​Most organizations have training programs for their employees, which aim to equip them with the skills they need to perform their jobs and grow in their particular field or profession. Mostly, one hears about how this benefits company efficiency or the bottom line. But how does it help the learners?

In this blog, we’ll explore why employees should WANT to take training, outside of company profit.

Internal Career Progress

Training programs can help employees achieve internal career growth by equipping them with the skills they need to take more responsibilities at work, including ones required to perform in senior positions. For instance, corporate training programs can equip employees with the leadership skills preferred in managerial roles.

Most organizations have comprehensive leadership development programs that facilitate succession planning, and a Learning Management System with great data analysis features will show administrators who is completing training sessions and how well they’re preforming on them. This can become a great bargaining skill for learners during raise or promotion negotiations - they will have a viewable track record to Human Resource professionals that demonstrates high potential via such online training programs.

If a recessionhits or hard times are ahead, employees who embrace constant learning and development may be retained when others become redundant. Such employees are also adaptable to changes in organization policy and governance structure. Moreover, such employees may be able to serve in different roles or switch to jobs that align with a new company strategy.

Training Increases Employability

Training is one way of enhancing an employee’s value to any organization, not just their current one! If an training platform has the ability to export data or show proof of training publicly, this will make it much easier for learners to market themselves as great potential employees. For example, let’s say you’re in marketing and have taken multiple courses about SEO, Google Analytics, and Product Management. If you’ve completed the courses and obtained a certificate, you could add these employable skills to your personal resume. The next time you look for a job, you’ll be able to prove how this training can help the new company, not only the old one!

If an LMS has the ability to integrate with LinkedIn, this is even better! Knowledge Anywhere is a LinkedIn Learning LMS Integration Partner, which allows us to upload and update all LinkedIn Learning content directly in Knowledge Anywhere’s systems, providing a streamlined experience for companies, administrators, and learners, alike. Our platform also allows learners to post their certificates directly into their LinkedIn profile and allows them to show off which training was completed, who assigned it, and when it was done. interviewers often check the online presence of interviewees when deciding on a new hire. By completing training and making it available to the public eye, it’s now possible to benefit from the fruits of your labor!

Skills Competency

Training helps employees increase their knowledge and skills, leading to improved performance. Employees who understand their job and the resources they can use to enhance effectiveness are more productive than those without such training. Below are just a few examples of skills that learners can improve through training: 

IT and Computer Skills: Most employees lack competency in IT and basic computer skills required to complete different tasks. Research indicates 82% of all the office jobs in the modern workplace require knowledge of computing and digital communication skills. Training programs can bridge these gaps by teaching them how to use different software applications and internal communication networks. Training programs also help workers learn the latest updates on the existing software, which can be used to improve the quality of their work. 

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: As simple as it sounds, many employees are hired without the necessary soft skills needed to thrive in the workplace. Training can help bridge this gap to improve employee communication skills, enabling them to interact with others politely and avoid unnecessary conflicts. Communication training will also improve their ability to collaborate with others and work in teams when completing different tasks and projects.

Mentor Matching

Training programs provide an opportunity for employees to find mentors who can coach and guide them on their career. It is during training that employees encounter senior staff and consultants who specialize in different fields and professions. Employees can use this opportunity to get contacts, utilize mentors, and join professional networks. Exposure to such people helps employees benefit from their insights and experience on the corporate scene while creating powerful bonds. Word of mouth and networking are some of the most effective tools in career progression - training can give you the rare professional opportunity to have this power.

Increases Job Satisfaction

Training gives employees the skills to complete their work with minimal supervision, which increases autonomy and confidence in their work. Such employees feel more valued by the organization and more free without a micro-manager breathing down their back. As such, training linked to career planning is a great way of increasing the satisfaction of workers. When employees gain new skills and have strong bonds with mentors, this results in an improved perception of the organization and contentment with their work. Such employees are likely to be motivated to do their jobs and grow their career with the organization.

Let’s be honest - sometimes, workplaces can be boring, especially when employees feel that they lack focus and inspiration to complete their work. Part of the disillusionment results from the feeling that the employer is using outdated technologies and workplace practices. ELearning can improve employee engagement by upgrading their skills and serving as a way to modernizing the organization with the latest technologies and practices. Such initiatives will enhance employee engagement leading to improved productivity and commitment to their jobs.

A New Form of Empowerment

Training also helps employees avoid anti-social practices such as sexual harassment and know how to protect themselves from workplace bullies. Training helps them identify the forms of language and sexual advances that may be considered as harassment. Employees also learn about the types of offensive language and hostility that can be classified as harassment or bullying.

Employees will in a position to identify various forms of harassment such as racial profiling, gender-based hostility, religious intolerance, and age-based intolerance. They can report such incidences to the management for further investigation. Empowerment is an effective way of reducing workplace stress.

Enhanced Safety

Training has real-world implications that can increase job performance and safety. Employees who undergo company training are likely to be aware of the risks posed by their job and heed all the safety precautions while reducing accidents and injuries at work.

For workers in high risk professions such as engineering and healthcare, training helps create a safety culture that ensures that everyone complies with strict protocols. Employees will be in a position to identify safety hazard early and take necessary measures before accidents happen. Workers also need to undergo regular training to acquaint themselves with the latest policies and industry standards.

While training is great for corporations, it’s important to see how it can have positive effects for the employees in their own right, and when these perks are communicated properly, it can help with engagement and personal buy-in from learners.

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