Over the course of the last few weeks, I have met with a lot of my business clients regarding issues that they have been having with their employees. Most business owners realize that their staff and employees are truly important to the success of their business.
However, what many business owners may not realize or sometimes refuse to accept is that their employees are only as good as you, the business owner, allow them to be. What I truly mean by this is that as a business owner, you can only expect to get out of your employees, what you put into them.
Training, educating and reinforcing your employees with the critical and essential elements of your business activities and the tools required to execute those elements is a major key to any successful business. I firmly believe that working along side of your employees, on a day-to-day basis, providing initially training and then periodic follow up training and also offering them constructive feedback on a regular basis is the most productive way that your employees can and will perform for you and your business.
Training is important
You might ask yourself, why should I train my employees? Many business owners believe that it is much easier to hire someone who has all of the skills that they need and let the new hire provide the business with those skills without any additional training. Ultimately, research and studies have long proven that an investment, via training, in your employee will pay dividends in return.
A few of the most notable reasons why it is good to invest in your employees through training are: to increase job satisfaction and morale among employees, increase employee motivation, increase efficiencies in processes which can result in greater profitability, increase your capacity to adopt new technologies and methods, reduce employee turnover and enhance your company’s image by making your company an employer of choice.
As a business attorney, I always counsel my clients on the risk management benefit that training can and will provide to their businesses. Training can and will make you compliant with many state and federal employment laws. In addition, it might even provide your company with a shield, in order to avoid and/or defend your company against a lawsuit, especially in the areas of sexual harassment, and discrimination in the workplace.
There are numerous sources, which include government and private-sector companies that provide ways for you, the business owner, to get information on what and how to train your employees. For example, the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Labor, and the state of Florida, all provide information on how to train your employees, and even provide information on government grants (yes, free money) that are available to you in order to offset the training expenses.
Types of training
Now that you see the benefits of employee training, let’s focus on the various types of training available, and worth your consideration. Depending on your business, some of these may or may not be applicable, but most can be used in all types of businesses. Training your employees on how to communicate effectively with customers in addition to their co-workers, enhancing their customer service techniques, improving their computer skills, instituting safety training for use of expensive or hazardous equipment, time management training and personal growth and improvement training are just a few of the most used training programs utilized by all shapes and size businesses.
In my professional experience as a business attorney, business owner and business consultant, and based upon the experience of many of my business clients, these recommendations and suggestions can greatly enhance the overall effectiveness and profitability of your business. Your goal should be to institute one or more of these activities now in order to see how it can ultimately benefit your business.
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