In the majority of organisations today resources are scarce and have to be prioritised and used carefully. But whilst large organisations tend to have the resources for some form of training and development function, most small and medium enterprises do not. For many, training and development does not appear on the strategic horizon and when it does, it is already a critical need that can no longer be ignored.

There is a strong business case for training and developing your staff. Firstly, a company should be able to reduce staff turnover, which in itself reduces recruitment costs. Knowing that you are valued as a person and will have the opportunity to improve your skills, to grow and develop, makes staff think twice about moving on. And when an organisation has a reputation for staff development, it attracts good applicants for jobs when they arise.

But most crucially, providing training and development opportunities will improve your business’ performance despite the fact that an initial investment of time and money may be needed.

Considerations when devising a training and development plan:

The correct identification of a company’s training and development needs is a vital first stage of the whole process – any training and development that is misdirected, or inadequately focussed, will not benefit the learner or the organisation.

The important aspect of training and development is to develop a strategy and operational process from the top down, which is appropriate to how your organisation operates and how your employees learn. To do this you need the support and guidance of a specialist training and development advisor who has the skills, knowledge and experience to identify what is needed and how it can best be delivered and evaluated.

Solutions that only address perceived skills gaps within an organisation will limit their effectiveness.  Training and development is not just about skills needed to perform a specific job, it encompasses the development of individuals in order to deal effectively and properly with colleagues, to demonstrate leadership in order to inspire, motivate and be a role model, as well as developing teams at all levels of the organisation, to enable them to work together efficiently and with one identity.

Training and development is an opportunity not a hindrance that will take staff away from their job and out of the workplace.  There are many varied ways of learning: on the job, shadowing, online, or college based.

Our Capabilities

Use the specialist advisers within ibd to help you identify the training and development needs within your company. Let them work with you to provide a solution that best fits your organisation’s needs and expectations and make a tangible difference to your organisation’s performance and profitability.