by Granville Triumph
Many organizations opt for external training programs for their employees, believing a different perspective from often high-profile speakers will be perceived as more valuable by employees and motivate them to become better at what they do. While external training certainly has value and can be part of the equation, it simply can’t match the value of ongoing, in-house training.
Delivered by people who have firsthand knowledge of your company culture, in-house training focuses on solving real problems and overcoming challenges faced by your employees on a regular basis. It’s aligned with corporate goals and business processes and based on very specific skills and knowledge required by your employees to perform their jobs.
In-house training also allows you to look each employee in the eye. By seeing their facial expressions and other non-verbal communication, you can see how seriously the employee is taking the training and what parts of the training might need to be improved to keep employees better engaged and add more value to future sessions. You might just identify your organization’s leaders of the future in the process.
Monthly in-house training program may focus on an individual department, groups of departments or the entire organization. The presenter will depend on the content of a specific session, although senior managers should have the most visible role in in-house training. While part of every manager’s job is to teach, train and motivate, it’s important to also allow employees who exemplify your corporate culture to lead your in-house training sessions.
Types of In-House Training
Retraining. As employees learn new skills, use new technology and implement new methods for performing their jobs, it’s easy to lose sight of the company’s core values and the fundamentals that have always provided a solid organizational foundation. Retraining realigns all employees with the organization’s vision and ensures consistency from top to bottom.
Cross-training. Understanding how and why co-workers perform their jobs creates mutual respect and a sense of teamwork, ensures coverage when employees are out of the office, and helps employees learn new skills that they can apply to their own jobs.
Industry Training. Industry standards, best practices and technology are constantly evolving. In-house industry training keeps every employee informed and updated, which improves their productivity and confidence while enhancing your corporate image.
Skill Training. Existing skills can be improved and perfected, and valuable new skills can be learned to improve performance, productivity, efficiency and customer service. This personalized training provides special attention to each employee in a way that helps both the organization and the individual’s career development.
The Morale Factor
If your organization has plateaued or become complacent or stale, you risk losing competitive advantages. In-house training can reenergize your entire staff, open lines of communication and ease tension while providing employees with the skills and knowledge to succeed. You’ll boost morale by building a more close-knit team that is better equipped to overcome challenges and take your organization to the next level.