4 reasons why companies should invest in their employees’ professional development

Professional development can mean several things. For some, it could be the opportunity to shadow different departments, the opportunity to go to tradeshows or conferences related to their line of work, or the chance to attend training courses and gain industry certifications. While learning and development are increasingly being acknowledged at C-Level management, there still is some skepticism around it, considering that businesses are under pressure to demonstrate the return on investment in professional development activities. As learning professionals, we hear, all too often: “it’s too expensive”, “the employee is the only one who benefits”, “it takes the individual away from the job they were hired to do” and the most common statement of “what if we train our staff and they leave?”

Well, what happens if you don’t train your staff and they stay?

Here are 4 reasons why you should invest in your team members, to invest in your company. 

1. Strengthening individual employees’ skills will strengthen their commitment

Many employees and employers can struggle with a loyalty complex as employers want highly skilled people on their teams, at the same time employees need opportunities to be challenged and to grow in their roles. One way to increase employee engagement and gain valuable skills for the company’s benefit is to invest in learning and development related to your industry. If there is a course or certification available in your network that can prepare your employees for their day to day operations or annual evaluations, you should consider taking advantage of the opportunity. Employees themselves can develop their skill set and your company will reap the benefits whilst giving employees an incentive to stay with your company beyond their salaries. 

2. It is high value and cost-efficient

Sending a group of employees from different departments can strengthen your company’s overall performance and increase employee engagement. This goes a long way to negating the risks and associated with employee turnover - new salaries, benefits, and negotiations can be costly, and an investment in staff learning has the potential to deliver huge returns. In comparison, a lack of investment in professional development is directly liked to lower employee engagement and businesses who don’t develop their staff often face challenges around commitment and culture. Happy and developed individuals can make a big difference in improving the attitude and culture of your team. Help your team feel appreciated and they’ll appreciate their roles – going above and beyond the call of duty. 

3. Investing in professional development can make you an industry leader

An organization is only as strong as its team and when you have a well developed and highly capable operation, your customers and competitors notice. Positive and confident employees who are dedicated to their organization, demonstrate that you lead by example to be at the forefront of your industry.

An example of a leader is Salica del Ecuador, a BRCGS certified site who are a leading global business in processing 100% Tuna. Salica were keen to support their staff in achieving BRCGS Professional status through an accelerated BRCGS Professional training course. The BRCGS Professional Program focuses on industry Standards and the skill set needed for effective product safety management. By putting a team of 17 through the accreditation, Salica have demonstrated a strong sense of Food Safety culture and gave each person an opportunity to give back to their organization by investing in themselves.

4. Build team connections and... Read more