Designing Digitally
04/21/2020
A lot of big companies have long since invested in an L&D (Learning and Development) department. They've discovered how employee training and development reduces turnover. Google is famous for its up-to-date interactive employee training programs, and so are CISCO, McDonald's, and Amazon, among others. These companies have managed to demystify the most common questions employers have about employee training:
What if I invest in training and my employee goes for a better job?
Is it cheaper to replace an incompetent employee than to train them?
Does too much training overwhelm employees?
While the possibility of an employee leaving for a better job exists, this shouldn't mean that providing training is not beneficial. In fact, the Millennial workforce expects to have the opportunity of furthering their education on the job. For this emerging labor pool, the connection between employee training and turnover is an obvious one: allowing space for personal and professional growth will reward employers with happy and loyal workers.
To answer the next questions all we need is one word: no! It is more expensive to have to retrain new employees. Try and look at this issue from the reverse perspective: what happens if you don't train employees? Employees will reach a plateau of skill and knowledge that will have ripple effects in their job performance and satisfaction. Offering employees interesting and engaging courses will actually keep them coming back for more.
You don't have to be a big shark to use training for reducing employee turnover. There are a few things you can do to lower turnover and incentivize your workforce to grow and want to stick around.
Read also: How Employee Training Impacts Turnover
Every single company has an onboarding process in place. It doesn't matter whether it takes two days or two months, this process introduces a new employee into your workforce, and it is vital for proper integration to take place. Thus, structuring and organizing your onboarding process will help employees become more easily acclimated to the existing vibe and culture of a new workplace.
Easing them into it will have long-term benefits and give them a proper start in their new job role. This is where training comes in! You will definitely need to have some training material readily available for new employees to go through. Appointing a mentor is an even better idea, and mixing the two is optimal. This way, new employees will feel welcomed into the new team, learn key aspects of the company before commencing serious work, and are more likely to enjoy their job for a longer time. How you introduce new people into your team is decisive for lowering your turnover rate.
A Learning Management System is a great tool to have if you're looking to reduce employee turnover with effective training. LMS' come in all shapes and sizes, from free to expensive. Since your admins can keep track of employee learning progress, add or remove courses, and gather data from employee interactions with the training course, there's really no reason for you not to invest in an LMS. Through this system, you'll be able to reach each and every employee and get feedback about their current job satisfaction, performance, and what you can do to help them get better at their job.
This system, if well implemented, will pay dividends. It will help employees see and fill their knowledge gaps and it will help you figure out how to best deliver the training your employees can most benefit from. Ultimately, an LMS can aid in tracking employee satisfaction with their job.
Game-Based Learning (GBL) and Gamification are extremely well-received by employees all over the world. The reason for this is that educational games are also fun. They keep learners more engaged, interested in learning, and motivated to continue. This teaching method is super flexible and can be delivered through an online, mobile, or computer-based medium.
You can use a plethora of games to train your staff, thus reducing employee turnover. Virtual and Augmented Reality, Serious Games, and Training Simulations are just a few delivery options available.
Work to build a learning and development culture within your organization. A happy employee is one that continues to learn and feels useful and appreciated. There are many ways to go about this, but start with making your onboarding process more efficient. Look to your employees for feedback and ask them about their learning preferences and goals.
Last, but not least, get in touch with professionals that help companies like yours on a daily basis. Call or drop us a message and we'll be happy to help create a training program that will increase employee productivity and raise the bottom line.
We bring a personal and effective approach to every project we work on.
