at certain employers/industries.

Be sure to check State Laws for the laws that apply in your state(s).

Reprinted with permission. © CCH