The Best Investment You'll Ever Make

Investing in your people in my view is the best investment you could ever make and that’s why I read with interest last week that Vodafone has developed its own training application for employees.  This app can be tailored to each individual’s needs and aims to improve the store experience for customers. 

Vodafone estimates it has returned around 70,000 hours to customer facing activities from the classroom and the app has led to a 56% saving of training delivery costs in the process too. It’s understandable that a telecommunications business recognises the importance of using tech for the development of its people, but the principle here echoes with my own view that investing in training for your employees always reaps rewards.

For the past year I’ve been building a training platform for recruitment professionals and I’m really excited by the prospect of the careers and professions it will help build and the businesses that will benefit from a more motivated and upskilled work force. I know that businesses that do not invest in their people suffer in the long run. They suffer from low retention rates, poor employee engagement and chronic de-motivation. 

So if you’re struggling to get approval for your training budget or a business owner who is not putting L&D at the top of your employee engagement strategy, please think again. Here’s why: 

It’s good for business!

Investing in your employee’s development demonstrates your commitment to them. It will improve loyalty and staff retention. Also, if there is a skills gaps you’re currently facing, look at your existing staff and see if you can fill the gap this way rather than looking externally to hire. Investing in the people you have on board is sometimes more cost effective and beneficial for your business than bringing in a new hire. Crafting your own L&D programme allows you to target the skills needs of your business for now and the future. If you know that digital skills/ecommerce will be a big part of your growth strategy, then get your people upskilled now in that area to prepare them for this, and illustrate that they have a key role to play in the growth of the business. 

It’s great for employees

Training your staff results in better customer service, better work safety practices and productivity improvements too, this benefits employees because they will feel more valued in their role.  This locks in their loyalty for the long term by increasing motivation and participation in business growth. Training efforts will result in more internal promotions and succession planning success too. In my own area of expertise, recruitment, the sector suffers huge retention rates every year and more broadly a good company is one that retrains rather than churns. A training strategy for the whole business, will enable your team to meet their objectives as well as the businesses corporate goals.

Attract the best talent

Employees are brand ambassadors for your business and if they feel more valued by you and within themselves they will undoubtedly project this; which works as a great endorsement for you as an employer when looking to hire externally. Your business will become more attractive to top talent if you can demonstrate your ability to nurture and diversify work for your existing staff. A solid learning and development strategy with high employee engagement demonstrates to top talent that the business will meet their aspirations and help them meet their career goals.

If you make the right investments, just like Vodafone, and provide the best culture and development plan for your employees you’ll reap what you sow. To me, the solution to this issue is really quite simple. If we need to improve service, we need to invest in training. If you invest in methodical training for employees they will provide a better service for clients, their billings will increase and their reputation will improve – all of which simultaneously enable business growth. 

It’s time to invest in your training, don’t get left behind. Register your interest in the Recruitment Guide now or email our training experts at [email protected].