Finding highly skilled workers in today’s job market – and amid the pandemic – can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be if you begin to upskill current staff members. Training existing employees in new skills pays off in more ways than financial. It also serves to boost the morale of tenured employees. Benefits of investing in upskilling employees include:
Staffing & Retention Cost Savings: Experts project that the cost of losing just one employee, and then recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training his/her replacement can be a hefty 25K. Of course, for high-level personnel, the costs are much higher. Investing in employee training can make a difference in retaining those hard-to-come-by stellar employees who fit well with the company culture and are highly productive.
Retain Critical Knowledge and Experience: Your employees already understand the little nuances that make your business successful. Their knowledge and experience are vital components to your success. Opportunities for upskilling make staying with your company very attractive.
High Reviews on Your Culture: Offering learning opportunities not only challenges employees to develop and grow, but it’s also clear evidence that a company values its staff and is willing to invest in their employees. When employees feel valued and appreciated, the general morale climbs, and your culture earns positive recognition.
Customer Satisfaction: Your customers’ satisfaction level is often directly tied to your employees’ satisfaction. Upskilling increases employee satisfaction. Result? Employees are more invested in the business, more motivated to deliver quality customer service, and more apt to promote the company brand. In other words, satisfied employees ensure loyal customers.
Upskilling Strategies
Ensure a smooth-running plan for upskilling employees by including the following.
Personal Development Plans: Use this tool to have associates create a plan showing the competencies they would like to improve upon and skills they’d like to learn. Employee buy-in empowers staff.
Offer Flexible Working Hours: Classes often fall during work hours. Offering flexibility to accommodate class attendance does more than ensuring it happens. It shares the message that your employee development matters.
Job-specific Training: Training, including the operation of job-specific software, or credentialed programs, will enhance employee skills and improve their performance in their current position.
Upskilling doesn’t have to break the bank. You can provide online learning content, use a classroom setting inhouse, create web-based microlearning units covering topics in just five or ten minutes, or have other employees help in training programs. Each of these can be adapted to social distancing requirements.
The bottom line: It’s tough finding skilled workers and can be a challenge holding on to your top staff in today’s technologically advanced market. If you want to keep your company at the top of its game, with increased revenue and high production, it’s time to put a new strategy into play. Retain your current workforce by investing in their future. It’s a win-win for all.
Let Springborn Staffing find best-match talent. From temp staffing to direct hire, we have access to a broad base of expertise. We specialize in finding mutually beneficial connections between our candidates/associates and our clients. Trust Maine’s leading staffing provider – that’s us – and contact us today. We make a difference. We do more than promise excellence. We stand behind our employees’ performance – 100% guaranteed. Contact us today.
