Organizations face the constant need to recruit and retain skilled workers, and in the past years, this has become a growing challenge. In fact, estimates show that it can quickly reach an 85-million-person shortage by 2030 (Kornferry.)

As a result, employee training and development opportunities have become increasingly important for businesses looking to stay competitive in the marketplace. While sourcing and retaining top talent can be difficult, investing in an employee development program that delivers relevant technical training opportunities can bridge the gap and unlock the workforce's potential.

In this guide, we're going to look at various things, including how developing employees, simplifying the learning process, and investing in employee growth can help businesses increase productivity, boost growth, and even improve the bottom line.

We're also going to look at the role of screens, especially digital signage, within the context of professional development opportunities.

But we'll begin by talking about what employee training and development programs are, and why they are important.

What are employee development opportunities?

Employee development opportunities are structured learning initiatives designed to improve employees’ knowledge. The overall goal is to help employees acquire new skills, improve existing ones, and become better at their jobs.

These opportunities vary from company to company but usually involve planned training programs and developmental activities that contribute to a team's overall growth.

The initiatives may focus on customer service training, soft skills development, certifications and advanced degrees, or technical training. These employee development opportunities enable individuals to:

Remain the top performers in the job market

Why are employee training programs so important?

Employee training and development efforts are so important for both workers in an organization, and the company as a whole. Even though they often require significant investment to get off the ground ($1,252 per employee, according to the Association for Talent Development) the payoff is massive.

Recognizing the significance of these programs can help leaders make informed decisions and develop strategies that optimize the potential of their workforce.

These are the key reasons why businesses need an employee training program:

Growth is a critical part of a business’ lifecycle; experts even suggest that it should be priority one for startups (FasterCapital.)  Structured learning and development programs help organizations equip their employees with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to adapt to changing market conditions. This means the company can grow rapidly and adapt quickly, as its workforce is on top of current trends. 

Increased employee engagement and retention

When organizations provide learning opportunities, they show employees how much their growth is valued. This focus on employee investment can lead to increased engagement.

And we’ve seen that engaged employees are more likely to remain with the company, demonstrate higher levels of productivity, and contribute to a positive work culture (source).

Training initiatives allow employees to acquire new skills and refine existing ones, which leads to improved productivity and overall performance.

The programs also let employees explore and discover more efficient ways to deliver value to the company, do their job better and beat out the competition. These are always good for an organization. 

Employee training programs are very important for organizations looking to grow without buckling under their own weight. They help to develop future leaders within the organization by giving leadership training, bringing them up to speed on management-level practices, and empowering them to make the kinds of decisions necessary to lead teams. 

By identifying high-potential employees and providing them with relevant leadership training, organizations can ensure smooth succession planning and maintain continuity in key positions.

Another reason for companies to train employees is that it helps attract skilled professionals seeking personal and professional growth. Businesses that invest in their employee development gain a competitive edge by attracting the best talent in the industry, something that’s very hard to do without impeccable company PR.

Meeting compliance and industry standards

Some industries have specific regulations and compliance requirements, and organizations in these spaces are doubly incentivized to offer training and development to their employees.. These programs will ensure that employees understand and adhere to established guidelines, reducing legal risks while maintaining industry standards.

An employee training program can also help minimize the skills gap within organizations. Businesses often expect big things from their employees, and when employees are unable to deliver, it can stall the company’s progress, growth, and profitability. 

Training development programs ensure that teams can keep up with the business’ expectations, essentially making the workforce as competent as they need to be.

Employees in companies with a robust training and development program also have higher job satisfaction (source) and it’s not hard to see why. Employee training shows that the organization is committed to the growth and development of its employees, making workers feel valued and supported in their professional growth.

4 employee development program guidelines

It’s critical to properly plan and execute employee training programs for several reasons. Arguably one of the biggest is that you want your program to actually help employees upskill. Organizations spend over $1000 per employee trained, and it would be a massive waste if that amounted to no real improvement.

As a result, it’s important to get the training and development initiatives right from the get-go. In this section, we’ll discuss some guiding principles that can help.

