3 Ways To Encourage Your Staff To Gain New Skills

Posted on: 2 August 2017

Encouraging continuing education and professional development for your staff has several benefits. Your staff will gain confidence and feel more loyalty to your company because you will have demonstrated that you believe in their potential. Your team will become even more qualified and you will have an easier time promoting from within. Your staff retention may also improve since many employees leave positions when they feel like there are no more opportunities for learning or advancement. Here are three ways to encourage your staff to learn new skills:

Offer Workforce Training Classes

No matter your industry, workforce training courses are a great way to strengthen your employees' skills and boost team morale. Workforce training companies will often meet at your company in order to evaluate which training classes make the most sense and would be the most beneficial to your team. Workforce training classes range from vocational or industrial to professional and administrative, so you can find the best fits for your company. Offering a new workforce training class per quarter is a great way to keep your staff sharp and up-to-date on skills.

Provide Tuition Reimbursements

Tuition reimbursement programs are attractive and in-demand benefits that will help you recruit and hold onto the most talented job candidates in your field. Tuition reimbursements are typically set up to reimburse your staff for college-level, graduate, or professional studies courses that are related to their jobs and will help them succeed in their career. Tuition reimbursement also encourages your staff to further their education so they can apply for internal positions that require specific degrees or certifications.

With so many colleges and universities offering online and evening classes, your staff will easily be able to find classes to take that don't disrupt workplace productivity.

Create a Mentorship Program

Sometimes the best way to learn new skills while also receiving a confidence boost is to work one-on-one with a mentor. Creating a skills-based mentorship program to help junior staff members learn directly from your more experienced team members and executives is a great way to encourage learning, advancement, and relationship building in your office.

The mentors who choose to participate in the program will have a chance to hone and strengthen their leadership and coaching skills, while also getting to know team members they may not otherwise interact with often.

By encouraging your staff to continue learning, gaining new skill sets, and growing in their field, you will end up with a happier and more talented team. 

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