Managing People - Training (Introduction)

Author: Jim Riley  Last updated: Sunday 23 September, 2012

People management - What is training?

Training can be defined as:

Training is, therefore, a process whereby an individual acquires job-related skills and knowledge. 

Training costs can be significant in any business. However, many employers are prepared to incur these costs because they expect their business to benefit from employees' development and progress.

Training takes place at various points and places in a business.  Commonly, training is required to:

• Support new employees (“induction training”)
• Improve productivity
• Increase marketing effectiveness
• Support higher standards of customer service and production quality
• Introduction of new technology, systems or other change
• Address changes in legislation
• Support employee progression and promotion

Effective training has the potential to provide a range of benefits for a business:

• Higher quality
• Better productivity
• Improved motivation - through greater empowerment
• More flexibility through better skills
• Less supervision required (cost saving in supervision)
• Better recruitment and employee retention
• Easier to implement change in the business

Effective training starts with a “training strategy”.  The three stages of a training strategy are:

• Identify the skills and abilities needed by employees
• Draw up an action plan to show how investment in training and development will help meet business goals and objectives
• Implement the plan, monitoring progress and training effectiveness

Given the costs involved, you might not be surprised to learn that many businesses do not invest enough in training. 

Some firms don’t invest anything in training!  Here are the most common reasons for under-investment in training:

They fear employees will be poached by competitors (who will then benefit from the training)

• A desire to minimise short-term costs
• They cannot make a justifiable investment case
• Training takes time to have the desired effect – management are impatient!
• Sometimes the benefits of training are more intangible (e.g. morale) than tangible – so they are harder to measure

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