Identify training needs and set clear objectives

To conduct comprehensive and effective training, it’s important to pinpoint the gaps and areas of improvement within the organization. Do employees need mentorship from more experienced team members? Or will they benefit more from e-learning courses? Defining clear objectives will help align training programs to address these needs effectively.

Design engaging and relevant training programs

While creating training programs, it’s also important to use diverse methods to keep them engaging and easy to follow. These could include: 

Blending different learning approaches can also help cater to the unique learning styles and preferences of participants.

Encourage continuous learning and knowledge sharing

It’s also important to promote a culture of continuous learning by providing opportunities for ongoing professional development. This means encouraging employees to share their acquired knowledge and skills with their peers, fostering collaboration and growth across the organization. Mentorship programs are a great way to do this.

Leadership assessments can help measure participants' strengths, evaluate their skills, and identify areas of improvement. Perhaps participants didn’t quite understand a portion of the training program and a different approach is necessary.

It’s also a good idea to use a 360-degree feedback system for a comprehensive view of the program.

Top 10 employee development opportunities

Now, let’s get into all the wonderful opportunities companies have in the field of employee training and development. As the professional landscape evolves, new employee development opportunities are continuing to emerge, and the best programs incorporate new opportunities with tried and true learning programs. 

Here are some development opportunities that companies can explore in 2024 and beyond.

1. Online courses and e-learning platforms

Your organization can leverage the power of technology to provide access to e-learning platforms and curated online courses. The beauty of these platforms is that they are readily accessible anywhere and employees can learn at their own pace.

One effective strategy is pairing experienced employees with junior team members to foster professional growth through mentorship. Your organization can also provide online coaching programs focused on skill development and leadership enhancement.

The benefit of this is that it is usually done as a form of on-the-job training, which can help with teaching employees anything from safety training to leadership skills, even if they are learning something entirely different.

Businesses can provide financial support to their employees to pursue degrees and certifications related to their jobs. With the average masters' degree costing upward of $59,000 (source), this opportunity is particularly helpful for employees who are passionate about taking their careers to the next level. Subsidized degrees offer professional development and help employees acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs effectively.

4. Leadership development and management training

We’ve already discussed the importance of leadership and management training in an organization. However, how the program is structured is also critical because it could potentially mean the future of the organization. 

Here are some steps to consider when setting up a leadership development program:

Promote accessibility to current leadership

5. Professional certifications and qualifications

Professional certifications, like degrees, can help employees advance in their fields, enhancing both their knowledge and skill, and overall ability to contribute to organizational growth.

6. Participation in industry conferences and workshops

Employers should encourage individuals and teams to attend industry conferences and workshops for a wide range of reasons. From networking to gaining industry insights and staying up to date on current events, these events can be just as valuable training and development vehicles. Plus, they can be easier to set up and promote, compared to other initiatives on this list.

Communication, adaptability and teamwork are three of the most important soft skills to possess in any workplace (Indeed.) Including employee training and development programs that focus on these can enhance overall effectiveness and professionalism in the workplace, and ensure that things get done. 

Here are some other important soft skills to focus on:

One of the best development methods for soft skills is on the job training. Using digital displays at work, such as digital signage, can be incredibly useful for an on the job training session or offering useful learning resources on the fly.

8. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training

Embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing DEI training programs is very critical in today’s workplace because 76% of employees and job seekers consider diversity when weighing job offers (LinkedIn), and companies with diverse teams report greater innovation revenue (BCG).

DEI initiatives promote an inclusive work environment and cultivate cultural sensitivity and awareness among employees. Plus, statistically speaking, it can lead to better organizational performance.

Cross functional training can be far more effective than instructor-led training, especially when the goal is to develop employees' ability to collaborate. A simple way to implement cross functional training is to have employees increasingly be trained across different departments and functions.

The end point is simple: to enhance their understanding of the business and expose them to different aspects of the organization. If done right, cross functional training can lead to improved problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

Supporting employee well-being by offering health and wellness programs can be helpful for employees who work in demanding and high-performance roles. Even though it’s not strictly training and development, it can be equally, if not more, effective at boosting overall performance and showing employees how much the organization values them.

Staff training and development have become an important part of business strategy. Find out how to plan and manage employee learning with digital signage.

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Digital signage for employee learning opportunities

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