We know how it goes. The daily grind takes up everyone’s time. You’re just trying to make deadlines and maximize output. You don’t have time to offer your employees a continuing education program.
Don’t get short-sighted, though. Yes, continuing education represents an investment. But, like any investment, it can pay off handsomely.
No wonder most companies provide some kind of onsite professional development. In fact, more than two-thirds of businesses (69%) offer these benefits. Open up the process to offsite education, and that number reaches 82%.
What do these employers get from these programs? Plenty. Offering your employees a continuing education increases their output and enriches the overall company. Here are a few to keep in mind:
Better Performance
A great employee will constantly look for ways to improve. They will hunger for new techniques and new methods for adding efficiency. You should feed this drive with expanded learning opportunities.
In the end, this investment will pay dividends in the form of better performance. Think of it like leveling up in a video game. Targeted educational opportunities let your workers add to their abilities, which ultimately allows them to contribute more to the team.
Expanded Flexibility
The more your employees know, the easier it is to move them into unfamiliar roles. By cross-training your workers on tasks outside their normal routine, you give yourself options. Suddenly, your staffing possibilities get much broader.
Someone calls in sick. A key team member needs to take a leave of absence, maybe because of an injury or as a result of parental leave. A worker leaves suddenly. Whatever the case, you have the ability to reshuffle your current staff to fill the hole. That’s the added flexibility you earn from continuing education.
Stronger Retention
Your employees want to move their careers forward. No matter how productive a worker becomes, they won’t remain satisfied in the same position into eternity. Eventually, they’ll want to work on different projects or advance up the corporate ladder.
A strong continuing education program offers this sense of forward progress. Workers can build their skill sets while staying within your organization. At the same time, you can prep your best team members for eventual promotion.
Amplified Recognition
When you were in school, you probably didn’t see additional classes as a reward. Now that you’re in the working world, that view of education has almost certainly changed.
You can present learning opportunities as a bonus. Your best workers will jump on the chance to expand their skills and try new things. At the same time, you can create a fresh way to recognize your top performers. The childhood version of you will never believe it, but your staff will compete for a slot in your supplemental training programs.
Enhanced Culture
By valuing learning opportunities, you send a signal to your staff. You show that you prize innovation and respect continual improvement. This message will ripple through your organization. The result: a significant upgrade to your corporate culture.
This change doesn’t stop at internal development. By trumpeting your workers’ continued education, you can enhance your employer brand as well. Use social media and your company website to salute your team members when they achieve their educational goals. You’ll end up advertising yourself as a go-to employer at the same time.
Escalated Innovation
Continuing education doesn’t just pay off in how your workers contribute now. It also opens the door to future improvement as well. Armed with new insights about their tasks, your workers should prove better able to find innovative solutions to problems.
Continuing education gives you an excellent opportunity to upgrade your workforce. So does efficient hiring. By partnering with a strong recruiting firm, like Recruiting In Motion, you maximize your ability to find the perfect fit for every open position.
Contact Recruiting In Motion today to learn more.
