Member Article

5 Benefits of a Well Trained Workforce

Having staff that are well trained in their roles makes a business far better in many different ways. It’s a fact that any manager should know, because it is extremely beneficial to a company, whatever industry it’s in. If a business has a poorly trained workforce, then it’s missing out on a relatively low cost way of overall improvement. Learning management systems can make the process very easy, too. So what are the exact benefits of making sure your staff are properly trained?

• Morale –Staff satisfaction is very important within a company. If individuals are satisfied with their role, then morale is increased, which in turn, increases work output. Training helps to make people more confident in their role, which directly improves morale. It is important in maintaining morale that staff are trained equally.
• Productivity –Better training means better processes. Tasks can be performed far quicker if employees know what they’re doing, and quality of work will also improve. Mistakes that could slow systems down are also far less likely to occur if individuals have the best training for the job that they do. There is also the chance that particularly well trained staff will be able to see where improvements could be made.
• Safety –For many businesses, staff safety is the number one priority. Employees lacking in knowledge and skill are more likely to have an accident in the workplace. Training helps to eliminate this as a cause. Many accidents happen because staff do not know how to properly use or store a piece of equipment, so it’s essential they do.
• Value –Well trained employees become assets for a business. They add value to the company as a whole, and make internal promotion easier. Promotion from within is of obvious benefit to a company – staff already have a good knowledge of the business and relationships with other members of the workforce.
• Independence –Fewer supervisors are needed when staff know exactly what they need to be doing, and how they need to do it. A fully trained workforce can be trusted to operate independently without making mistakes or slowing processes.

There are many ways to train a workforce. A mixture of both on and off the job training is always best to ensure employees are operating at the best of their ability, and people should be trained by both in-house and external trainers.

Learning management systems are an effective way of keeping track of staff training, whether it be on the job or off the job. They hold a database of who has been trained in what area, who is waiting for training, and when training is scheduled to be held. Qualifications are also a very good way of giving employees something that they can show physically and be proud of.

Remember, an organisation can never run at peak performance unless the workforce is fully trained. Managers should actively ensure that staff are being trained continually – it is not something that should be done as and when absolutely needed.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jack .